1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 23 



in the manure, and it is washed down and settles in the soil. 

 Now, it is a fact that, if you can filter the water that comes 

 from the manure through three inches of earth, it takes up 

 that manure. Consequently, if the water passes into the 

 ground before it runs off, there is no loss. There is no loss 

 in the atmosphere. One of the old notions was that, 

 because you could smell manure at a long distance, there 

 had been a great loss of the elements of fertility in that 

 manure. The fact is, that what passes off into the atmos- 

 phere is not plant food at all. I have a record of some 

 experiments with manure spread on the field in the fall 

 which show that it had fifteen per cent more value than the 

 same manure spread and ploughed under the next spring. 



Mr. Edmund Hersey of Hingham. I have noticed in 

 going n round the country that a great many farmers leave 

 their manure in heaps. I wish the lecturer would explain 

 to the audience the loss or gain in so doing. 



Professor Wiiitciier. That gain will be a loss. The 

 reason why it will be a loss is simply this. I do not mean 

 to say that there will be an absolute loss of material there, 

 but its effect will be concentrated in spots. For ten years 

 after manure has been left in that way, you will be able to 

 distinguish the spot where a heap of manure was left. I 

 have had considerable experience in this matter. Two or 

 three years ago I drew out about a hundred loads of manure, 

 and left it in that way through the winter. It came on quite 

 cold before we could spread it. We ought to have had one of 

 those manure spreaders which the Richardson Manufacturing 

 Company sell. That manure laid in heaps through the win- 

 ter, and we did not get more than half its actual value. I 

 doubt if w T e ever shall. 



Mr. Hersey. I would like to ask if there is not an actual 

 loss by leaving manure in the field, provided it heats? 



Professor Wiiitciier. There is no doubt about that ; 

 but, when left in small heaps, such as I have in mind, it very 

 seldom heats. Of course you get fermentation when you 

 get heat, and in that case you lose some of the value of the 

 manure, especially of the liquid part. But, when left in 

 small heaps, say seven or eight to a cart-load, it seldom 

 heats. 



