THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[July 2, 1883. 



THE PROFITABLE DISPOSAL OF JLVNUKE. 



Under the ordinary system of agriculture the use and 

 disjiosal of manure is perhaps the most important part 

 of the farmer's business, and that iu which experience 

 and good judgment is the most called for. Its import- 

 ances is shown in the wide differences of opinion in 

 regard to the question, and the frequent discussions of 

 it in farmers' meetings, as well iu the changes of practice 

 which occur from time to time. For if it were a simple 

 matter that could be decided by a few experiments or a 

 short experience, it woiUd be easy to arrive at a satisfact- 

 ory decision in regard to it. But to a great extent we 

 are "all at sea" upon this subject, and there are great 

 differences of opuiion among farmers about it. Perhaps 

 this is due chielly to the habit of looking at a question 

 from a single piint'of view, and of discussing it without 

 keeping clearly in sight the objects aimed at. The means, 

 of course, ai'e always to be adapted to the end and pm-pose 

 desired in all farm operations, but if these are uot fully con- 

 sidered, one may easily be led astray and become tlisap- 

 poiuted in the result of his work. That there is great 

 uncertainty in respect of the best methods of disposing of 

 manure for various crops is shown by the fi-equent requests 

 for advise and the constant f raitless discussions whch appear 

 in the agricultural jom-naLs and in the report of farmers' 

 meetings. One of the points of difference is as to the 

 effect of mixing manmes; another is as to the manner 

 of applying it — whether in the hiU or drill or on the 

 siurface by plomng it in, and another as to the advantage 

 of spreading it upon the surface as it is taken from the 

 stables, or of putting it in heaps in the fields be to spread 

 afterward. It might be well to go over each of these 

 points singly and discuss each iu tui-n. 



Mixing manure or fertihzers is a laborious work, and if 

 nothing is gamed by it, it is labor lost. But something 

 may be gained by it wheu the condition of the material 

 can be changed for the better, and at the same time 

 something may be lost wheu anytMng can be changed for 

 the worse. In composting, for instance, such raw sub- 

 stances as swamp muck, leaves, taunery wastes, or other 

 wastes, with manure, or in mixing various manures, as f i-om 

 the horse stable, cow .sheds, pig pens, and poultry-house, 

 valuable results may be obtained ; while iu mLxiug lime 

 or wood-ashes with manure, and especially in making the 

 common fertihzer vfitb poultry manm-e and wood-ashes, 

 harm may be ilone and valuable fertilizing matter may be 

 wasted. In the one case the more actively fermenting 

 horse or pig manure will serve to decompose more readily 

 the colder cow manure, and to produce decomposition in 

 the abundant litter or raw matter that may have been used. 

 Besides, when the whole manure heap has been reduced 

 to an even and homogeneous condition and (juality, it is 

 made more valuable for use in the field, and neither 

 unduly or wastefuUy enriches one portion of it while in 

 adequately fertilizing another portion. It is therefore a 

 ^judicious and useful practice to mix these manures or 

 these waste substances iu the heap, either in the yard 

 or the field, and so add consi.lerably to the value of a 

 part without detracting from the value of . other portions. 

 But in the other case much harm may be done by mix- 

 ing any substances iu the heap which may exert an in- 

 jurious action upon the others. This may happen when 

 lime or wood-ashes are mixed with the manure, or with 

 the poultry maume; and the more harm is done, the 

 richer in ammouiate manure may be. Lime and pota.sh 

 are alkalies, and when fresh are in a caustic condition. 

 That is, they are free or nearly so from carbonic acid, 

 which, when combmed with an "alkali, renders it neutral, 

 or mild and inert. "When fresh hme or wood-ashes are 

 mixed with manm'e, they at once seek to combine with 

 carbonic acid from whatever source they can procure it. 

 Auunonia is an alkali, and manure is generally in com- 

 biuation with carbonic acid as carbonate of ammonia. 

 The lime or wood-ashes take the carbonic acid from the ] 

 carbonate of ammonia, and the ammonia escapes as a gas 1 

 into the ah-, and so far as the owner of the manm-e is \ 

 concerned this ammonia is lost, and as ammonia is the 

 most valuable and costly fertilizing element in existence, the 

 loss is very serious. It is easy, however, to avoid this 

 loss by using the lime or the ashes by themselves on the 

 soil, and not with the manm'e directly, in which way they 

 will do as much good. 



