No. 63.J 85 



the solid parts of their animal manures, that have never made an ef- 

 fort to save that which is of far the greatest value, the liquid part. 

 But it must not be forgotten that soils must contain decayed organic 

 matter or humus for these salts to act upon, otherwise liquid manure 

 or pure urine can do no good. Where the wash of the barnyard 

 and stables is saved, the loss of a large part of the urine is prevent- 

 ed; but when, as is too often the case, this is wholly lost, not only 

 is the urine thrown away, but a large part of the soluble humus of 

 the manure accompanies it. It is an excellent plan, therefore, to have 

 some reservoir for the reception of such liquid matters as would oth- 

 erwise be lost. If this cannot be done, cover the bottom of your 

 yards with muck, or even common loam, as this will absorb and re- 

 tain much of the urine and liquid matters of the dung. Experience 

 has demonstrated that a load of loam, saturated with urine, has a 

 more powerful effect on vegetation, than the same quantity of best 

 rotted stable manure. Human urine is richer in salts useful to vege- 

 tation than any other, containing, according to Dr. Thompson, in 

 1000 parts, 42 J lbs. of salts. The slightest attention on the part of 

 the farmer, might prevent the loss of this; and many a load of swamp 

 muck, or loam mixed with gypsum, might, when saturated with urine, 

 be added to his available manures. Liquid manures, or rather urine, 

 differs much in the salts it contains, according as the food is rich or 

 otherwise. '" White turneps give a weaker urine than the Swedish, 

 and green grass is worse than either," according to Dr. Dana. Tur- 

 ner and Liebig found that the urine of fattening animals is richer in 

 salts than that of store animals. Indeed, the law so well known with 

 regard to solids, that the richer the food the more valuable the dung, 

 it is probable holds good in regard to the urine also. 



Soot is a valuable manure, peculiarly rich in humus as well as salts, 

 and in its composition more nearly allied to the solid substance of 

 animals, than any thing else. It contains of humus or geine 

 30.70, of nitrogen 20., and of salts of lime 25.31 parts in 

 100. It also abounds in salts of soda, potash and ammonia. Ac- 

 cording to the analysis of Dr. Dana, 100 lbs. of soot contains as ma- 

 ny of the valuable salts as a ton of cow dung, and its nitrogen, com- 

 pared with that manure, is as 40 to 1. The ordinary farmer can 

 make but little use of soot, as it is not to be had in the country in 

 any considerable quantities; but those in the vicinity of cities may 

 avail themselves of this manure with much profit. For the gardener 



