SHEEP AND POULTRY MANURE 147 



season, to be turned under at the first plowing, will be in condition 

 to be readily assimilated, and will not injure any soil. Where no 

 composting is undertaken it is rational to apply the manure during 

 the rainy season directly to the land if the rainfall is not large and 

 the land fit to haul over. During the dry season the manure can be 

 spread in the corral and tramped into dust by the stock because as long 

 as it remains dry no losses by fermentation can occur. Near the end 

 of the dry season, the corral should be scraped and all the material 

 spread on the land. In this way the cost and trouble of manure piles 

 can be avoided. 



Sheep Manure. The proximity of the orange orchards of South- 

 ern California to extensive sheep ranges led to large use of the manure 

 from sheep corrals until supplies were practically exhausted. After- 

 wards large deposits in the San Joaquin Valley were opened and the 

 material which has shown value by analysis in one case of above $14 

 per ton, is finally ground and placed upon the market in a business 

 way. One deposit mined for several years by George C. Roeding 

 & Co., of Fresno, was several acres in extent, and at some points the 

 material was ten feet deep. Such deposits can seldom be found now 

 except in remote parts of the State. 



Sheep manure is usually counted richer and quicker, though not so 

 lasting in its effects, as stable manure. Being highly nitrogenous, too 

 free use of sheep manure tends to excessive growth of wood, especially 

 on young trees. Old bearing trees may be benefited by such a 

 stimulant. 



Poultry Manure. Poultry keeping on fruit farms is a good 

 combination providing the fowls are not confined on too small areas 

 for this is apt to render the soil sour and foul and may cause trees to 

 be unthrifty. Poultry manure can be used to advantage with fruit 

 trees if applied sparingly, for it is a concentrated manure, as is sheep 

 manure. On the average clear hen manure, free from dirt and trash, 

 may, when fresh, average about 1 per cent nitrogen, 0.80 per cent 

 phosphoric acid, and 0.40 per cent potash; in other words, 20 pounds 

 nitrogen per ton, 16 pounds phosphoric acid, and 8 pounds potash. 

 This contains 55 per cent moisture and when thoroughly dried might 

 contain about half as much, which would make the amounts of plant 

 foods just double what is stated above. At the values usually given 

 for these plant foods, such manure might be worth about $10 per ton. 



VARIOUS WASTE PRODUCTS 



The care advised in saving and treating barnyard manure, hen 

 manure, bones, ashes, etc., should be extended to other waste products 

 of the farm. Soapsuds should be allowed to run to adjacent trees 

 unless used in the flower garden, but not too long upon the same trees, 

 for it may kill them. Peelings and corings of fruit, cut for drying, 

 should be fed to pigs, and the resulting manure secured. It is not wise 

 to corral the swine in a dry run in the summer and allow the manure 

 to be sluiced out by the winter rise of the stream. 



