. EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENTS. 47 



tlieuce into a, river to coutamiuate the air and water. A little mouse, a dead 

 frog or squirrel, or a few dead worms, will spoil the water of a well so every one 

 will smell it and refuse to drink it. The same subjects are completely deodor- 

 ized by a small shovelful of dry earth. 



OUE COMPOST HEAP. 



The position of the main compost heap has been removed to the south of the 

 1)arn and privy, and near both these buildings. AVe have another pile started 

 near the new vegetable garden. They are constructed on the same plan as last 

 year, which suited us so well. We believe a plenty of manure is a good thing 

 for the farmer and gardener to have, that most of them cannot succeed with- 

 out it, that nearly all can very easily increase the quantity and value two fold or 

 more. ^Ve prefer to use on the garden manure that is well rotted or decom- 

 posed. The place for the compost heap is made nearly flat, but a little highest 

 around the edges. On the bottom is placed a layer of muck, six inches or a 

 foot in thickness. In all the management of manure, we have constantly in 

 mind the high price of labor of men and teams, and the cheapness of various 

 kinds of farm and garden produce. The muck is drawn but a short distance, — 

 forty rods, perhaps. To economize team work, we use two wagons, having one 

 loaded while the other is on the road. Carts with wide tires are better. The 

 muck is taken from the flats to the yard and leveled a little after it leaves the 

 dump boards. This first layer usually remains several weeks in the early part 

 of summer until it becomes pretty well dried out. The kind we use at present, 

 and like very much, is taken from the fiats of a brook where it is covered with 

 a very tough sod of sedges and grasses. Tlie sods we cut out Avith very sharp 

 spades, and use, of course, with the rest of the muck. The muck is black and 

 loamy, such as would produce a bountiful crop of grass every season after good 

 drainage. On the bottom layer of muck, after drying out, we place a layer of 

 manure of equal thickness with the muck. Then another layer of muck, and 

 usually wait awhile for it to dry out, if it had not been dried out at the 

 muck bed. The latter we should always do, if we had far to haul the muck. 

 The manure we get is furnished by our horse-barn, where are kept four horses, 

 by the privies well supplied with dry earth, by purchase or gift of parties m 

 Lansing, three miles away, or elsewhere. We like to draw it in summer, 

 because then the roads are best, the manure is dry and light so we can. 

 draw twice as much in value as during spring or autumn when we have to draw 

 much Avater which is to be had at home without price. J\Ianure is more easily 

 obtained at this season. We cannot always get it in winter. Besides, we can 

 then mix it with muck, and manure composted in August, or earlier, is in good 

 condition for use by next spring ; while, if we draw it in winter, or later, it is 

 often not in good condition till summer. We draAV all the manure we can find 

 time to, preferring, for our sandy soil, to use half muck to half manure, instead 

 of clear horse manure. The muck, alternating with the manure, prevents it 

 from burning out and wasting. Again, the use of muck saves much hand 

 labor of turning the manure to prevent overheating. So highly do I value 

 something for this purpose, and as an absorbant, I would use good soil if I 

 could not get muck, and poor soil if I could not get good soil. 



By the middle of September we want the heap six or eight feet high, keeping 

 the top flat or a trifle dishing. Perhaps it is not as good for the heap, but to 

 save labor we drive onto it with teams to unload. We add tops of potatoes, 

 tomatoes, and any similar refuse, except weeds which may contain seeds. The 



