Locate the manure pit handy to the barn and so as to catch the manure
from the outside floors. Two pits may be better than one. Excavate the
hole to the desired size and depth. (Manure pits are seldom over 4 feet
deep.) Dig a sump hole 3 feet square and 2 feet deep at one corner of
the pit. Slope the floor toward this hole, from which a pump will draw
the liquid manure. Frame forms of 1-inch siding on 2 by 4-inch studding
spaced 2 feet, so as to mold a wall 8 inches thick. If the dirt sides
stand firm, they will serve for the outside form and nothing but an
inside form will be required. Mix the concrete 1: 2: 4 (see page 11).
Lay the floor so that it will be one solid piece 6 inches thick. No
contraction joints will be necessary. Without delay, set up the forms,
brace them firmly and fill them with concrete as directed under DIPPING
VATS, pages 76-80. If a very large pit is needed, build it with sloping
concrete ends sufficiently wide to accommodate a manure spreader. Let
the inclines be gentle, and, to give the horses a firm footing, embed
iron cleats every 18 inches in the slopes, the same as for dipping
tanks. Cisterns for liquid manure only, may be made like ordinary
CISTERNS, page 68. However, the solid manure rots more quickly and is
better for the fields if both solids and liquids are kept in the same
pit. An ordinary pump, with a pipe leading to the sump hole, covered
with a grating, is a convenient means of removing the liquid. Liquid
manure is especially good for the vegetable and flower garden, since it
contains no weed seed. Cover the pits or keep the manure well soaked
with water, so as to remove the principal breeding places of the house
and barn fly.
[Illustration]
The manure pit shown in the photograph is located in the side of a
little hill. It is 21 feet long, 14 feet wide, 10 feet deep on the
hillside and 6 feet deep on the low side. The bottom is 6 inches and
the walls 8 inches thick. Four men built the pit in two days.
=Materials Required=
Screened gravel or crushed rock 17 cubic yards at $1.10 $18.70
Sand 8½ cubic yards at $1.00 8.50
Portland cement 30 barrels at $2.50 75.00
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$102.20