61 



610. -MANURES AND HOW TO MIX THEM. 



Dr. Geehens, of Alzey, Germany, has furnished a very simple 

 plan of determining what artificial manures may be mixed, and 

 vice versa". From the Australian Agriculturist we take the following 

 notes and accompanying diagram : — 



•• In mixing manures before applying same on the land, chemical 

 changes can take place, so thai a valuable ingredient may be lost by a 

 part of it flying off as gas, as example, the mixing of lime manures 

 with such that contain nitrogen, as stable manure, guano, or ammonium 

 sulphate, when the most valuable ingredient, the nitrogen, is lost in 

 the form of ammonia ; or an easily soluble manure changes into one 

 difficulty soluble, and so loses in value, as example, the influence of 

 lime on easily soluble phosphates. 



•"Secondly, mechanical changes can be caused by mixing two or 

 moremanures, and so make their application more difficult, and con- 

 sequently more costly. Mixing kainit or other potash salts with other 

 artificial manures, if not spread immediately, will give a mixture that 

 soon becomes a hard, solid mass, which must be broken up before 

 application. 



" To remember what, manures can be mixed for any length of 

 time, shortly, or not at all, before spreading the same on the land, 

 cannot be expected of any one who is not well up in the chemistry 

 of manures The accompanying diagram, which can be relied upon, 

 is valuable for reference. For this purpose it can be tacked on 

 the barn door, and everyone can see at a glance what manures can 

 be mixed, and how long before spreading same on the land. 



Superphosphate. 



Lime 



Ammonium 

 Sulphate 



Potash Salts 



Basic Slag or 

 Thomas' Phos- 

 phate. 



Farm Yard 

 Manure and. 

 Gtiano 



Kainit 



Chile Saltpetre or Sodium Nitrate. 



"Those manures joined by the thick lines must never be mixed 

 before using : those by the double line, immediately before spreading ; 

 and those by the single line can be mixed together at any time." 

 Unfortunately, there has been two lines left out in our diagram. 

 These should run between the base point and the right and left upper 

 angles. These may however be easily drawn in by the reader. — 

 Queensland Agricultural Journal. 



