Milford chronicle., 1916-11-03
A COMPOST VAT.

over It, and occasionally forking It
over. In dry weather the heap should
be kept wet down either with water
or hquid manure.
Near every dwelling on the farm,
but a little out Of the way, there
should be a place. vat or cistern pre-
pared. where all the scrapings Of the
dOoryard and litter from the garden
can be conveniently deposited. There.
likewise. should be thrown all the
wOOlen rags and other refuse stuff.
such as old boots and shoes, bones,
etc, usually committed to the flames
by the neat housewife upon every re-
turn Of that ever to be dreaded "festi-
val" commonly denOminated house
cleaning" Into this receptacle throw
all the brine and soapsuds on washing
days, and ashes and lime, rubbish
where teaches are emptied Add Oc-
casiOnally a wheelbarrOw load Of
muck. loan or turf, and in the spring
when wanted there will be a quantity
of excellent manure, far more valu-
able for many purposes than barnyard
manure.
Fill the hole with well rotted or
cOmposted manure and pile on top Of
this alternate six inch layers Of fresh
manure and weeds or sod mixed with
some earth until the pile is about
waist high. The weed seed will be
killed in the process If the heap is
properly handled. and an addition Of
such extra material as leaves and |
straw increases the amount Of COM
post obtained from a given amount Of |
manure When many leaves are used |
add lime to make them decay more |
quickly and sweeten the acid condi-
tion they produce.
The whole pile should be covered 1
with thin layer of earth to help alb
sOrb the vapOr. Keep the pile wet but
not so well soaked that water runs
from 1t and carries away the plant
food Fork over and rebuild the pile
every six or eight weeks and cover It
again with earth. Composing should
lie completed In from six months to a
year. depending on the kind Of mate
rial used and whether lime and water
have been used to hasten decay.
From ten to fifteen tons Of compost
should be added per acre, or a little
more than If undiluted manure had
been used. Lighter applications should
be for fruit and root crops, like beans,
potatoes and beets, than for
leaf crops, like lettuce and cabbage.
which can use a great deal Of rich food.
Well rotted manure is better than
fresh manure for gardens. 1t is also
cheaper than commercial fertilizers In
these wartimes. when the supplies Of
some fertilizers are cut on by the
blockade, and the materials used In
making others are very high in price
because they are used IN making ex-
llOsives. Composted manure is as good
Is or better than the ordinary wen rot
ed article and much cheaper, because
more can be saved and much less IS
wasted by being washed away or leach
ng into the soil while rotting. It Is a
)etter plant food and does not produce
10 much leaf and vine instead Of the
,ruit or roots, for which most garden
,rops are grown.
At the University Of Missouri such a
compost pile Is made every year not
Dnly for garden use. but for use in pot
ing house and greenhouse plants. The
directions given the workers there are
IS follows: Select a level. well drained
pot as near the barn door as possible.
where the water cannot go through the
,ile and wash out the plant food. Dig
way three or four inches Of the looser
urface soil over a strip four feot wide
nd as long as desired for the pile.