BARNYARD MANURE 103 



the money crop. The fertility is chiefly kept up by the growth 

 of crimson clover, which is sowed between the rows of the main 

 crop in July or August, if moisture conditions are favorable. The 

 crop grows throughout the fall and winter and is plowed under 

 in spring as early as desired to prepare the ground for the main 

 crop. An annual rotation is thus established. 



In the potato-growing sections farther north a similar annual 

 rotation is sometimes practiced. If crimson clover is not hardy 

 a mixture of winter vetch and rye may be used. In a slower rota- 

 tion coarse heavy sod, as timothy and clover, may be plowed under 

 every three or four years. In regions where spring grain is grown 

 a winter cover crop is sometimes grown after corn and plowed 

 under in the spring before the grain is sowed. After small grain 

 has been harvested a quick-growing crop, such as cow peas, soy 

 beans, or buckwheat, will produce a supply of green manure, to be 

 turned under either in late fall or the following spring. 



USE OF MANURES 



Barnyard Manure. In all parts of the country where livestock 

 is kept, barnyard manure is one of the chief assets. The benefits 

 arising from the use of barnyard manure for farm and garden crops 

 have long been recognized. Near cities of all sizes farmers make 

 use of the manure from the stables. It is often shipped long 

 distances and sold at prices far above its actual value. The value 

 of course should not be under-estimated, but prices, including the 

 cost of hauling, are sometimes found to be as high as three dollars 

 or more per ton, and this for inferior grades. 



Humus is always added to the soil by the use of barnyard 

 manure. The amount of humus derived from it depends upon 

 the kind of litter used for bedding of the stock. 



Barnyard manure acts as a direct plant food for crops. Under 

 the most favorable conditions nitrogen is added more abundantly 

 than other fertilizer ingredients, but some phosphoric acid and 

 potash are always present. These are the three plant foods most 

 needed by growing crops. The benefits arising from the decay 

 of barnyard manure in soil are similar to those found in the decay 

 of green manure. An average 1000 pounds of fresh manure from 

 a horse stable contains about six pounds of nitrogen, three pounds 

 of phosphoric acid and five pounds of potash, if the value of these 

 elements is taken from market prices of chemical fertilizers. On 

 this basis the manure from a 1000 pound horse has a value of 



