REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



143 



less broken up) and organic debris (the remains of plants and animals), in variable 

 quantities. Frequently their chief value lies in the carbonate of lime they contain 

 and which has been derived from shells — usually those of mussels or oysters. Some 

 specimens possess notable percentages of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. In 

 organic matter and nitrogen, however, they never approach the richness of swamp 

 muck. 



These muds have been largely used in the Maritime Provinces as a fertilizer, 

 and good results as a rule have followed the first applications. It has been the ex- 

 perience of many, however, that the beneficial effects are not lasting and that after 

 a few years there is but little response from a repeated dressing when applied as 

 the sole manure. This is not to be wondered at, since these muds are not complete 

 fertilizei-s and cannot furnish all the plant food in the proportions required by farm 

 crops. To a certain extent they supply the elements of fertility and also act on 

 many soils as stimulants, but they must not be considered as concentrated manures, 

 nor should they be used exclusively. As far as possible, they should be supple- 

 mented with more assimilable and stronger manures. Barnyard manure, superphos- 

 phate and wood ashes are probably the easiest to obtain and the cheapest for use 

 with these muds. 



The fine mechanical condition of many "muds" may have made them useful 

 in improving the tilth of certain soils, but instances have come to my notice in 

 which the tilth has been injured by an over application. For the improvement of 

 such soils I would recommend the ploughing under of green crops, preferably clover or 

 pease. This green manuring would not only mellow the soil, but would also enrich 

 it in organic matter and nitrogen. 



Analyses of air-dried Muds. 



g 

 a 



Locality. 



Forwarded by 



Tatamagouche, N. S 



it 



Waterville, N. B 



Mabou, N.S 



J. A. C. Campbell, 

 << 



A. E. Plumer 



H. Cameron, M.P. 



■^ 13 



13-93 

 17-36 

 76-34 

 58-15 

 79 16 



Nos. 1 and 3 contain very fair percentages of nitrogen. No, 2 is much of the 

 nature of a good soil. The lake mud from Walkerville, N.B. (No. 3), consists 

 largely of carbonate of lime, derived from shells. In all essential particulars it may 

 be considered a marl. The samples from Mabou (Nos. 4 and 5) possess large per- 

 centages of carbonate of lime, but are poor in other constituents. Thej' would only 

 prove of service to soils requiring lime. 



Complete analyses were made of river and mussel mud from Shediac, N.B. 

 The data are as follows : — 



