think
well-rotted manure is better for sandy land than fresh manure.

As to how rapidly, or rather how slowly, manure decomposes in a rather
heavy loamy soil, the above experiments of Mr. Lawes afford very
conclusive, but at the same time very discouraging evidence. During the
19 years, 3,800 lbs. of nitrogen, and 16,492 lbs. of mineral matter, in
the form of farm-yard manure, were applied to an acre of land, and the
19 crops of barley in grain and straw removed only 3,724 lbs. of mineral
matter, and 1,064 lbs. of nitrogen. The soil now contains, unless it has
drained away, 1,736 lbs. more nitrogen per acre than it did when the
experiments commenced. And yet 41 lbs. of nitrogen in an _available
condition_ is sufficient to produce a good large crop of barley, and 82
lbs. per acre furnished more than the plants could organize.

"Those are very interesting experiments," said the Doctor, "and show why
it is that our farmers can afford to pay a higher price for nitrogen and
phosphoric acid in superphosphate, and other artificial manures, than
for the same amount of nitrogen and phosphoric acid in stable-manure."

We will not discuss this point at present. What I want to ascertain is,
whether we can not find some method of making our farm-yard manure more
readily available. Piling it up, and letting it ferment, is one method
of doing this, though I think other methods will yet be discovered.
Possibly it will be found that spreading well-rotted manure on the
surface of the land will be one of the most practical and simplest
methods of accomplishing this object.

"We pile the manure, therefore," said Charley, "first, because we do not
wish it to lie exposed to the rain in the yards, and, second, because
fermenting it in the heap renders it more soluble, and otherwise more
available for the crops, when applied to the land."

That is it exactly, and another reason for piling manure is, that the
fermentation greatly reduces its bulk, and we have less labor to perform
in drawing it out and spreading it. Ellwanger & Barry, who draw several
thousand loads of stable-manure every year, and pile it up to ferment,
tell me that it takes three loads of fresh manure to make one load of
rotted manure. This, of course, has reference to bulk, and not weight.
Three tons of fresh barn-yard manure, according to the experiments of
Dr. Voelcker, will make about two tons when well rotted. Even this is a
great saving of labor, and the rotted man