The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-02-04
UTILIZING ALL THE MANURE
Value of the Mechanical Spreader in
Avoiding Waste.
BY E. NEWBEGIN,

Inc approximate Vdlue OF wasted
manure in the United States in one
season is $50,0O0,000, a conserva-
tive estimate based on figures from
the leading experiment farms and
agricultural colleges. Experiments
have been conducted for many years
to ascertain the value of manure as
compared with mineral fertilizing
agents In each case 1t has been
found that the cumulative effect of
manure increases more rapidly than
that of any other fertilizer.
The claim is substantiated by sta
tistics that manure possesses a great
er value than would be indicated by
its chemical composition in its phys
ical effect on the soil.
Experiments by Federal farms
throughout the United States to COM
pare the relative values of manure
and other fertilizer agents have
brought to light the amount of chem
icals carried by the different manures.
Cows and steers fed in a stable with
hard floors that hold the water from
seeping produce not less than half
ton OF manure each month. This
varies with the feed and the general
health of the stock, but the estimate
is low enough to allow for any condi-
tion which may arise. A ton Of stable
manure has been analyzed at one of
these farms, and a table giving the
chemical value in fertilizer agents
has been compiled. In the 1000
pounds of apparently useless mate
rial are 1892 pounds Of nitrogen; at
Is cents per pound this would bring
$1.49, 4.74 pounds of phosphorus,
at cents, $.331S; 9.46 pounds Of
potassium, at 6A cents, $.567, or a
total value of S2.39 per ton. This
value varies with the feed and condi-
tion of the stock, but may be figured
as safe basis to work on. Thus 1t
will be seen that a seasons manure
runs into considerable money, too
much money in fact to disregard any
convenient method of taking care
of it.
Manure, when thrown from the
stable, contains 70 to 80 per cent
water. This water holds In solution
a large part of the salts which give
the manure its value for fertiliza-
tion. If the material is exposed to
rain under conditions which allow
the escape Of the drainage, fully one
half of its value as crop increaser
will disappear in a few months.
If it were possible to construct a
bin large enough to hold all the
manurial accumulations of the sea-
son so moisture would not escape 1t
would allow the farmer to wait until
the opportune time for spreading it.
The cost of this bin would be large
and the labor of carrying to and from
the bin would be almost prohibitive.
Farm experts have considered this
matter from every angle, every
known method Of taking care of this
valuable agent has been investigated.
The nearest approach to ideal econ
omy in the preservation of manure is
to haul 1t daily from the stable to the
field and spread it at once as uni
formly and in small particles as can
be conveniently accomplished.
In some Of the model farms con-
veyors are used to carry the manure
from the stable to platform, where
a mechanical manure spreader Is sta
toned. This arrangement saves time
and labor, and the manure loses none
of its value, as 1t can be hauled to the
field at the most convenient time and
automatically scattered evenly and
at any desired thickness where 1t is
needed the most.
AS soon as the advantages Of the
mechanical spreader were fully es-
tablished many of the most progress
sive farm implement firms engaged
in its manufacture; many different
styles, each one with slightly differ
ent ways of doing the same work,
were invented. The one object Of all
being to scatter the material evenly
at least expense, waste of manure
and to break the manure into small
enough particles. There has been a
growing demand in the last few years
for a lower machine than those gen.
orally in USE Several of the best
makers are manufacturing machine
which supplies this demand in one
way or another.