THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



ature, air, moisture, condition of the manure, 

 and microbes. 



As I comprehend the subject, there are two 

 families of microscopic organisms known to 

 entomologists as serobic ferments, which are de- 

 pendent on oxygen for life, and serobic fer- 

 ments, which evidently abhor oxygen, for they 

 die when exposed to air. Atoms No. 1 per- 

 form their ordained purpose so energetically 

 as to generate heat that will run up to 150 de- 

 grees F. a temperature which dissipates the 

 material that should be left to form humus, 

 and liberates the nitrogen, which escapes into 

 the atmosphere, and causes the dry condition 

 called fire- fang. Atoms No. 2 work in so 

 slow a way, that, in the center of the heap, 

 or where no air disturbs their normal action, 

 the temperature will not rise above 95 de- 

 grees, which is too low, and causes many 

 fertilizing qualities to be converted into un- 

 profitable gases. Leaching is, of course, en- 

 couraged where manure is exposed to rain or 

 snow. 



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