REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 159 



animals and garbage that accrue on the farm. The whole should be kept moist and oc- 

 casionally forked over. Every farm should have a compost heap, conveniently located, 

 since it serves to keep the surroundings clean and healthy, and preserves much valuable 

 fertilizing material that would otherwise not only go to waste, but perhaps prove a 

 nuisance and a menace to health. 



When sufficient manure is not obtainable, lime or marl and wood ashes may be 

 substituted — the resulting compost would be poorer in nitrogen, but richer in potash 

 than the one just described. 



MUCK AS AN ABSORBENT. 



The air-dried substance is extremely absorptive, many samples being capable of 

 holding as much as 400 times their weight of liquid. It may, therefore, be used with 

 advantage in the barn-yard, the pig-pen, cow-house or wherever the liquid manure is 

 likely to go to waste. By such means, valuable fertilizing material is preserved, and the 

 nitrogen of the muck, by subsequent fermentation, rendered available. 



RESUME. 



In concluding this brief account of the value and uses of muck, it may be stated 

 that, speaking generally, the value of muck is dependent upon the amount of nitrogen 

 contained, though the percentages of humus and mineral matter present, considerably 

 enhance *th« effectiveness. The humus, by its decomposition, liberates carbonic acid in 

 the soil. This acid undoubtedly exerts a beneficial action in setting free mineral 

 plant food. Besides acting chemically, in supplying elements of fertility, a good muck 

 serves to mellow heavy soils by rendering them porous and permeable to air, while 

 thereby sandy soils have their retentive and absorbent quality increased. 



Whenever possible, muck should be composted before use, as thereby it is rendered 

 much more valuable. 



THE RECLAMATION OF SWAMP LANDS. 



After a thorough drainage, which is essential, the muck will settle and become 

 firmer and better adapted in tilth to the growth of ordinary farm crops. If the subsoil 

 can be easily reached by the plough, a judicious mixture of it with the muck will be of 

 benefit ; otherwise a dressing of sand, clay or coal ashes may be employed to im- 

 prove the tilth. 



It has already been stated that muck is rich in nitrogen, it will therefore be 

 apparent that barn-yard manure and other nitrogenous manures are not economical 

 fertilizers for muck lands. A liberal application of lime or marl and wood ashes will, 

 however, be productive of good results. By such treatment, lacking, but necessary, plant 

 food is supplied, acidity corrected and nitrification of the organic matter fostered. 

 These materials may be harrowed in after the muck has be^n lightly ploughed. Wood 

 ashes, on account of their cheapness and the comparative ease with which they may be 

 obtained in Canada, are recommended as the source of potash and phosphoric acid ; but 

 if these are not obtainable kainit or muriate of potash and superphosphate may be 

 used. 



Muck soils, after suitable treatment, have been found of special value for the 

 growth of vegetable and root crops. If they are rendered firm and compact by good 

 tillage, and a dressing of clay and wood ashes is added, good crops of cereals and grasses 

 can be obtained. The ashes may be applied at the rate of 500 pounds per acre. 



The subjoined table gives the percentages of essential constituents in those samples 

 examined during the past year, together with information respecting their occurrence. 



