FARM MANURES 



are sometimes injurious, where fine or well-composted 

 manure and fall plowing would be beneficial. Trouble 

 resulting from the use of coarse manure may be due to 

 its being allowed to leach before it is used, so that it 

 does not readily ferment in the soil. 



206. Manuring Pasture Land. In regions where 

 manure decomposes slowly, it is sometimes advisable to 

 use it upon pasture land as a top dressing. The manure 

 encourages growth of the grass, so that it appropriates 

 plant food otherwise lost ; it also acts as a mulch, pre- 

 venting excessive evaporation. Then when the pasture 

 land is plowed and prepared for a grain crop it contains a 

 better store of both water and available plant food. The 

 manuring of pasture lands is one of the best ways of utiliz- 

 ing manure when trouble arises from slow decomposition. 



207. Small Manure Piles Undesirable. It is some- 

 times the custom to make a number of small manure 

 piles in fields. This is a poor practice, for it entails 

 additional ex- 

 pense later in 



spreading the 

 manure, and 

 the small piles 

 are usually 

 constructed in 



SUCh a way FIG. 37. Manured Land. 



that heavy losses occur, so the manure, when finally 



