58 FIRST PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE. 



labor of the farm, and where the manure is applied to 

 garden or quick-growing crops, the advantages of such 

 improvement are greatest. 



On the whole, however, it is safe to estimate that the 

 least labor necessary to get the manure from the animal 

 to the field is the best policy ; that is, while there may 

 be loss, and while the constituents may not be so active, 

 still, the financial results attained are, because of the 

 saving of labor, quite as good. 



There is another advantage in the careful fermentation 

 of manures which should not be overlooked, particularly 

 on soils poor in vegetable matter ; that is, the development 

 of useful bacteria, the work of which has been already 

 described. What has been said in reference to yard 

 manure is also true for other manures of the farm. 



Poultry Manure. This is richer in all of the essen- 

 tial elements than any other natural manure of the 

 farm. It contains less water, and is not so liable to hot 

 fermentation if kept moist. 



Application of Yard Manure. Two points should 

 be kept in mind in the application of yard manures, 

 first, that they are essentially nitrogenous products ; and 

 second, that they are particularly valuable because of 

 the useful ferments contained in them. If too much is 

 added at one time, a loss of nitrogen is liable to follow, 

 and the benefits derived from the ferments are limited 

 to small areas. The manure of the farm should be 

 distributed as far as possible, and supplemented by 

 more concentrated materials. Coarse manures are better 

 adapted for heavy lands, while those which are well 

 rotted are more useful on light soils. 



