This is the VOA SpecialEnglish AGRICULTURE REPORT.
Many farmers around the world are composting to improve theirsoil so they can produce better crops. Composting is the mixing ofplant or animal wastes so they break down and produce simplersubstances.
Farmers add compost to their soils instead of burning the plantand animal wastes or throwing them away. Compost is an example of anatural organic fertilizer. Organic fertilizers help to make soilsrich so that they produce more crops for a longer time.
During the growing season, plants take gases from the air such ascarbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They combine these gases with mineralsfrom the soil.
After the growing season ends, many parts of the plant die.Farmers gather a large amount of dead plant materials into smallhills called compost piles. They may add animal wastes. They mustadd water so the materials will break down or decay.
Soon the plants are attacked by insects and organisms includingworms and bacteria. Oxygen helps the organisms change the plantmaterials more rapidly. The plants decay into a mixture that can bespread on the farmland where the crops are growing. The compostreturns needed nutrients to the soil.
Some rules need to be followed to produce the best qualitycompost. Good compost piles need water to speed the process ofdecay. Yet the piles should not be too wet or the plant materialwill be ruined. The temperature of the compost pile should not betoo high or too low. The best temperature for a compost pile isabout thirty to thirty-seven degrees Celsius. You can turn the pileover and over to help cool down the material. Turning the compostpile over adds more oxygen to the mixture which helps it decay.
Sometimes small animals such as rats and mice like to eat thecomposting materials. This can be prevented if you add a thin amountof soil to the top of the compost pile.
Farmers who use compost can increase the amount and quality oftheir crops. Computer users can find more information aboutcomposting from Volunteers in Technical Assistance or VITA.
VITA is an organization based in the United States that helpspeople around the world use science and technology to solveproblems. VITA’s Internet address is w-w-w dot v-i-t-a dot o-r-g.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by GaryGarriott.