I. AGKICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 325 



ly seasoned by exposure to atmospheric action. Human ex- 

 crement gave an increase of 13f cwt. per morgen, while the 

 growth was very thick even in the poorest places. The cows, 

 however, refused to eat the grass, although they appeared to 

 have no objection to the hay. It was believed that the grass 

 of the following season would be palatable to them. Liquid 

 manure from stable drains and sinks had a powerful effect, 

 and increased the crop of hay by 14-J- cwt. per morgen. The 

 grass was good, but the flowering herbs disappeared. Two 

 cwt. of bone-dust, fermented in a compost of earth and liquid 

 manure, increased the yield of hay, per morgen, 12 cwt., and 

 developed an abundance of white and red clover, and its in- 

 fluence, it was thought, would extend through several sea- 

 sons. But the best effect as to the quality, though not the 

 quantity of grass, was obtained by the application of potash 

 salts. The grass was fine and tender, and almost free from 

 the coarse herbs, with an increased yield of 11^ cwt. per mor- 

 gen. 10 (7,1871,27. 



SAND COMPOST. 



A German agricultural paper recommends the application 

 of a kind of sand compost upon mossy meadows as highly 

 successful. Sand, or sandy soil, is piled up and daily watered 

 with the liquid of stable drains or sinks. To prevent the es- 

 cape of ammonia a sprinkling of gypsum is applied. This 

 compost is to be worked over, and after four or five weeks it 

 is fit for use. The writer claims that the heavy sand smoth- 

 ers the moss, while the fertilizers promote the growth of 

 grass, and he refers to his favorable results as proof. 9 C, 

 1871,29. 



MANURE FROM INDIAN CORN. 



It is said that a new manure is prepared in France from 

 Indian com, a substance now largely used in French distil- 

 leries. The grain, previously coarsely broken, is first subject- 

 ed to the action of dilute sulphuric acid, to convert its starch 

 into sugar. After fermentation the refuse is placed in large 

 tanks, and when all the solid matters have subsided the 

 clear liquid is drawn off, and the residue yields an excellent 

 manure, containing about 9 per cent, of water, 68 per cent, 

 of organic matters, including nearly 5 per cent, of nitrogen, 



