The next best, composting it with earth, as above described, piled about five or six feet high, turned as often as convenient, and kept moist enough to secure fermentation.
Or, to throw all the manure as made into a covered pit, until it is thoroughly mixed and made fine, by allowing hogs to run upon it and root at will; and when prepared for even spreading, apply it as a top-dressing on grass-land—at any convenient time.
As to how many loads of fresh manure it takes to make one of well-rotted manure, it may be answered approximately, three to one, but that would depend a good deal on the manner of doing it, and the amount of rough material in it. If well trodden by cattle under cover, and sufficient drainage poured over it, to prevent any violent fermentation, the loss of weight, I think, would not be very great, nor the bulk lessened over one-half.
Many years ago an old and successful farmer said to me, “if you want to get the full benefit of manure, spread it as a top-dressing on some growing crop,” and all my experience and observation since tend to confirm the correctness of his advice.
While on this subject, allow me to protest against the practice of naming the quantity of manure applied to a given space, as so many loads, as altogether too indefinite. The bushel or cord is a definite quantity, which all can understand.
The average price of good livery stable horse-manure at this place has been for several years four dollars a cord.
With two and a half miles to haul, I am trying whether keeping a flock of 50 breeding ewes, and feeding liberally with wheat bran, in addition to hay and pasture, will not produce the needed manure more cheaply.
Respectfully yours,
Edward Jessop.
P.S.—You ask for the average weight of a cord of manure, such as we pay four dollars for.