^04 J oiir?iaL of Agriculture, Yictona. [i i Nov., 1912. 



Moreover, tlie average dairy liolding is considerably smaller than the 

 average wheat farm, and the number of live stock per unit of area 

 considerably larger. Farmyard manure, therefore, becomes an item 

 of considerable economic importance. It is of even greater importance 

 to the small irrigation farm or orchard. 



The composition of stable manure varies very considerably, as might 

 be expected. The nature of the food eaten, kind of bedding used, the 

 amount and nature of the fermentation, all have important bearing on 

 the composition. Generally speaking, a good sample will contain about 

 .6 per cent, of nitrogen, .35 per cent, of phosphoric acid, and .6 per 

 €ent. of potash, i.e., about 13 lbs. of nitrogen, 7 lbs of phosphoric 

 acid, and 13 lbs. of potash. 



The most important principle to be observed in the care of stable 

 manure is to prevent any loss of plant food constituents. No difficulty 

 arises with regard to phosphoric acid and potash compounds, but it is 

 almost impossible to prevent losses in nitrogen and organic matter. 



The loss of nitrogenous organic matter may be avoided by the use 

 of good absorbents for bedding purposes, and of substances, such as 

 gypsum, which assist in fixing ammonia compomids and preventing 

 loss by volatilization. Losses may also be reduced to a minimum by 

 (a) Controlling the fermentation of the manure, and 

 (6) By prevention of leaching. 

 If a plentiful supply of air is admitted to the manure heap, fermenta- 

 tion and nitrification proceed very rapidly, and the temperature 

 quickly rises. Under these circumstances, a great deal of the organic 

 nitrogen escapes as ammonia in its compoimds, or even as free 

 nitrogen. 



The fermentation may be controlled by keeping the manure heap 

 well compacted, and keeping it moist. 



Losses by leaching may be avoided by building the manure heap 

 <)n a raised cemented floor, with sloping sides. The liquid manure 

 drains towards the side of the floor and collects in a pit, and is periodic- 

 ally pumped over the manure heap. This system of conserving 

 manure is already practised on several large wheat farms. 



Green Manuring. — The object of green manuring is to increase the 

 organic content of the soil, which we have already seen is a dominating 

 factor in soil fertility. There can be doubt that many of the soils in 

 the wheat-growing areas, which have been under cultivation for a 

 comparatively long period, have lost a considerable amount of the 

 organic matter they formerly contained. This loss has been accentu- 

 ated by the practice of bare-fallowing, and by stubble-burning. The 

 restoration of this organic matter is a problem of fundamental im- 

 portance to the wheat areas. Modes of restoration of this organic 

 matter that are practicable in the wheat-growing areas have already 

 been discussed. {Jour. Agric, Victoria, 1912, p. 460.) The turning 

 in of green crops is one of the most rapid methods of increasing the 

 organic reserves in the soil. Whether this practice may be profitably 

 worked in with the ordinary rotations in the wheat areas has not 

 hitherto been the subject of experimental investigation. The crops 

 to be used for this purpose may be nitrogen gatherers, such as peas, 



