FARMYARD MANURE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1310, 13 December 1911, Page 10

FARMYARD MANURE.

"SHAMEFUL AND WICKED WASTE." 'If fresh farm manure is thrown out and exposed to the weather for six months in summer, fays Mr. C. G. Hopkins, nf the University of Illinois, one half of its .total weight of dry matter is lost, and more than one huif ot its value a.i a fertiliser is lost. In most newer counlncs there is an enormous and shame.nl, it not wieked, waste ot farm manure. Jr. older countries it is the rule to save all possible farm manure with very groat care, although this rule is too irccinelly broken by the careless, ignorant, or shortsighted. . i As a whole, the unnecessary waste and loss of form manure which occurs in America each jear is equal in value .to s«veral times the value ol all commercial fertilisers "used in that country. Sometimes the waste of farm manure and the purchase of commercial fertilisers occur upon the some farm. In such cases the commercial fertiliser used is usually a so-called "complete" 'fertiliser, containing acid phosphate with a trace ot nitrogen and potassium too small to add appreciably to its value, and it, is cohimoiilv applied in amounts which supply less plant, food thai) the crops actually remove, the small amount>of soluble plant food applied being supplemented by that which the soil would naturally give up, together willi what can be forced from the soil bv the stimulating action of the soluble corrosive acid salts and manufactured land-plaster contained in such fertilisers. • SAYING FAIiM MANURE. In order to retain the full amount and full value of farm manure, i 1; should 1« removed d ; rectlv from the stail or feed lot and spread* at once upon the land. Where the winters are moderately cold and Ires from 'hoavv rains there is little loss if the manure is allowed to accumulate durilig such weather in a. small, uncovered fesd lot, provided it is hauled out and spread upon the land in the early spring. Manure may be allowed to accumulate without mueu Joss in derp stalls for several week-s if plenty of absorbent .bedding, is used, and then :t nu'.y be hauled from the stall directly to the field and spread. . It should be the rule never to handle .manure more than - once. When taken I'-aiii the stable or t'ecdin;; shed it. should K) at once loaded on to the s.nreader and ■ hauled to the field. Jf mavire is produced at tho rate of two loads or more a week.' the'convenience and importance of taking this manure directly from the stablo and snrondiiig it at or.ee ution the field will certainly justify iirci-idiiij a manured spreader or-special wagon to be used solely' for this purpose.