97 



COMPOSTS. 



The most advantageous form in which the crude manurial 

 materials of the farm can be utilized, is, in general, in the 

 compost heap. 



Among the advantages offered by composting ma}'^ be 

 mentioned the better proportioning of the fertilizing ingre- 

 dients designed for use on some specific soil or crop, which 

 the proper preparation of the compost heap permits; the 

 rapid disintegration and decomposition of the organic ma- 

 terials which may be employed as litter or else as ingredients 

 of the compost; the promotion of nitrification, which is gen- 

 erally believed to be facilitated by the employment of car- 

 bonate of lime or marl in the compost; the retention and 

 preservation of ammonia, which is possible in properly 

 managed composts, the loss of which element constitutes 

 one of the most objectionable features of the exposure of 

 loose heaps of stable manure. 



In addition, the stable manure by admixture with the 

 other materials in composts, ordinarily becomes less com- 

 pact, the material is more easily handled, and when applied 

 to the soil, the fertilizing constituents contained are in a 

 condition of more ready availability for the use of the plant. 

 The most common ingredients of composts in the 8outli are 

 acid phosphate, cotton seed and stable manure, though in 

 some cases mucks, marls, ashes, lime, etc., are employed. 



For cotton the following compost formula is recommended 

 for use on the average soil : 



Acid Phosphate (14 per cent, available Phospho- 

 ric Acid) 500 lbs. 



Cottonseed 700 



Stable manure 800 





Total 2,000 lbs. 



In the preparation of composts, a layer of stable manure 

 is spread out evenly in a level place to a depth of several 

 inches; upon this a corresponding quantity of acid phos- 



