Somewhere back in man's early history, it was discovered that the waste products from a cows digestion had an unusual effect on crops in that aided their growth.

This is due to the fact that plant nutrients such as nitrates, which are of little use to the cow, are in effect concentrated by the animals digestive processes.

By distributing these "waste" products over the land the crop plants are in effect being given plant food.

These days this distribution is done by the use of specially designed machines as these two pictures illustrate

In the 1940's mechanical spreaders were still a thing of the future and so they forked the muck into a horse drawn cart (left)

It was then taken to the field where it was required.

Next it was tipped it into piles on the field, where it was then spread it about using a fork. Quite a difference the modern tractors and spreaders above

This picture shows the piles ready for spreading.

More next month PHIL.

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