THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



The manure being collected in its pristine 

 strength, and kept under shelter to mitigate 

 waste, a very small percentage was used a 

 one-inch layer being alternated with a four- 

 inch layer of sod in the construction of the 

 compost heaps, which are made three feet wide 

 and four feet high. The entire mass is thor- 

 oughly forked over and restacked two or three 

 times during March and April, to allow the 

 escape of foul gases, and to assure a mellow 

 condition by May, at which time the coarse 

 screen belonging to our concrete outfit is set 

 up on four posts in the shed, the compost is 

 passed through it, a few pailfuls being put in 

 at a time, and raked about with a forked hoe. 

 This process effectually breaks up any remain- 

 ing clods, the screen being the size used at 

 stone crushers to divide the first and second 

 gravel. The fine roots and broken particles 

 all pass through, supplying the fibrous quali- 

 ties; but the heavy roots and stones are held 

 back. 



As screened, the mold is put into a wheel- 

 32 



