HANDLING MANURE ON THE FARM 225 



This is the best fixed rule that I am able to give. This 

 point has been tested at several stations. In New Hamp- 

 shire four tons per acre applied each year for three years 

 furnished an increase of thirty-one per cent, more of corn 

 than a single application of nine tons per acre at one time. 

 Commenting on an experiment of a similar nature at the 

 Ohio Station, Director Thorne says: "We have compared 

 the value of manure applied at the rate of four and eight 

 tons per acre. The result has been that the increase per 

 ton of manure has been more than twenty-five per cent, 

 greater when used at the smaller rate, although the in- 

 crease per acre has been larger when used at the larger 

 rate ; hence, when manure is scarce, it is better to apply 

 it in smaller quantities so as to cover all the land in crop, 

 rather than to spread it over part of the land only and 

 leave part unmanured." 



The accumulative effect of farm manure. By the use 

 of barnyard manure a farmer can easily and quickly im- 

 prove the soil of his farm and at the same time secure 

 permanent results. Deficiencies are supplied both plant 

 food and bacterial activity even with a single application. 



The lasting effect of barnyard manure is expressed very 

 clearly by Professor Snyder as follows : "When a dressing 

 of eight tons of manure is applied, which is not a heavy 

 dressing, an increase of twenty bushels of corn is secured 

 the first year. \Ye have secured this much and more in 

 our experiments. It is not difficult to assign a value to the 

 corn. In addition to the increase of twenty bushels of 

 corn, more corn stover is secured, which can be used for 

 feed and thus turned into manure and made to add to the 

 fertility of the soil. It is safe to say that the increase in 

 the corn crop alone is $6. The value of the manure 

 docs not stop here. If following the corn the second 

 year after the application of manure wheat be sown, 



