THE USE OF MANURE 163 



received the covered manure than from land which 

 received the uncovered manure. 61 



THE USE OF MANURE 



198. Direct Hauling to Fields. — It is always desir- 

 able, whenever conditions allow, to draw the manure 

 directly to the field and spread it, rather than to allow 

 it to accumulate about barns or in the barnvard. 

 When taken directlv to the field from the stable no 

 losses by leaching occur, and the slight loss from 

 fermentation and volatilization of the ammonia are 

 more than compensated for by the benefits derived 

 from the action of the fresh manure upon the soil. 

 When manure undergoes fermentation in the soil, as 

 previously stated it combines with the mineral matter 

 of the soil and produces humates. The practice of 

 hauling the manure directly to the field as soon as 

 produced is the most economical way of caring for it. 



With scant rainfall, composting the manure before 

 spreading is necessary, but with a liberal rainfall it is 

 not essential. On a loam soil a direct application 

 of stable manure is more advisable than on heavy clay 

 or light sandy soils. On sandy soils there is frequently 

 an insufficient supply of water to properly ferment the 

 manure. Manure sometimes fails to show any benefi- 

 cial effects the first year on heavy clay land, because 

 of the slow rate of decomposition, but the second and 

 third years the beneficial effects are noticeable. 



