OBJECT OF MANURING. 



325 



their weights of common soil ; in case of saline fertilizers, as 

 German potash salts, larger quantities of soil are recom- 

 mendable. 



The main object of manuring onght to be to diiFuse the 

 soluble plant-food throughout the entire body of the soil upon 

 which the crops shall feed. The physical condition of the 

 soil, the kind of crop to be raised, and the character of the 

 fertilizer to be applied, ought to be carefully consulted 

 reffardino- the most suitable time for manuring. AVe aim 

 manifestly at the manuring of the soil, and not that of the 

 seed ; to accomj^lish the first purpose is essential for success ; 

 to attempt the latter, requires, to say the least, a careful 

 management. 



Decaying animal and vegetable matters are rather the home 

 of the parasites than of farm plants ; the latter will only 

 benefit from their presence in the same degree as they are 

 resolved again into those simple compounds which are known 

 as essential elements of plant-food ; namely, carbonic acid, 

 phosphoric acid, potassa, etc. 



There can be no doubt but that a little better attention to 

 the points previously discussed will soon reestablish in our 

 mixed system of farming the well-deserved reputation of 

 animal fertilizers like animal dust. 



A more liberal patronage would indirectly benefit our agri- 

 cultural interests by counteracting a late commercial move- 

 ment, which seems rather increasing than decreasing ; namely, 

 to export our butcher refuse material as crude? stock to 

 England at a loicer price, if I am correctly informed, than 

 our farmers could afford and would be willing to pay. 



Nitrate of Soda (Chili Saltpetre). 



H. 



Nitric acid, . 



Sodium oxide, 



Chlorine, 



Sulphuric acid, 



Magnesia, 



Lime, 



Moisture, 



61.60 



0.360 

 0.082 



2.50 



