MR. LEBROKE'S ADDRESS. 217 



tried that experiment. That is the way I raised my crops. The 

 first year, I tried it in quantity. It did not cost much to make 

 this arrangement. The manure was removed from the stable in 

 the spring, when we planted. From May up to haying time, 

 there were three loads of manure obtained from the stock. At 

 haying time, I had this manure cellar made. From haying time, 

 up to the time I dug my potatoes, there were ten loads made with 

 the same stock, and with the same bedding. By this process, one 

 load of that which was produced in the cellar was worth three 

 loads of that which had been dried in the sun, evaporated in the 

 wind, and exposed to the weather. 



Now, this is not agreeable, because it is some work to make 

 this arrangement. You have also, gentleman, many of you, in 

 your swamps, a large mass of muck, which may be made avail- 

 able. I do not care whether that muck is very rich or not. It is 

 certain that, Avhen properly dried, and the acidity removed from 

 it — perhaps by lime ; the chemists will tell you what — it is a good 

 absorbent. I have my hog pen arranged so that the hogs will 

 work up any amount of this muck. I know the hog has always 

 been called a lazy animal, but it is not so. lie might bring his 

 suit for slander in any court and receive damages. I find him a 

 diligent animal. He pays for his keeping, and comes out a very 

 good hog besides. I keep two of them at work most of the time, 

 and they work well. 



Now, gentlemen, I do not pretend to instruct you. I have this 

 idea, this hobby in my head, and it is about all I intended to say, and 

 I should not have said that if my brother Robinson had not suggested 

 that he hoped this great discovery would be made. From the lit- 

 tle exjjeriments I have ti'ied, using, in addition to the manure of 

 which I have spoken, dirty water, slops, &c., I have realized very 

 abundant crops. With the use of this manure, I have raised, as I 

 have said, 80 bushels of shelled corn to the acre, 422 bushels of 

 potatoes on an acre and a quarter, and 55 -bushels of barley and a 

 fraction to the acre ; and I never used any commercial manures 

 except a small quantity which I had of my neighbor Chamberlain, 

 which was used upon the corn. 



Now as to Piscataquis soils being poor. If poor by nature, they 

 have not lost so much by cultivation as the soils of the Western 

 States. I will not mar the picture drawn by Mr. Robinson, of our 

 slate unquestionably superior in quality, of the iron which is 

 abundant beyond measure, of the forests, which the world is 



