70 The Bulletin. 



IV. Composts and Composting. 



Compost for General Use. — Frequent requests are made for com- 

 post formulas, and the following one, with barnyard manure, rich 

 dirt, or woods mould, or all, and acid phosphate and kainit, is well 

 suited for general use : 



Barnyard manure, rich dirt or woods mould 1,750 pounds 



Acid phosphate 200 pounds 



Kainit 50 pounds 



2,000 pounds 



With average barnyard manure the above compost would contain: 

 phosphoric acid, 1.7 per cent; potash, .7 per cent; and ammonia, .6 

 per cent. One ton of this compost is worth between 500 and 600 

 pounds of the average fertilizer containing 8 per cent of available 

 phosphoric acid, 2 per cent of potash and 2 per cent of ammonia. It 

 should be applied at the rate of 600 to 1,600 pounds per acre in the 

 drill, 1,400 pounds of the compost being about equal to an application 

 of 400 pounds of the 8-2-2 fertilizer. 



The compost may be made under shelter or out of doors. In either 

 case select a place where the soil is compact, and arrange it so that 

 the water that may run through the heap will not drain from it. Put 

 down the materials in alternate layers — first, a layer 3 to 6 inches 

 thick, according to the size of the compost to be made, of the manure, 

 woods mould or rich dirt, then sprinkle upon this layers of acid phos- 

 phate and kainit, and continue in this way to put down alternate 

 layers of the materials till the compost is complete. If dry, the 

 manure, mould, etc., should be moistened by sprinkling with water ^ 

 and the heap should be brought to a conical or wedge shape, covered 

 with dirt, preferably rich dirt, and thoroughly compacted to prevent 

 undue entrance of air, which brings about heating and injurious fer- 

 mentation of the heap. The compost must be watched, and if it be- 

 comes hot a hole should be made in the side and towards the top and 

 water poured in to cool it. Heating is likely to occur if made under 

 shelter, while if made out of doors in the winter and early spring the 

 rains are apt to be sufficient to keep it moist, but here there is danger 

 of loss, especially of the very soluble potash and phosphoric acid, from 

 leaching, and the heaps made out of doors need careful watching to 

 see that they do not get too hot just after making and between rains, 

 and more especially to see that they are thoroughly covered with dirt 

 and compacted, so as to make the water run mostly off the sides instead 

 of through the heap and draining off with the most valuable part of 

 the manure. The heap should remain 40 to 60 days, and may stay 

 longer. *Before using, it should be thoroughly cut up and mixed by 

 means of hoes and shovels. If the manure, woods mould and dirt are 



