WHAT ABSORBENTS TO USE. 63 



that he carries out his liquid manure by hand, and spreads it 

 on his land. If he has a small place, and keeps a horse and 

 a cow, he may do this ; but, if he had fifty acres of mowing 

 that he must fertilize this fall, he could not carry it out with 

 a bucket, and spread it over fifty acres. I do not believe 

 we can any of us lay down a rule which will be applicable 

 to all, under any circumstances. As far as I can see, from 

 experience, and from what others have said, it seems best 

 for me to use absorbents. I mean to use those that have 

 elements of fertility in them, if I can find them ; if I can- 

 not, I will take sand, and by this means I am able to use 

 my liquid manure, which we all agree is worth quite as 

 much as solid manure. What we want is a vehicle to get it 

 on the land, that is all. 



Mr. Hubbard (of Brimfield). There is no rule that can 

 be laid down that will hold good universally in agriculture. 

 In manufacturing, there can be rules laid down by which 

 manufacturers can be governed, and which will work the 

 same in different localities; but in agriculture it is impos- 

 sible to lay down any rule that will work the same in all 

 localities and on all kinds of soil. Now, this matter of the 

 use of absorbents depends altogether on circumstances. On 

 my own soil I would use sand ; and why ? Because it is the 

 veiw best thing that I can use on my soil. What is my soil? 

 It is a tenacious clay, and it needs something opposite from 

 what I have got. Had I a sandy soil, I would not lay down 

 the rule that I would use sand as an absorbent on that soil ; 

 but I would try something exactly opposite from what I had. 



Now, in regard to absorbents : I would put sand in the 

 barn-cellar, I would put it in the yard, I would put it every- 

 where, for an absorbent for my soil. Being a tenacious clay 

 soil, I want to put something upon that soil which will make 

 it more porous ; and sand will do this very well. 



In regard to top-dressing, it depends very much upon cir- 

 cumstances. I would put this sand used as an absorbent 

 on my grassland as top-dressing; and why? Because my ex- 

 perience has taught me that that is best for my soil. But it 

 would not answer the same purpose under all circumstances 

 and in all places. So, as was observed by Mr. Slade in his 

 lecture, we have got to study and know what our location is, 

 what our soil is, and what are the influences which are 



