CARE OF STABLE MANURE 



of the soil respecting moisture instead of drying 

 the soil out. He can afford all the labor of piling 

 the manure with layers of sods or other material, 

 and the turning to secure mixing. It is his busi- 

 ness to watch it so that loss will not occur. 



The farmer uses manure in smaller quantities 

 per acre. Probably all his fields need the full 

 action of the organic matter in its rotting. The 

 percentage of humus-making material is low. 

 The place for fresh manure is on the land, when 

 this is feasible. The covered shed is a device for 

 holding manure with least possible loss when 

 spreading cannot be done, or a supply must be 

 carried over for land in the summer. The gain in 

 condition is only incidental, and an advantage 

 chiefly to vegetables. The composting of manure 

 by gardeners is not a practice to be copied on 

 most farms. 



Poultry Manure. The value of poultry ma- 

 nure often is overestimated. Its content of plant- 

 food is one half greater than that of horse manure, 

 ton for ton. The availability of the nitrogen is 

 so great that returns from applications are 

 immediate, and give the impression of greater 

 strength than is possessed. Its availability makes 

 it excellent for plants that need forcing. For 



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