268 FARM MANURE 



more to haul it fresh to the fields than the increase in crops 

 would be worth. In such cases the application of decomposed 

 manure should be followed at once by plowing or harrowing, 

 or be made just before a rain which will wash into the soil 

 ammonium carbonate previously formed. In the fresh 

 manure ammonium carbonate has not been produced, so 

 its loss need not be feared. 



On light soils well decomposed manure has some advan- 

 tages over fresh manure, since the latter would make the soil 

 only more open and porous and would burn out quickly. The 

 nitrogen of well decomposed manure is not so available as 

 that of fresh manure, for much of it has been decomposed 

 to soluble compounds and back again to proteins in the 

 bodies of bacteria. The phosphorus and potash on the 

 other hand are more available. On account of these facts, 

 the action of well decomposed manure is more uniform and 

 under certain special conditions is desirable. 



(c) Composted Manure. — This is a practice resorted to 

 by vegetable growers, largely to get the manure quickly into 

 a thoroughly decomposed and disintegrated condition. The 

 objects are to get the manure in a fine state of division for 

 easy mixing with the soil, and to make the fertilizing con- 

 stituents more uniformly available. As mentioned before, 

 fresh manure contains more available nitrogen than decom- 

 posed manure, and when used in large quantities fresh manure 

 produces too great a leaf growth on roots or other similar 

 crops, due to excess of nitrogen. The manure is piled in 

 alternate layers with some absorbent like soil. All sorts of 

 organic refuse can be added and sometimes bones, commercial 

 fertilizers, and lime. The pile should be well covered with 

 earth and kept reasonably moist. The alternate layers and 

 covering of soil absorb ammonia which is generated freely 

 under these conditions, particulatly if lime is present. The 

 pile is thoroughly turned over from time to time— a practice 

 which hastens decomposition and the formation of nitrates. 

 The organic matter of bones in a compost heap is so de- 

 composed that they can be easily ground. If lime is used, 

 particular care must be exercised to keep plenty of absorbing 

 material in the pile, and to cover it well. 



