Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-08-17

ration goes into that urine. SO it is most important
to conserve the urine, for nitrogen is the most eX-
pensive element of manure or fertilizer. The other
two important plant foods are potash and phos-
phorus.
Even though manure is highly regarded by all
good farmers, nevertheless there is probably no
product of equal value which is so miserably neg
lected and regarding which such real ignorance
prevails. The first great source of loss is through
the incomplete absorption of the urine, and it is
not infrequent to see no attempt being made to
save this portionlof the manure in spite of the fact
that it is richer in both nitrogen and potash than
is the dung, and in spite of the fact that these fer
tilizers are more available for the plant in the
urine than in the dung.
The second greatest source of waste of manure
is the loss incurred by teaching. If u good-sized
manure pile is stacked up against the side of the
stable where the water from the caves can drip
on it, or if it is piled ON a slope or other exposed
place, every heavy rain washes away crisp bank
notes in the form Of nitrogen and potash. These
leached chemicals are the most valuable portions
Of the pile, the most available for plant forcing,
The third common source of loss is that incurred
by heating and fermenting. When manure is put
in piles it soon heats and throws off more or less
gas and vapor. The fermentation which produces
these gases is caused by the action of bacteria, or
minute organisms. The bacteria which produce
the most rapid fermentation In manure, In order to
work their best, need plenty of air, or, more strict
ly, oxygen. Therefore, fermentation will be most
rapid in loosely piled manure. Heat and some
moisture are necessary for fermentation, but, If the
manure is wet and heavy, fermentation Is checked
because the temperature is lowered and much of
the oxygen excluded from the pile. The strong
odor of ammonia, so common around a stable, is a
simple evidence of the fermentation and the loss of
nitrogen which is going on.
Fresh manure loses in the process of decay from
40 to 20 per cent of its original weight. An S0tOn
heap of COW manure left exposed for one year lost
GO per cent of its dry substance. Some tests con-
Quoted by the United States department of agri-
culture showed that two tons of horse manure ex-
posed In a pile for five months lost 81 per cent of
Its gross weight, 60 per cent Of its nitrogen, AZ
per cent Of its phosphoric acid and 76 per cent Of
it's potash, or an average loss OF three-fifths.
Five tons of COW manure exposed for the same
length of time in a compact pile lost, through leach
ing and dissipation Of gases, 40 per cent in gross
weight, Al per cent Of It's nitrogen, 10 per cent of
its phosphoric acid and 8 per cent Of its potash.
Here was a terrific waste, vertically, yet not greater
than is to be found In most common farm practice.
What would any business man or any farmer think
of a city real estate Investment or a land invest
ment which deprecated In value In this wise? And
what If he discovered that he could have prevented
1t at almost no cost or extra effort to himself?