The Republican

POULTRY YARD MANURE.

It Is of Inestimable Value to Any Farmer Who Will Save and Utilize It Rationally.

One of the best and most available manures is that which our poultry supplies. First of all, it costs no ready money and is an article of value to any farmer who will utilize it. How to save, mix and use this manure has been a study with scores of farmers during the past few years. In nearly every farmer's yard are to be seen from 100 to 200 fowls, and often they have no proper shelter, and the droppings are lost. Often no thought is given to gathering the manure for fertilizing purposes, and in the spring the owner will pay from $60 to $75 per ton for guano, while the poultry manure that goes to waste on his own farm is almost equally rich in plant food and even better than some brands of so-called "pure" guano.

Poultry manure has the most value when kept in the dry; its value is largely dependent upon the kind of food which the fowls deposit. As a rule the poultry is given richer food than any other farm stock. Wheat, rye, corn, also scraps from the table add to their fare; hence their droppings must possess considerable fertilizing value. We keep the poultry together in the hennery as much as possible. The floor is kept dry, being covered weekly with ashes obtained at a planing mill at a cost of 15 cents per bushel. Regularly every week it is removed and stored in a dry place, shoveled over and enough absorbent added to keep from heating. It is astonishing how much accumulates. If we wish to drill the manure it is sifted; otherwise it is applied from the wagon directly. If farmers who keep poultry and let the manure go to waste would try this plan they would save enough the first year in fertilizer bills to build a poultry house and fence a yard for their private fertilizer factory.—Chicago Inter Ocean.