VALUATION OF MANURES, 361 



had not the recipients first helped themselves to mowers, and 

 tedders, and rakes, and forks, worked by brute power ; thereby 

 quickly accomplishing the work formerly wrought, in a less per- 

 fect manner, in a longer time, and by an immense expenditure of 



human force. 



For every mower at work in Maine ten years ago, doubtless 

 twenty, and perhaps fifty, were running in this year's crop. Con- 

 sequently the product harvested was more nearly preserved grass, 

 than the growth of small dry wood which formerly passed, by 

 courtesy, as "late cut" hay. 



The war brought with it habits of fast living and fast spending ; 

 but these evils were mingled with good, which we may hope will 

 remain after the noxious weeds have been eradicated. It brought 

 habits of spending for the enginery of peace as well as for imple- 

 ments of war ; for-seeds as well as for bullets ; for manure as well 

 as for powder. 



We may hope that saltpetre has fulfilled its mission in the way 

 •of propelling missiles of death among brethren of our common 

 country. Saltpetre mixed with sulphur and charcoal, and then 

 put to a bad use, makes but a villianous compost. Saltpetre in 

 the hands of the farmer is capable of serving a better use than in 

 those of the soldier. 



When saltpetre (known to chemists as potassic nitrate) is 

 burned, as powder, the nitrogen which it contains, (and because of 

 containing it is sometimes called nitre,) is liberated from its com- 

 binations and reappears in the gaseoul form in which it constitutes 

 four-fifths of the air which we breathe. In this form however, i. 

 e., uncombined, (although mixed with other gases,) it is the most 

 inert substance known, — more destitute of active properties than 

 anything else ; in fact its very use as a constituent of the atmos- 

 phere, regulating and moderating the results of breathing, and of 

 burning, arises very largely from its negative character. 



But the nitrogen of saltpetre in gunpowder, when parting from 

 its combination, gives out a great amount of force. This force 

 may be put to a bad use in killing men, or to a good use in blast- 

 ing ledges. Splitting rocks, however, is not the only good use to 

 which combined nitrogen may be put. The farmer may give salt- 

 petre to his crops ; and the plants, slowly, to be sure, and in a 

 very quiet, non-explosive manner, will untie its combination, and 

 will do it just as efiectivelv ; and in doing so the plants will 

 receive a propelling power of growth corresponding to that mani- 



