188 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Farm manure should not be used in growing a crop of 

 legumes, as with an abundance of available nitrogen they 

 will make use of this and not acquire nitrogen from the air. 



The addition to the manure heap of acids to fix the am- 

 monia, and chemicals, such as kainit, acid phosphate, etc., 

 will delay fermentation and prevent loss of nitrogen to a 

 considerable extent. With the exception of hen manure, it 

 is doubtful if such treatment will in most cases prove eco- 

 nomical. 



The same general remarks apply to compost heaps and to 

 composting as to handling manures. There is a very de- 

 cided advantage to the fermentation if the materials in the 

 compost are frequently shovelled over and well mixed. 



The amount of compactness desirable will depend upon 

 the nature of the materials being composted. If fermenta- 

 tion is not proceeding with sufficient rapidity in the compost 

 heap, the addition of manure will hasten it, because of the 

 bacteria thus introduced into the compost. If it is proceed- 

 ing too rapidly, making the pile more compact or wetting 

 the pile will diminish the rapidity of fermentation. 



Addition of Nitrogen to the Soil. 



In the early s[)ring there will be liut little nitrate nitrogen 

 present in the soil. That formed the preceding season will, 

 if it has not been taken up by growing plants, be apt to be 

 either lost in the drainage waters or carried to such depths 

 that the roots of the small plants cannot reach it. Hence in 

 the early spring applications of even small amounts, 50 to 

 100 pounds per acre, of nitrate of soda, will usually prove 

 profitable on all crops, with perhaps the exception of the 

 legumes, — peas, beans, clover, etc. If used in connection 

 with farm manures, it should be applied separately and not 

 mixed with the manure. This will reduce the chance of 

 loss of the nitrate by the action of decomposing bacteria. 



The way to oI)tain nitrogen for the soil that must come 

 more and more into practice is by growing leguminous 

 crops. Clover, peas, beans, vetch and allied plants, which 

 have the power, by aid of the bacteria which foriu root 

 tubercles, of accjuiring atmospheric nitrogen, will assume 



