FARM MANURE 535 



used on fall wheat, a great loss of manurial value is incurred, 

 due to the necessity of storage during the summer months. 

 Moreover, commercial fertilizers high in phosphorus are so 

 convenient and effective on wheat that the use of manure on 

 this crop is becoming rather uncommon, although manure 

 may be used to advantage as a fall and winter dressing, since 

 it not only stimulates the wheat but is of great value to the 

 new seeding as well. Where cotton and tobacco are the staple 

 crops, they should receive at least a part of the manure pro- 

 duced. The value of manure in orchards should not be over- 

 looked, especially on sandy soils. The up-keep of organic 

 matter, the conservation of moisture, and the nutrients sup- 

 plied are as important here as in any phase of soil manage- 

 ment. 



308. Resume. — ^Barnyard manure, from the standpoint 

 of soil fertility, is the most valuable by-product of the farm. 

 A careful farmer will, therefore, attempt to utilize it in the 

 most economical way. The handling of manure in such a 

 manner that only a minimum waste occurs from the time 

 the manure is voided until it has reached the land is not an 

 easy problem. Manure is so susceptible to the loss of valuable 

 ingredients, both by leaching and by decay, that careful 

 methods must be employed. Tight floors in the stable and 

 covered sheds or manure pits are always advisable. Hauling 

 immediately to the field is the wisest procedure, yet even with 

 the best of care more than 50 per cent, of the fertilizing value 

 is usually lost. The problem of rational manurial utilization 

 is not solved, however, by careful handling and storage alone. 

 Manure must be applied in such a condition, in such amounts 

 and at such a point in the rotation as to realize a reasonable 

 return for every increment applied. The reinforcement of 

 farm manure with phosphoric acid is by no means an unim- 

 portant feature In fact, all of the principles which are ob- 

 served in the profitable utilization of commercial fertilizers 

 should be adhered to in the use of farm manures. 



