The Crittenden press., 1920-03-19
Agricultural Column
BY Prof. Geo. N. Cumber
THE CARE OF rARM MANURE.

contains ten essential plant food ele
ments, namely carbon hydrogen, oxy
gen, potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen
calcium, iron and magnesium, of whicl
nitrogen and phosphorus are most like
ly to be deficient, and when we con
slider the amount of nitrogen and phos
phorus in ton of manure, and tn,
losses that occur from weathering /
can readily be seen that the care O
manure is as important as its produc
tion.
Farm manure on the average con
tains about ten pounds Of nitrogen
two pounds Of phosphorus and eigh
pounds of potassium, besides about
five hundred pounds of organic mat
ter to the ton. 1t is estimated that
manure teaches our about one half oi
its plant food value when exposed to
weather for three months time. BY
comparing our Crittenden County soils
with that Of the Blue Grass region we
can readily see the deficiency in our
soils. The Blue Grass region of Ken
tucky contains about $500 pounds OF
nitrogen. 100 pounds Of phosphorus,
and 35 600 pounds of potassium. while
our CritteGden County soils contain
only about LOO pounds of nitrogen,
7Oe pounds of phosphorus and $4,000
pounds of potassium per acre.
These statistics show the vast differ.
ence OF nitrogen and phosphorus in
our soil with that of the Blue Grass
and the greater amount of this nitro.
gen and phosphorus is not available,
that is, it is not in such form that
the plants can use it,
What Crittenden County soil needs,
perhaps more than anything else. is
an abundance of humus. At it decays
slowly in the soil 1t brings about
chemical reactions that aid in making
this unavailable plant food available.
Aside from this fact by mixing it with
the soil II increases the water-hO'dine
capacity and this is especially impor.
tant in the regions that are 30
drouth. The humus also has a decided
effect on the temperature of the sJn
by making it more porous, thus allow.
ing air and sunshine to penetrate it
more freely. 1t also provides for bet
ter drainage thus causing the soil to
warm up better.
Humus tends to hold the soil par
ticles apart, allowing the air to cir
culate freely. This is very important,
as the roots OF plants to make the /
best growth must have an extensive
root system, and to promote this the
soil must be in a permeable condition
with plenty of soil water and air
Fnmus furnishes food and 2 home for
the bacteria, which are essential in
nitrogen fixation. Last but not least
In the importance of humus Is the eff
feet that It has on the topography OF
the land. BY absorbing the rainfall II
prevents erosion and the formation OF
gullies, which are so numerous in Crit
tendeni County.
From these facts the importance OF
manure to the farmers Of Crittenden
County can be clearly seen, both for
It's humus content and the plant food
that II contains. II follows from these
facts that all the manure should be
saved and carefully husbanded. II
should be cared for In such a way to
prevent such losses that occur an.
nually, as the following statistics
show: One billion tons of manure are
produced annually in the United States
worth approximately $500 per ton,
amounting in value to over SO 5000 000,.
900. One-fourth of this is lost due to
improper care which makes a total
loss Of s75O,O00,OO0 per year.
The losses OF manure are due chiefly
to heating and teaching. When manure
is allowed to heat II loses its most i'm.
portant plant food element, nitrogen.
When the heating occurs, ammonia gas
Is liberated and the chief constituent
Of ammonia gas is nitrogen.
Most OF the farmers clean out theii
stalls once a year ana pitch II out
under the caves, where the winds blow
and the rains descend and wash IL
down the hillside to fertllize the weeds
and after all the plant food is washed
away, thev haul II out on their fields
In the spring, and expect fifty-bushel
corn crop.
Most OF the stables in Crittenden
County have dirt floors and nearly al.
Of the liquid manure Is leached ou
unless a large amount OF bedding IL
used. BY using large amount of bed
ding you not only absorb most of the
liquid but you also add a large amount
OF organic matter which is OF the ut.
most Importance. Another good way
10 prevent the loss OF the liquid ma
nure is to build concrete floors in the
stalls. The farmer could do this with
out excessive cost, for he can get
enough sand and gravel In almost any
creek bed, and the only cost would be
cement and the time spent in building.
The best way to take care OF manure
on large scale is to haul It out as II
Is produced, for in this way little is
lost II II is impossible to do this the
next best thing is to build manure
pit, place to store the manure when
Il Is impossible to haul II out each day.
There is only one practical way In
which to make soil productive and
that is by the addition OF organic mat
ter Since II is not often practical to
turn under green crops without first
pasturing or hogglng them, we should
Increase our acreage for this purpose