MANAGING THE MANURE PILE.
I shall first present my mode of making manure, and of applying the same. The prevalent idea among those who keep a single cow or other domestic animal is, that the manure, instead of being saved and protected from loss with the greatest care, is a nuisance, which should be summarily disposed of. It is an established fact that the liquid portion of the excrement nearly, if not quite, equals in value the solid portion, and in order to save both we must provide some means by which the liquid and volatile portions of the manure may be prevented from going to waste. This is best accomplished by means of absorbents, and there is nothing better or cheaper for this purpose than dried muck or earth, a good supply of which should be constantly kept under cover where it is easily accessible. Fortunately I am so situated that I can obtain a supply quite easily. There is within half a mile from my place a large tract of swamp land, from which I can obtain, for a low price, all the “muck” I need. Every fall, I store away under my shed a sufficient quantity to last me through the winter. This had previously been thrown into piles and dried. It is quite essential that it should be thoroughly dried, so that it will readily absorb the liquid manure, and this may be accomplished by piling and allowing it to be exposed to sun and air for six months or a year before wanted for use. The bottom of the stall is covered with ten or twelve inches of the dry muck, over which I scatter a light covering of cut straw or sawdust, so as to secure a clean bed, and prevent the particles of dirt and muck from sticking to the cow and dropping from thence into the pail. The dry earth readily absorbs the liquid droppings and whenever it becomes saturated with the same, may be removed, together with the manure and soiled straw, to a pile beneath the covered shed, when a fresh supply of dry muck, enough to replace that which was removed is carried in and the whole is again covered with the cut straw. An occasional sprinkling of plaster (gypsum) is applied both to the litter in the stall and to the manure heap, which prevents any loss of ammonia, and hence all unpleasant odors are avoided. Whenever a forkful of manure is put on the pile, it is immediately covered with muck. Twice each year this is hauled on to the land. Manure thus treated will not waste, either by the leaching out of soluble matter, by the escape of ammonia, or by fire-fanging. And as there is no coarse material, such as long straw or corn stalks mingled with it, it is always in a suitable condition to use. If dry earth or muck cannot be obtained, cut straw or sawdust may be substituted. But earth, being an excellent deodorizer itself, and containing, as it does, much valuable fertilizing matter, is much to be preferred.
If artificial fertilizers are used, they may at any time be mixed with the compost heap. Also, when a pig is kept, its pen should be cleaned daily and the litter, mingled with the general pile, will add greatly to its value. Common salt may occasionally be added to the compost heap with advantage, but ashes never, as they tend to liberate the ammonia and thereby cause waste.
YARD ROOM AND EXERCISE.
It is not necessary to have a large yard connected with the stable, as a cow is seldom inclined to exercise her locomotive powers more than is required to secure her food, and if this is placed before her at suitable times and in sufficient quantity to supply her demands, she will remain perfectly contented in an enclosure twenty feet square. In planning our buildings let us bear in mind that sunlight is essential to perfect health. Therefore we should have the yard on the sunny side of the building. At the same time we should see that there is a shady corner, where the cow may take herself during intense heat. A hint in this direction is sufficient. Nothing can be more cruel than to force any dumb animal to stand exposed to the rays of an August mid-day sun, or where she is tormented nearly to death by flies. Yet we often see just such inhuman neglect on the part of those who should know better.
Although in many respects desirable, a pasture lot is not absolutely essential, and in the case of the villager, whose land is measured by feet instead of acres, it must be dispensed with. Hence we have recourse to what is termed the soiling system, which is simply cultivating such crops as will produce a succession of green food throughout the season, and placing the same before the cow in such quantities and at such times as she may require, instead of allowing her to tramp around after her feed, and thereby waste more than she eats. It requires some skill and judgment to carry out this plan successfully, but wherever it has bean practised judiciously and intelligently, the results have been uniformly satisfactory. As to what amount of land is required in order to keep a cow through the year, I will not pretend to say; nor do I think it advisable to try to produce the entire amount of food required for a full year’s sustenance.
HAY.
I know that for me it is far better to purchase what hay will be needed to feed through the winter than to attempt to grow it. Besides, our village lots are much too small to be profitably converted into hay fields, and even if there should be more land than is necessary to furnish the soiling crops for summer feeding, it is usually much better economy to employ the same in the cultivation of small fruits, which, as I have before stated, more than pays for what hay is required, besides supplying us with many luxuries.
In my own case, I have set apart one-half of an acre from which to supply the cow with food during a period extending from May first to November first. Now this will be entirely insufficient, except under the very best cultivation and management, which, of course, I am bound to bestow upon it. That it is sufficient, with proper care, I have repeatedly proved. Such results could hardly be expected, however, from land which has received no previous preparation, and is worn, wormy, and weedy. Let us assume, then, that our half acre is in a good, fair state of productiveness. To produce a continuous supply of wholesome fodder, I find a system of rotation must be practised, and have subdivided my half acre into four equal parts, containing each one-eighth of an acre, or twenty square rods. These I shall designate as plots one, two, three, and four. Plot one is at the present time in clover, having been seeded one year ago, and will be ready for use about June. Plot two was sown to winter rye last October, and will be seeded down with clover this spring. From this patch of rye I shall obtain the earliest feed, and will begin using it about May first. Plot three will be sown with corn, drilled thickly in rows two and a half feet apart, which, if sown as soon as danger from frost is past, will be ready for use about August first. Plot four will be sown to mangels or sugar beets. I prefer the latter, and this is the only crop cultivated for winter use. Both this crop and the corn are planted with a garden seed drill, while the rye is sown broadcast. On the first of May I begin cutting the rye. Up to this time the cow has been fed on clover, hay, and grain.
I calculate to have the cow drop her calf at about April first. To this end I have her served about June twenty-fifth. Of course, we cannot always have our own way in this matter, but, accident excepted, we can usually manage so as to approximate the time. During a period of a few days subsequent to parturition, I feed quite sparingly—however, allowing her all the long hay she will eat, together with a peck of beets twice a day, but no grain of any kind, this reduced ration being necessary to avoid the danger which might result from the too abundant secretion of milk at this time, which high feeding would tend to produce. If at the end of the fifth day after calving, no bad results have occurred, such as milk fever, and there is little or no caking of the bag, I begin to gradually increase the feed, until, at the tenth day, I reach the normal standard, which is as follows: