432 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



be much more slowly available, and that in the litter still more 

 slowly available. Hence, the small proportion that is at once effect- 

 ive and the very large amount that accumulates within the soil in 

 a very slowly available condition. 



Experiments at Rothamsted, as well as at the New Jersey Sta- 

 tion, indicate that the nitrogen of barnyard manure is much less 

 available, weight for weight, than that of sulphate of ammonia, the 

 availability varying widely, however, with the character and treat- 

 ment of the manure. 



What has been said about supplementing barnyard manure 

 with more concentrated fertilizing materials should not be taken to 

 imply that the two kinds of fertilizers should necessarily be com- 

 posted or applied at the same time. In fact, as already pointed 

 out, nitrates should never be composted with manure on account 

 of the danger of loss of nitrogen through denitrification. It may 

 be desirable to apply the manure at intervals of several years, while 

 the concentrated fertilizers would need to be applied annually. 

 However this may be the facts above given should be borne in mind 

 in applying the supplementary fertilizers. 



Whether the farmer can afford to incur the necessary labor 

 and expense involved in the preparation of composts is a question 

 on which there is considerable difference of opinion. This is a mat- 

 ter which must be determined largely by individual needs and con- 

 ditions, but undoubtedly the manure heap may be utilized to advan- 

 tage for such purposes as reducing bones and other waste products 

 of the farm and for killing cotton seed before it is applied to the soil. 



The fermenting of peat with stable manure was formerly prac- 

 ticed to a considerable extent. Where such a compost is desired the 

 materials should be laid down in alternate layers in the proportion 

 of about five parts of peat to one of manure. 



The Compost Heap. Composting manure is not usually eco- 

 nomical where general farming is done. It requires too much la- 

 bor; besides, the manure will ordinarily give 'better results when 

 scattered directly on the ground and plowed or harrowed in. It is 

 advised only where coarse materials need to be put in better con- 

 dition. It is also advisable for truckers and gardeners. 



By the compost heap the farmer is able to multiply his avail- 

 able manure manyfold. He should remember that anything of 

 vegetable or animal origin is a valuable fertilizer if put in proper 

 condition. The compost heap is one means of doing this. One ton 

 of leaves contains 15 pounds of nitrogen, 3.2 pounds of phosphoric 

 acid, and 6 pounds of potash. 



Locate the compost heap in an old shed, or build a shed, with 

 any kind of cheap material for a roof. Spread on the ground a 

 layer of stable manure 8 by 10 feet, 6 inches deep. Over this spread 

 100 pounds of acid phosphate or ground phosphate rock. The phos- 

 phate rook answers as well as the acid phosphate and costs about half 

 as much. Continue these alternate layers until the manure is used 

 up or until the pile has become inconveniently high. To these 



