CHAPTER VI 

 FARM MANURES 



Farm manures are of two kinds: 1. Farmyard manure, 

 obtained from stables and yards. 2. Green manure, ob- 

 tained by plowing under green growth of rye, clover, cow- 

 peas, or even weeds. 



The value of farmyard manure is influenced by three 

 things: 1. Its source. 2. The manner of saving. 3. The 

 time and way it is applied to the land. 



1. The Source of the Manure. — (a) The droppings from 

 such animals as horses, sheep and chickens are rather dry, 

 and when thrown in a pile soon get quite warm and '*heat," 

 as we say. They are called "hot'' manures. The droppings 

 from cattle and swine are quite wet and do not heat so quickly 

 when thrown in a pile, and are called "cold" manures. 



(6) The manure from young and growing animals, as colts 

 and calves, is not so valuable as that from older animals, and 

 especially animals that are fattening. The excrement gen- 

 erally contains 70 to 95 per cent, or more of the elements that 

 were in the food eaten by the animals. Now, young and 

 growing animals use up more of the nitrogen, phosphoric 

 acid, and potash in the food for their bodies to make blood, 

 bone, and flesh than do older animals. 



(c) The manure from animals that are fed on rich food, 

 like clover, alfalfa, bran, cottonseed-meal, oats or other foods 

 rich in nitrogen, is better than that from animals fed on tim- 



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