102 AGRICULTURE. 



(3) EFFECTS UPON THE SOIL. Stable compost 

 not only enriches the soil by supplying plant- 

 food (being especially rich in nitrogenous com- 

 pounds), but it very materially improves the 

 physical condition of the soil. It changes the 

 potash, phosphate, and lime present in the soil 

 into more readily available forms, and favors 

 the development of the nitrifying bacteria. The 

 effects of stable compost are more lasting than 

 those of any other fertilizer on account of its 

 uniting with the elements of the soil to form 

 humates, which are changed to available forms 

 by the nitrifying bacteria. The liquid in stable 

 compost contains valuable plant-food in a sol- 

 uble form; hence, free use of bedding should be 

 made to absorb and retain these liquids. A 

 mixture of dried muckj and marlj (when easily 

 obtained) makes a good absorbent, and will prove 

 beneficial to a sandy soil. Gypsum is valuable 

 in fixing the ammonia contained in these liquids, 

 and should be sprinkled in the trenches or over 

 the compost heaps for this purpose. 



(4) PROTECTION AND APPLICATION OF THE 

 COMPOST. Covered barn-yards (Fig. 29) pre- 

 vent the loss of the compost by scattering and 

 leaching,* at the same time affording warmer 

 quarters for the stock in winter and cooler in 

 summer. 



* Roberts' Fertility of the Soil, 



