The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-10-27

A MASrEg snED CONNECTED WITH BARS
BY 4 CARRIER AND TRACK.
truckers and gardeners. These farm.
ers may multiply their available ma
nure many fold by means Of the com.
post heap
II should be remembered that any
thing Of vegetable or animal origin has
value as a fertilizer If put in proper
condition The compost heap is one
means Of doing this. One ton OF leaves
contains fifteen pounds of nitrogen, D.
pounds Of phosphoric arid and six
pounds Of potash. aud at ordinary val
ues for these substances Is worth near
~ $3iG Straw similarly is worth
about 81 per ton. Thcae yalues are
based on their total percentages OF
fertilizing constituents In actual pfac-
ticc 1t is safe 10 assume that half Of
these are available. and this only after
the materials have undergone decom-
position.
Locate the compost hosp in an old
shed or build n she'd with any kind Of
cheap material Cor n ROOF Spread on
the ground IL layer OF stable manure
s 10y 10 feet six inches deep over this
spread 100 pounds of acid phosphate
or ground phosphate rock. The phos
pllatc rock is less expensive than the
acid phosphate. hut is not so effective.
Continue these alternate layers until
the manure is used UP or until the pile
has become inconycniently high TO
these layers might he added straw,
leaves. moll or other litter, adding JOG
pounds of ground phosl hate rock to
each ton OF material used. BE sure to
wet all thoroughly. When the compostl
heap is completed cover It about four
inches deep with good loan or with
forest mold.
When applying two tcns per acre or
less the best results caa he obtained
by putting the compost in the furrow
and bedding out on it, BE careful NOT
to bury TOO deep. especially on clay F,
soils When using more than two tons ,
per acre it is better 10 scatter broad
cast.
II is safe TO say that by using com
post supplemented wi-h cOwpeas. vel
vet beans or other legumes the produc-
tiYoness of the average 100 acre farm
can be materially Increased and simply /
at the cost of few IONS Of acid phos-
phaie and little labor.
Green Manures.
II has been found beneficial TO plaw
under green crops OH depleted soils or
soils deficient in hunus. Crops suita-
bic for this purpose are cowpeas, vel.
vet beans, clover buckwheat. rye ana
lcSpedeza. ordinarily the crops should
be allowed TO reach maturity before
turning under. 1t IL not good practice
10 turn under a heavy green crop i'm
medatcly before planting another
crop especially small grain.
a cover crop is usually sown late III
the season. after tic main crop is ont
of the way Oats. rye and crimson
clover are most commonly used for
this purpose They are sown in the
cotton or corn at the time of the last
working ana make some growth dur
ing The autumn ana carly spring
They serve the douh,e purpose Of add
ing humus ana Of preventing soil Gro.
sion. The cover crop should be plowc1
under at least two wccns before the
time for Planting the next crop. Green
manure crops are helpful in improving
The mechanical condition and rendering
available the plant food already in the
sell. aud II a lrSumnous crop like the
tpwpea rs used as green mmlure tie
soil also gains in nitrogen AZ result
Of the power Of such plants 10 fix the
nitrogen Of the air With harnyard
and with the covped at his
service TO save and gather nitrUecn 70:
him. the average farmer does not have
10 buy 50 much nitrogen in CONNER.
'ial fertilizer when he can easily pro.
luce about all that his land needs upon
his farm. Economy should he his
watchworj and there is 40 better
place for him to start than by stop.
Ping the waste of nitrogen.