LIQUID MANURE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1277, 4 November 1911, Page 15

LIQUID MANURE.

SOME INTERESTING POINTS. Tho value of applying liquid farmyard manure is dealt with by Mr. Primrose M'Counell in an interesting article In tho ■ Agricultural Department's latest journals, Mr. M'C'onnoll is strongly against such manuring. Forty years ajo, he says, pumps and tanks were erected, more or less, over tho whole of England and Scotland. To-day 30 per cent, of the erections are dying a natural death through neglect, as it has been abundantly proved, not only by individual farmers, but also by a long course of exporimonfs at Kothamstead, that, even apart from the fact that it is almost im-. possible to get hands to undertake tho work, "the gamo is not worth the candle." Tho analysis of liquid manure shows that it is highly nitrogenous, the principal fertilisiug element—phosphoric acid —being entirely absent. Every day it is becoming more apparent that the application of highly nitrogenous manures in the end docs not pay—that is, where tho resultant crops (moro particularly grass and hay) aro used for feeding purposes. The reason, of course, is that quality is sacrificed to bulk. It is quite true that wherever liquid manaro is applied the effect, as judged by tho eye, is everything that could be desired; out tho digestive organs of our farm stock, which form a laboratory that tho farmer can always rely upon, tell a diiforent tale, and all feeding experiments, no matter where carried out, have had the samo result. A certain proportion of nitrogen in the soil is, of course, necessary, but all that is required can be chiefly obtained by tho growth of clovers, lucerne, peas, tares, etc. Where feeding-value of a crop is not essential, as in market-garden produce, liquid manuro may fill a place, but Mr.' M'Counell considers that nitrogen can be applied more cheaply in the torui of nitrate of soda, or sulphato of ammonia, and certainly with more comfort to the person applying it. It may seem a pity tnat millions of gallons ol this 'manure are daily running to waste, but facts cannot bo ignored. If liquid manure is applied year after year to pasture lands, the bulk of the crop will bo enormously increased, but the finer grasses aud clovers will entirely disappear. Un one farm in the Old Country liquid manure was tested on a most elaborate scale, tho manure being applied through an extensive system ot irrigation pipes: tho result was a couipleto tailure. In conclusion, Mr. M'Counell says:— it has also often struck mo that this system of manuring may bo tho means of spreading broadcast on our paddocks many of the diseases to which.our farm stock are liable—abortion, for instance. Of course, this is only a suggestion, una I offer it for what it is worth. I am aware that this system of manuring is almost non-existent in New Zealand, and to any farmer who thinks of trying the experiment my advice would be 'Uont.' On pasture-lands the application of phosphoric acid (and potash where required) is all 'that is necessary. This application will ouoourago tho growth of clovers, and tho latter will bo the means of securing all the nitrogen that is required," ■•