FARMYARD MANURE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 956, 26 April 1930, Page 31

FARMYARD MANURE

ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION The artificial production of farmyard manure has been attracting the interest of investigators lately and the opinion is held by Rothamstead authorities that “where straw is plentiful and livestock is unprofitable the process may have a future.” Briefly the method of production is to supply enough nitrogen and phosphatic compounds to straw and other waste cellulose material to enable the micro-organisms which are always present to break down the easilydecomposable organic matter. leaving the more resistant residues in a humified condition. The final product approximates farmyard manure in respect to chemical composition and physical properties. Moisture is essential to this result aud a proprietary reagent is obtainable to provide the necessary chemicals. The water has to be applied artificially, although trials have indicated that the judicious use of the winter rainfall will materially reduce the need for watering. SPECIAL MACHINE USED A machine has been devised for wetting the straw and applying the reagent iu a continuous operation at threshing time. The straw enters a chaft'cutter of large capacity adjusted to cut 6in lengths. The cut straw then passes to an elevator and during its passage is sprayed with water from any convenient source and is sprinkled with the correct quantity of reagent from a hopper. After treatment the straw is deposited in a stack, which is built in the ordiuarv way, and eventually becomes a mass of artificial farmyard manure. To obtain a satisfactory product, however, it is necessary to add further water from tirpe to time and to turn the heap once when about a mouth old. The staff required is one man In excess of the usual quota for threshing and building a straw stack.