MANURE PITS AND TANKS 95 



labor. Watching the moisture and using the hose, when the rain- 

 fall is not adequate, and thorough stirring and aeration of the mass, 

 are the essentials of the process. 



The manner in which Mr. Ira W. Adams, formerly of Calis- 

 toga, handles his manures involves correct practice : 



Clean up all the manure on hand just before the fall rains, putting the 

 same on the land, and either cultivate it in or plow it under. What manure 

 accumulates during the winter, pile in a snug heap some five or six feet in 

 depth, and throw it over some three or four times during the winter to keep 

 it from burning, as well as to thoroughly mix it and thereby hasten decom- 

 position. Put horse, cow, hog, chicken, and every other kind of manure 

 that can be had, all together. 



Never burn anything that will rot, but haul to the pile cornstalks, roots, 

 and all squash, melon, tomato, and potato vines, etc., as well as weeds of 

 every description, in fact anything and everything that will decay and make 

 vegetable matter. Use fresh horse manure mostly to hasten the decompo- 

 sition of said vines, weeds, etc., alternating as the heap is made. By so 

 doing there will not be a weed seed left with vitality enough to germinate. 



It is well to have manure piles under a roof to avoid leaching during 

 the longest and most excessive rains, but so situated that the rain falling on 

 the barn can be easily conducted to the piles, giving them just the amount 

 of water necessary and no more. After the rains are over, some water will 

 have to be applied from time to time ; and covering with very fine, dry earth 

 will keep the pile from drying out during the long, hot summer, as well as 

 cause it to retain most of the ammonia, etc., that would otherwise have 

 evaporated and escaped. Late in the fall it will be found entirely rotten, 

 cutting like old cheese. 



Liquid Manure. Liquid extract of animal manures is of great 

 efficacy in vegetable growing if carefully used. It is made by filling 

 a barrel with manure, pouring water on above and drawing it out 

 below as it leaches through the mass. Another way is to have a 

 barrel filled with water in a handy place and throw into it enough 

 manure to make an extract of the right strength. No matter how 

 it. is done care must be taken not to have the extract too strong. 

 This can generally be told by the color, which should not be darker 

 than tea of medium strength. The quantity to apply in the hot-bed 

 or the open ground must be learned by experience. Enough to 

 produce generous and still vigorous growth is the rule. With, plants 

 to bear fruit like tomatoes much less stimulant can be used than 

 with plants for foliage, for the stimulant always acts away from 

 fruiting and toward leaf and stem extension. 



Absorbents. As has already been intimated, the free use of 

 absorbents is very desirable both for valuable liquids, likely to 



