1857.] Compost With and Without Lime. 199 



law. But a careful examination will soon reveal that even these 

 vegetable arrangements are no less subject to mathematical laws 

 than those which regulate the movements of the planets in their 

 spheres. — Ed. 



TO MAKE COMPOST WITH AND WITHOUT THE APPLI- 

 CATION OF LIME. 



BY CHAS. A. SIIUMAN. 



FIRST MADE WITH LIME AND FRESH STABLE MANURE. 



Make a layer of ground, no matter how poor in quality, about three 

 inches thick and upon that make another layer of unfermented man- 

 ure, quite fresh from the stable, likewise about three inches thick and 

 cover it with air-slaked powdered lime all over, only a quarter of an 

 inch thick. Then put again a layer of ground on it and continue as 

 before till you have the heap, brought to a hight of 6 to 8 feet cov- 

 ering the top with earth, giving the heap a pyramidal form. The 

 proportion should be, one part of earth, one part of manure and one- 

 twentieth part of lime. In dry weather the heap ought to be watered 

 every two or three days. To make the water penetrate, holes are to 

 be made with a stick. In about two or three weeks when you have to 

 work the whole heap over and over, you will find the stable manure 

 completely decomposed ; and in about two or three weeks more, when 

 you have to work it over for the second time, you will find yourself 

 rewarded with a top-dressing manure for grains, vegetables and flow- 

 ers of the most excellent quality. 



The volatile parts, which are developed by fermentation, during 

 the process of decomposition, have been prevented from escaping by 

 the layers of ground, and these form a most valuable fertilizing 

 part of the compost. 



SECOND mode with LIME AND FRESH VEGETABLE MATTERS. 



Make a layer of weeds and any other fresh vegetable matters 

 about one foot thick, and cover it all over with air-slaked powdered 

 lime. Continue in this way with weeds and lime till the heap has 



