No. 63.] . -93 



this substance are wasted in the vicinity of forges, furnaces, ^miths"^ 

 shops, &c. which would be of great value, were farmers to collect 

 such refuse or dust coal, and apply them to their farms. On heavy 

 soils in Europe, it has long been customary to pare the surface, and 

 burn the turf so collected, taking care to incorporate as much of the 

 clay soil as will consist with the ignition of the turf. This burnt 

 mass of clay and ashes is scattered over the ground, and is found to 

 make a valuable dressing on such soils. 



It is impossible to particularize all substances that may be used as 



manure. It is evident, from the definition first given, that they would 



embrace all animal matters without exception; all excremen- 



Other '■ ' 



Manures, titious secretions of animals, and all vegetable ingredients in 

 one form or another, together with a few of the mineral salts, such 

 .as the alkalies, silicates, &c. Thus, oil-cake, bran, yeast, brewers' 

 grains, putrid meat, in short any substance that can be classed under 

 the above divisions of matter, may be useful as manures, and this fact 

 should induce great caution in their preservation and application. 

 Whatever may be the present condition of a particle of matter, if it 

 has ever formed a part of an organic body, it can again become such 

 under circumstances favorable to such a condition. 



In the preceding rapid sketch of the principal substances valuable 

 as manures, the best methods of preparation and use have also, to a 

 considerable extent, been given. All then that would now seem ne- 

 cessary for the purpose of this Essay, is a condensed view of the 

 principles laid down, with such incidental topics as have been passed 

 over, but of which a notice appears necessary. 



As the common farmer must always rely on stable or farmyard ma- 

 nure, as his principal means of fertilization and renovation of his soils, 

 Preparation it is to these, to their preparation and use, that his atten- 

 stabiema- tion must be principally directed. It is an important 

 ^"^^^' question for him to decide, whether he should apply his 

 manure in a long state, that is, apply it fresh from his stables and 

 yards before undergoing decomposition, or let it remain until the lit- 

 ter and straw has fermented and become rotten, before using iL 

 Some remarks on this topic have be^n made in the preceding pages, 

 when treating of such manures, but its importance will justify their 

 extension in this place. It has bfien said that rotted manure contains 

 more geine or humus, weight for weight, than unrotted or fresh ma- 

 nure. This is probable; but to make this test decisive, equal weights 



