171 



the gases or organic parts are supplied by the atmosphere, and the niin- 

 eral ingredients, or inorganic parts, are derived from the soil. If a 

 soil be deficient in these substances, the loant must be supplied by ma- 

 nure, otherwise the plants cannot grow in it; they will die for want of 

 food. The vital importance of manuring is thus apparent. 



Manures have been divided into three kinds, animal, vegetable and 

 mineral. The first kind consists of dead animals, which by their decay 

 return their ingredients to fertilize the soil, and also the excrements of 

 animals, such as barn yard dung, guano, etc. 



Vegetable manure is composed of decayed vegetables, such as straw, 

 clover, grass, trees, leaves etc., and the remains of decayed vegetation of 

 every kind. 



Mineral manures consist of salt, plaster, lime, nitrate of soda, potash, 

 soda, magnesia, etc. 



Animal manure ranks first in importance, and under this head is 

 found that valuable compound, barn-yard dung, and as this is a most 

 important manure, we will give it the consideration it merits. 



Barn-yard dung cannot be properly made, without the aid of houses 

 and sheds suitable to the housius: and feedino; of the domestic animals 

 and the richness and superior quality of the manure, depend upon the 

 nature of the food with which they are supplied ; turnips, potatoes, 

 carrots, mangel wurzel, beets and parsnips are excellent food for horses, 

 cattle or swine, and animals fed on them produce a rich manure. 



Oil cake is such a powerful fertilizer, that in England landlords gen- 

 erally allow tenants half the price of such food, in order to encourage 

 them 'to make use of it as forage for their cattle, and thereby increase 

 the richness of the manure, and the fertility of the land. Animals fed 

 on hay or straw without corn or roots, yield a very poor manure. A 

 correct system of green cropping in well arranged rotation, will ensure 

 rich manure, rich crops, and rich farmers, whilst the old plan of con- 

 stant cropping without manure, or "skinning," will ruin the land, and 

 have a corresponding effect on man and beast. In order to preserve 

 barn-yard dung properly, it is recommended by many scientific men, 

 that it should be kept covered and perfectly safe from rain. 



The Rev. Mr. Huxtable, of Saffron Waldron, Dorsetshire, England, 

 is an eminent agriculturist; he manages his manure with the greatest 

 skill; his method of cellaring all his feeding houses and sheda, and 



