592 



liEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTUKE. 



A few remarks upon tbc one wliicli must always chiefly be relied upon 

 every wliero in market gardening, stable manure ; a few upon that grand 

 material in which the lucky South leads the world in its fortunate posses- 

 sion, cotton seed; and a few on green manuring with the cow i)ea will 

 have to siiQice. 



Stable manure may be considered a complete fertilizer. It contains, 

 when fermented, all the elements of plant-food in available form. The 

 litter, or be<lding, when decayed, supplies humus. No other manure is 

 so well adapted to alter and improve the physical condition of tenacious 

 soils, nor, when decayed, suits one of a sandy character better. All or- 

 ganic manures to be promptly eliicacious, whether applied to light or 

 heavy soil, should, at least, be partially decomposed, in order that the 

 fertilizing elements may be in a more soluble or available form. Fresh 

 or green manure, however, is better adapted to heavy than to sandy soil. 



Comvosiiion of fresh and decomposed stalle manure. 



There is considerable loss from exposure of the manure heap to rains, 

 particularly to the heavy showers of the South, but it is rarely possible 

 for the truck farmer to keep the large quantity he requires undercover. 

 The following table is from Dr. Voelcker, of the Royal Agricultural Col- 

 lege of Cirencester. There was but a small loss of nitrogen and a gain 

 in the soluble organic matter, some of the insoluble orgauic matter hav- 

 ing become soluble in the course of fermentation during the first six 

 months of an English winter ; but in our Southern climate the proba- 

 bilities are that the deterioration would commence earlier. 



Contents of a heap of manure at different periods exposed to rain, ij-c. 



Contents. 



Pnt np No- 

 vember 3. 



Put rfp 

 April 30. 



Put np 

 August 23. 



Put np No- 

 vember 15. 



Total weight of manure in h^ap 

 WaT-cr in the hea]> of manure. . 



Total organic matter 



Total inorganic matter 



Total nitrogen in heap 



Total Rolublp organic matter. . . 

 Ti>tal insoluble organic matter 



Soluble minor.al matter 



Insoluble mineral matter 



Nitrogen in soluble matter 



Nitrogen in insolable matter . . 



Poundt. 

 10, OiiO 

 6,617 

 2,824 

 559 

 04. 3 

 248 

 2,570 

 154 

 405 

 14.9 

 49.4 



Poundt. 



7, 1.38 

 4, 707 

 1,678 

 753 

 63.9 

 305 

 1,373 

 204 

 549 

 21.4 

 42.5 



Pound*. 

 7, Ui;5 

 5, ;^i)4 



1, 004 

 057 

 46.3 

 207 

 857 

 138 

 519 

 13.2 

 83.1 



Pounds. 



G, y:.4 

 5, 167 

 917 

 84U 

 40 

 190 

 757 

 130 

 710 

 12.9 

 33.1 



When stable manure is piled loosely and the air has ready access to 

 the interior fermentation proceeds rapidly. Under the evolution of 

 much heat the manure " fire fangs" and there is much loss of the volatile 



