KEEPING MANURE UNDER COVER. 67 



whether it is more advisable to plow in the manure at once, or 

 to let it lie for some time on the surface, and to give the rain full 

 opportunity to wash it into the soil. 



" It appears to me a matter of the greatest importance to regulate 

 the application of manure to our fields, so that its constituents 

 may become properly diluted and uniformly distributed amongst 

 a large mass of soil. By plowing in the manure at once, it ap- 

 pears to me, this desirable end can not be reached so perfectly as 

 by allowing the rain to wash in gradually the manure evenly 

 spread on the surface of the field. 



" By adopting such a course, in case practical experience should 

 confirm my theoretical reasoning, the objection could no longer be 

 maintained that the land is not ready for carting manure upon it. 

 I am inclined to recommend, as a general rule : Cart the manure 

 on the field, spread it at once, and wait for a favorable opportu- 

 nity to plow it in. In the case of clay soils, I have no hesitation 

 to say the manure may be spread even six months before it is 

 plowed in, without losing any appreciable quantity in manuring 

 matter. 



" I am perfectly aware, that on stiff clay land, farm-yard ma- 

 nure, more especially long dung, when plowed in before the 

 frost sets in, exercises a most beneficial action by keeping the 

 soil loose, and admitting the free access of frost, which pulverizes 

 tiie land, and would, therefore, by no means recommend to leave 

 the manure spread on the surface without plowing it in. All I 

 wish to enforce is, that when no other choice is left but cither to 

 set up the manure in a heap in a corner of the field, or to spread 

 it on the field, without plowing it in directly, to adopt the latter 

 plan. In the case of very light sandy soils, it may perhaps not 

 be advisable to spread out the manure a long time before it ia 

 plowed in, since such soils do not possess the power of retaining 

 manuring matters in any marked degree. On light sandy soils, I 

 would suggest to manure with well-fermented dung, shortly before 

 the crop intended to be grown is sown. 



" 8. Well-rotten dung contains, likewise, little free ammonia, 

 but a very much, larger proportion of soluble organic and saline 

 mineral matters than fresh manure. 



" 9. Eotten dung is richer in nitrogen than fresh. 



" 10. Weight for weight, rotten dung is more valuable than 

 fresh. 



" 11. In the fermentation of dung, a very considerable propor- 

 tion of the organic matters in fresh manure is dissipated into the 

 air in the form of carbonic acid and other gases. 



