Convention— utilization of wastes. 
221 
Firstly, then, supply yourself with the stock to feed; prepare 
good, warn"! shelter; if only of straw, that is good enough when 
made, and every day draw around the yard with a rope, as used in 
hauling straw from a machine in threshing, as much straw as your 
stock will pick over, and scatter it evenly, thus enabling the stock 
to get it easily, and to tramp it down; and in their trampling it 
they will break it, while it is frozen, almost as fine as chaff. Then, 
too, their droppings will be mixed with the straw. 
After a storm of snow, let nothing, or no ordinary business, pre¬ 
vent from hauling straw to cover the snow, not only for the com¬ 
fort of the stock, but here another idea. Did you ever think that in 
that fall of light snow there w:s a great amount of ammoniac sub¬ 
stance brought down, that if thus composted, would be absorbed by 
the straw, and would be retained? I do not speak from scientific 
knowledge—only the knowledge of observation. Certain am I, 
that since I have adopted this plan, my manure is richer than be¬ 
fore, and here is a question for the scientific men to solve. It is a 
fact in experience. 
Another idea: How often do we hear the remark, or witness the 
fact, “ My barn yard has a good drainage, always dry.” Drained 
of what and where? All the soluable elements in that manure pile, 
and into some creek, or low place already too rich. Yes, drained of 
what? The very elements you want to save, and then still further 
to add to the waste, it is drained so dry as to cause it to heat and 
burn out, to evaporate, so, when the manure is drawn, it is little 
better than rubbish on the land, fit only to be burned to be rid of. 
Here is a most important thing to be considered. After you 
have the straw and other refuse matter scattered over the yard, 
mixed with the droppings from the stock, the next consideration is 
to make it rot (I use this familiar farmer’s expression because better 
understood), and still further to hold the ammonia generated in its 
decomposition. This washing and burning process is the means of 
more waste than is generally considered. 
How shall this be secured with the greatest economy? The 
method recommended in many of the agricultural papers and prac¬ 
ticed extensively, of piling the manure, in my opinion, is wrong, 
as it allows much of the ammonia generated, to escape by evapora¬ 
tion and heating. 
My plan is to scatter this straw and refuse matter, as I said, as 
