88 



TALKS ON MANURES. 



" You draw out a great many loads of manure during the 

 winter," said the Deacon, " and pile it in the field, and I have al- 

 ways thought it a good plan, as you do the work when there is 

 little else to do, and when the ground is frozen." 



Yes, this is an improvement on my old plan. I formerly used 

 to turn over the heap of manure in the barn-yard in March, or as 

 soon as fermentation had ceased. 



The object of turning the heap is (1st,) to mix the manure and 

 make it of uniform quality ; (2.1,) to break the lumps and make the 

 manure fine; and (3d,) to lighten up the manure and make it 

 loose, thus letting in the air and inducing a second fermentation. 

 It is a good plan, and well repays for the labor. In doing the 

 work, build up the end and sides of the new heap straight, 

 and keep the top flat. Have an eye on the man doing the work, 

 and see that he breaks up the manure and mixes it thoroughly, 

 and that he goes to the bottom oftJie heap. 



My new plan that the Deacon alludes to, is, instead of turning 

 the heap in the yard, to draw the manure from the heap in the 

 yard, and pile it up in anot'ier hsap in the field where it is to be 

 used. This has all the effects of turning, and at the sains time 

 saves a good deal of team work in the spring. 



The location of the manure-heap in the 

 field deserves some consideration. If the 

 manure is to ho used for root-crops or po- 

 tatoes, and if the land is to be ridged, and 

 the manure put in the ridges, then it will 

 be desirable to put the heap on the head- 

 land, or, better still, to make two henps, 

 one on the headland top of the fid 1, and 

 the other on the headland at the bottom of 

 thefield,as shown in the annexed engiaving. 

 We draw the manure with a cart, the 

 horse walking between two of the ridges 

 (D), and the wheels of the cart going in C 

 and E. The manure is pulled ont at the 

 hack end of the cart in^o small heaps, 

 about five paces apart. 



"That is what I object to with you 



A, B, Manure Heaps ; C, agricultural writers," said the Doctor ; " you 

 D,E, Ridges, 2? ft. apart. sa y 'about five paces,' and sometimes ' about 

 five paces would mean 4 yards, and sometimes 6 yards ; and if you 