But sometimes it is advisable to mk hme or wood-ashes 

 iu a compostheap, and this may be done safely when this 

 especial behariour of these indispensable substances is under- 

 stood. If the manure is quite fresh, there is very httle 

 ammonia m it, and if there is more, a lai-ge propotiou of 

 ab.sorbent matter, as swamp muck, in the heap will ab- 

 sorb and hold it, and carbonic acid will be produced by 

 its decomposition in sufficient quantity to saturate the 

 alkali of the lime or ashes or to take up the ammonia 

 as fast as it is formed or set free. In fact a farmer 

 who understands the chemical decompositions and com- 

 binations which go on in a heap of decaying manure or 

 compost may use lime or wood-ashes with safety and 

 with advantage. AVith regard to the common mixture 

 of ashes, hen manure, and plaster, too, this may be 

 safely and beneficially made at the time it is to be used, 

 but not if it is left to remain mixed for any consider- 

 able time previously. 



The manner of applying manure in the field is a ques- 

 tion that deserves special consideration. It goes without 

 saying that top-dressing. Fall grain or grass land is a 

 part of the question that settles itself, becau.se it admits 

 of but one manner of doing it. But the application of 

 manure to stubbled land, or for such crops as corn, 

 potatoes, or roots, may be made in so many ways, that it 

 is reasonable to beheve there will always be differences in 

 regard to it while "many men are of many minds. " Some 

 advocate spreading the manure upon the surface and 

 plowing it under ; some would rather plow first and 

 spread the manm-e by harrowing it, even when it is 

 fresh and coarse, and is gathered into heaps under the 

 harrow to be .spread and spread again and again ; others 

 think it better to apply the manure in the hill or the 

 driU, and plant the seed directly upon or imder it. The 

 first of these methods is easy, effective, and, on the whole, 

 an excellent one, but the second has some palpable dis- 

 advantages which condemn it. It is troublesome and the 

 reverse of neat farming. Moreover, it is not putting the 

 manm-e where it will do the most good, which is clearly 

 as near to the roots as possible. It is true that the soluble 

 portions of the mamire will be carried into the soil by 

 the rains. But in such di-y seasons has have occurred for 

 the past few years, crops have suffered and starved tor 

 want of the food which has laid baking and roasting 

 upon the surface. Again the roots of plants themselves 

 are able to get considerable food from undecomposed 

 organic matter by then- own abUity to reduce it to de- 

 composition, and this may be seen very plainly in the 

 case of a coru-plant whicft has groivn in a hill that has 

 been manured by a shovelful of half -rotted or even fresh 

 maum-e. The roots have penetrated and embraced the 

 manure completely, and have formed a dense mat in and 

 about it, so that when the stub is pulled up the remains 

 of the manure have_ come with the roots. So that it 

 appears to be a waste of maum-e to spread it upon the 

 surface unless it is so fine that the harrow will mingle it 

 thoroughly with the soil to the full depth which the teeth 

 penetrate. "With coarse manm-e it seems clear that it is 

 better to spread it before plowing and cover it, so that 

 it is eveuly mixed between the furrow shces, and can be 

 afterwards intimately mingled with the soil. And, indeed, 

 it might seem best to follow this method even with fine 

 manure, for it is very certain that the young plant comes 

 up aU the stronger and more vigorously when its first 

 roots are provided with an abundance of food as soon 

 as they are ready for it, which is as soon as they begin 

 to penetrate the soil in search of it. Indeed, for the clear 

 understanding of the necessities of this part of fann pract- 

 ice, farmers must study and become acquainted with the 

 facts relating to plant growth. 



As regards the too prevalent practice of spreadmg the 

 manure iu small heaps on the field, and leaving them for 

 mouths before it is scattered over the sm-face, too much 

 cannot be said against it. It is waste both of material 

 and labor. Heaps so left lose .a largeportiou of theu- soluble 

 contents by the washing of rains or the melting of snow, 

 and this goes into the soil under the manm-e, which is 

 in fact manured in consequence of this at a rate equi- 

 valent to many himdi-eds of tons per acre, while the rest 

 of the gi-ound must necessarily be robbed of its share. 

 Many years ago the isTiter. then a young farmer following 

 the methods to which he had been used, thus spread the 



