128 



KEEPING ONE COW. 



to the bottom of the pile, if need be, for each grain, and by his 

 energetic rooting and trampling, will daily incorporate the ma- 

 terials in the most thorough manner. 



On page 260 of Boussingault's Rural Economy (Law's transla- 

 tion) are some very urgent warnings against the frequent turning 

 of dung heaps. His objection, Mr. Law thinks, should be limited 

 to more than three turnings of the dung. But this objection and 

 limitation apply to horse manure, the more active fermentation of 

 which rapidly develops the highly volatile salt known as carbon- 

 ate of ammonia. There can hardly be too thorough a working 



MANURE BIN 

 6 x $ 



4- *10 



ROOT CELLAR 

 6*6 



CISTERN 

 6 ft 



Fig. 26. PLAN OF STABLE WITH CISTERN AND MANURE BIN. 



together of cow-manure, with its organic absorbents, particularly 

 when the working is accompanied by the compacting tread of 

 animals. 



The pile should be watched, and the slightest perception of the 

 pungent ammoniacal odor should be the signal for more absorb- 

 ents, bearing in mind that all organic matter thus composted 

 becomes a valuable fertilizer, and remembering that nothing 

 should be left undone to increase to the greatest extent possible 

 the source of your anticipated blessings. 



The manure bin should, of course, be so covered as to exclude 

 rain and sunshine. 



If the liquid or dilute method be employed, m place of the 

 manure bin in the plan, it will be necessary to construct an un- 



