7 8 



THE FIRST BOOK OF FARMING 



Some farmers spread it on the field and allow it 

 to lie some time before plowing it in. 



It is sometimes spread as soon as hauled to the 

 field and is immediately plowed in or mixed with 

 the soil. This last is the safest and most economical 

 method so far as the manure alone is concerned. 



When the manure is left in a large pile it suffers 

 losses due to fermentation and leaching. 



At the Cornell University Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station, five tons of manure from the cow 

 stable, including three hundred pounds of gypsum 

 which was mixed with it, were exposed in a com- 

 pact pile out of doors from April 25th to September 

 22d. The result was as follows : 



When distributed over the field in small piles and 

 allowed to remain so for some time, losses from fer- 

 mentation take place, and the rain washes plant food 

 from the pile into the soil under and immediately 

 about it. This results in an uneven distribution of 

 plant food over the field, for when the manure is 

 finally scattered and plowed in, part of the field is 

 fertilized with washed out manure while the soil 

 under and immediately about the location of the 



