52 



AGRICULTURE FOR COMMON SCHOOLS 



it lost in less than four months more than half of its nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid, and potash. The potash and phosphoric 

 acid got away by drainage and the nitrogen largely by fer- 

 mentation. 



3. How to Apply Manure. — We have said that manure 

 should be hauled to the field as soon as possiblco It should 

 also be spread at once. It is very wasteful to dump the 



lO. USING A MANURE SPREADER 

 Spread in this way manure gives best results 



manure off in piles and let it lie there for weeks before spread- 

 ing. Every rain that comes will wash out some soluble ma- 

 terial into the soil just around and under the pile. Thus it is 

 that the plant food is not equally distributed over the field. 

 Spreading the manure with a manure spreader is the very 

 best way to get it distributed equally over the field. The 

 manure spreader is a wagon whose floor is loose and is 

 moved toward the rear end of the wagon by means of cogs. 

 At the back end of the box is a spiked reel which also turns 



