Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1874 — Drawing and Spreading Manure in Winter. [ARTICLE]

Drawing and Spreading Manure in Winter.

There is no economy in allowing manure, to accumulate in piles inwinter, unless the object is to convert it into compost the following spring and summer. If intended for' plowing under for spring crops, it should be hauled out and spread as soon as possible. If hauled when the ground is covered with snow, so much the better, especially if it is to be applied to meadow or pasture, since then all grinding of the crowns of the plants is avoided. In either case the worry and shaking of the team is avoided, while drawing the wagon over rough ground. There are a number of valid reasons why manure should never bo hauled in the spring. The principal ones are the muddy state of the roads,,the poaching of the.soil, the multiplicity of other work to be done, and the consequent surety that other important work will be left undone. Alany a field of young grass that, on account of the drought, failed to get a good start, may be saved by spreading crude, long or strawy manure, or even a mulch of straw itself, over the surface of the ground after it is frozen. This will prevent freezing and thawing, and, consequently, heaving-out in the spring, and give a good crop either for mowing or pasture the next season. If intended for mowing, however, it will be necessary to gather together the long portions with a horse-rake after the ground has settled in the spring, to be drawn away for composting or applying to land for plowing under. The Western Rural has heretofore shown the value of new clean straw and corn stalks plowed under, as a mechanical means of improving some of our firm and stiff soils in the West. If they have been previously trodden by stock and partially- saturated with the urinn. and mixed with the droppings, so much the better. We have also shown that the manure made on the farm costs only the moving from the yard to the fields, since it must be eventually carted somewhere to get rid of the accumulation when a large portion of its most valuable constituents have been dissipated. It is, therefore, money in the pocket of every farmer to haul it at his earliest convenience, that its value may be conserved. One of the principal reasons against the hauling of manure in winter is the the opinion, not thoroughly well-founded, that the rains of the winter and spring will wash the more soluble parts entirely away. The observing farmer, however, probably will have noticed that, when placed in piles and allowed to remain during the summer months, the increased vegetation will show but a short distance about the piles. The fact is that, except on very tenacious soils or steep hill-sides, the effect is observable but for a short distance. Calculations must be made not to spread next the bottom of declivities“where the inclination is steep. Fortunately, there are but few situations in the West where it is necessary to cultivate such lands. When manure is hauled on meadows or pastures, it should be spread as evenly as possible directly from the wagon or sled, and the frozen chunks broken up and evenly distributed as soon as thawed thereafter. We-advise the application of manure to grass whenever possible, in preference to other crops; for plenty of grass and hay and plenty of stock makes rich farmers in any country. When the meadow is broken for succeeding crops, the good results-are always seen. In the application of manure we should not advise heavy spreading on meadows unless the supply were ample. A light covering will be sufficient toprevent serious alternate freezing and thawing, and this is what does the mischief either to young meadows or young wheat. Better cover all lightly than a portion heavily and the balance not at all. If there is not ma.nure enough for all, however,, cover the weaker places and leave the stronger portions to take care of themselves. There is one consideration in hauling and spreading manure in winter which it is perhaps unnecessary to mention. Alanures should not be placed in swales and low places where water runs. The fertilizing properties of the portion so placed may be washed away; bnt, here again, not to so great a degree as is often supposed. Unless the current be strong and confined to a narrow channel, the fertilizing propertie i of the manure will be gradually given up to the soil and grass over which it extends. These facts are well-known to those conversant with the processes of irrigation, but are not so well understood by the general farmer who has not had experience in these matters. When the water falls on the surface as rain, and does not flow over the surface, the soluble manure, taken up by the drops as they fall, is immediately given up again to the,,soil through which it percolates or saturates as it slowly runs along; for, though water is the universal solvent, it gives up the constituents again as freely as it has received them. Hence, the extraordinary fertilizing properties of water in irrigation, which water, to the ordinary sense, seems perfectly pure.— Western Rural. —Varnish for Shoes.—The Manufacturer and Builder gives this recipe: Three pounds of rain water are placed in a pot over the fire, and when well boiling there are added four ounces white pulverized wax, one ounce clear, transparent glue in small pieces, two ounces white soap, scraped fine, two ounces brown pulverized sugar; the.ingredients are placed in one by. one, and.every time stirred up; it is well to take the pot from the fire every time a substance is added, to prevent boiling over; when all is added, the pot is removed from the fire; when sufficiently cooled, three ounces alcohol are added, and finally three" ounces fine Frankfort black, well incorporated by continued stirring. This varnish is put on the leather with a brush, and is very valuable for boots and shoes, as it can be afterward polished with a large brush like ordinary shoe blacking, shows high polish, and does not soil the clothing. —Baked Minced Afutton.—Take the remains of any joint of cold roast mutton, one or two onions, one bunch of savory herbs, pepper and salt to taste, two blades of pounded .mace, or nutmeg, one teacupful of gravy, mashed potatoes. Mince an onion rather fine, and fry it a light brown color; add the herbs and mutton, both of which should be also/finely minced and well mixed; season with pepper and salt, and a little pounded mace, or nutmeg, and moisten with the above proportion of gravy. Put a layer of mashed potatoes at the bottom of a dish, then the mutton, and then another layer of potatoes, and bake for about half an hour. Hannaford & Thompson, Subscription Book Publishers, Chicago, have in press an exhaustive History of the Farmers’ Alovement, by Hon. J. Periam, Editor Western Rural, one of Our ablest and best knpwn agricultural writers. Its title Is/sThe Groondswell. It will be the standard work on Granges, Clubs, etc., and is certain tn prove a great hit. Book Agents, and Farmers, especially, should read the publishers’ advertisement. It is bound Wsrtl.

Don’t Tamper with a Cough.—Perhaps in the whole category of diseases to which humanity is susceptible, the cough is most neglected in its early stage. A simple cough Ta generally regarded as a temporary affliction — , unpleasant arid nothing more, but to those who have paid dearly for experience, it is the signal for attack for the most fearful of all diseases—Consumption. A cough will lead to consumption—if not checked—so sure as the rivulet leads to the rivct£ yet, it is an easy enemy to thwart, if met by the proper remedy. Allen's Lung Balsam is the great cough remedy of the age, and it has earned its reputation by merit alone. Sold by all pood druggists.