124 Fertilizers 



crops as corn, the advantages derived are least. When 

 the handling can be performed by the regular labor of the 

 farm, and where the manure is applied to garden or quick- 

 growing crops, the advantages are greatest. 



On the whole, however, it is safe to estimate that the 

 least labor necessary to get the manure from the animal 

 to the field is the best policy ; that is, while there may be 

 loss, and while the constituents may not be so active, 

 still, the financial results attained are, because of the 

 saving of labor, quite as good. 



There is another advantage in the careful fermentation 

 of manures which should not be overlooked, particularly 

 on soils poor in vegetable matter; that is, the develop- 

 ment of useful bacteria, the work of which is so important. 

 What has been said of yard manure is also true for other 

 manures of the farm. 



Application of yard manure. 



Two points should be kept in mind in the application 

 of yard manures, first, that they are essentially nitrog- 

 enous products; and second, that they are particularly 

 valuable because of the useful ferments contained in 

 them. If too much is added at one time, a loss of nitro- 

 gen is liable to follow, and the benefits derived from the 

 ferments are limited to small areas. The manure of the 

 farm should be distributed as far as possible, and supple- 

 mented by more concentrated materials. Coarse manures 

 are better adapted for heavy lands, while those which are 

 well rotted are more useful on light soils. There should 

 be as little handling of manure as possible, it should be 

 carted daily when convenient, and uniformly spread, pref- 

 erably on plowed ground and thoroughly worked into 

 the surface soil. (See Fig. 6.) 



