103 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



and applied in a dry state, rather than lose much of its 

 value by fermentation ; but we are now too well ac- 

 quainted with the value of straw as an absorbent, &c.,to 

 be enabled to apply it in such a manner. To destroy 

 the vitality of couch-grass or such-like weeds, the appli- 

 cation of quick-lime, salt, or vitriol with a degree of 

 fermentation is necessary. But where fermentation is 

 going on in a dunghill, it is of great advantage to cover 

 it with burnt earth to absorb the disengafjed gases ; or, 

 if burnt earth cannot be had, then common salt with 

 gypsum will have a good effect. 



And now, sir, will you allow me to say a word to 

 brother farmers upon liquid manure : I mean that pro- 

 duced in the farm-yard. Much has already been said 

 and written upon the subject. I will not, therefore, be 

 tedious, nor stop to notice all the different plans that 

 have been tried and recommended for its use. Still, I 

 see numerous instances of its being neglected. Why 

 should this be? It is the very essence of your manure. 

 t"ry to prevent its being over-diluted with water by 

 troughing your buildings, &c., although a little water 

 mixed with it is advantageous when applied in a liquid 

 state ; but get your muck-heaps to absorb as much 

 of it as you can. Apply it also in abundance to the 

 earth you have carted for bottoms to your muck-heaps, 

 and, if well saturated, they will be valuable, although 

 not mixed with muck at all. Convert it into solid as 

 much as possible : by this means you prolong its action 

 in the soil. But, when you do apply it in a liquid 

 state, it has a good effect upon grass-land of every de- 

 scription ; and, from the amount of its ammoniacal 

 qualities, I have found it very beneficial to corn-crops 

 whenever applied upon the land before ploughed up for 

 sowing. Urine contains the essential elements of vege- 

 tables in a state of solution, and consequently in a state 

 of the utmost possible preparedness, and is eminently 

 suited to all crops which require speedy and large ali- 

 menting with such saline and organic principles as it 

 contains; but in a liquid state its operation is quick, 

 but not durable. 



I will now conclude with a few remarks upon 

 other two descriptioas of manure within reach of 

 the farmer, and which well deserve attention, viz., 

 the manure from the fowls' bouse and ashes from 

 the fires. These are too valuable to be mixed 

 with the farm-yard manure, they can be applied 

 by themselves with much greater advantage. Ithasbeen 

 computed that fowls' dung, weight for weight, is half 

 as valuable as Peruvian guano, and that no description 

 of mauui-e is more deteriorated by decomposition ; to 

 prevent which, it ought to remain untouched until re- 

 quired for use, and gypsum or powdered charcoal 



sprinkled over it once a week, to prevent the escape of 

 the ammonia. But without further remark, I will 

 briefly describe a method of applying fowls' dung and 

 ashes, which I have seen practised for many years with 

 eminent success. The ashes throughout the year are 

 collected in aheap, and with them a quantity of rich 

 mould mixed ; this is saturated with liquid manure from 

 the tank as often as it requires. A week or two before 

 turnip-sowing, the manure from the fowl's house is 

 brought, also a small quantity of ground bones. These 

 are all mixed together, and twice turned over, and in- 

 cipient fermentation allowed to commence. It is then 

 taken to the field ; shallow ridges are formed, in the 

 bottom of which the manure is planted in small handfuls 

 from 9 to 12 inches apart, at the rate of 1| to 2 tons an 

 acre, according to the richness of the compost. 'This is 

 performed by women with baskets. The seed is then 

 sown with a machine along the ridges, after the manure 

 has been lightly covered with a plough. So eminently is 

 this adapted for turnips, that I never recollect seeing it 

 fail — always producing a crop superior to any other plan, 

 and even showing good effects upon the succeeding cfop 

 of barley. 



I am afraid, Mr. Editor, I have trespassed too far upon 

 your valuable space ; I hope, however, the importance 

 of the subject (however imperfectly treated) will be a 

 sufficient apology for my intrusion. For although many 

 farmers are very careful to turn everything to advantage, 

 there are numerous others who — although readily admit- 

 ting the necessity and propriety of so doing — are never- 

 theless very cai-eless and indifferent in the performance 

 of it. And if from a deficiency of chemical knowledge 

 I have committed mistakes in the course of my remarks, 

 still I think the accuracy of the principles I have 

 attempted to lay down cannot be doubted — viz., that 

 plenty of manure is a most essential element in good 

 farming ; that the care and management of manures 

 produced upon the farm are much neglected ; that the 

 burning of vegetable matter is wasteful; that by allow- 

 ing fermontatiou to go too far much loss is sustained : 

 that liquid manure is of great value ; and that fowls' 

 dung and ashes deserve special attention : in short, that 

 almost everything quite valueless in other respects is of 

 value as muck ; and that it behoves every farmer to turn 

 to the greatest advantage the supply of manure produced 

 upon his own farm before purchasing at the expensive 

 and deceptive mart of the manufacturer and importer. 

 And no watchword will prove a surer guide to the 

 accomplishment of this object than that with which we 

 introduced this subject—" Let nothing be lost." 



Wm, Aknott. 



3Ielton, Woodbridge, Suffolk, Jan. 13. 



ON THE METHOD OF EXTRACTING THE STARCH FROM THE POTATO. 



The operations for this purpose are as follows ; 



1st, Washing the tubera. 



2nd, Reducing tlieni to a pulp, by rasping. 



3rd, Pressing the pulp. 



4th, Washing the rough starch. 



.^th, Draining and drying the produco. 



fith, Bolting and storing. 

 _ 1st. Thewashing of the tubers requires particular atten- 

 tion, any dirt left on them being injurious to the purity of 

 the starch. The water itself ought to be perfectly pure 

 and clear. An open cylinder, working m a trongh, into 

 which a stream of water can be constantly pouring, is the 

 best method of effecting it. 



2nd. The rasping is accomplished by cylinders made of 

 sheet-iron, roughed by having holes thi'ckly punched in it 



from the inside, so as to form a gi-ater. Or, if a more ex- 

 pensive and durable machine is required, the cylinder is 

 furnished with iron cutters, set in wood. This is placed 

 under a hopper similar to that of a corn-mill. The cutting 

 cylmder is made to turn rapidly— say from 600 to 900 

 times per minute ; but the quicker this is done, the 

 more effectual will be the separation of the starch, &c., in 

 the tubers. The cylinder should be about 16 inches long, 

 and 20 inches in diameter ; and such a one, revolving by 

 means of multiplying wheels 800 times per minute, will 

 reduce 50 bushels of potatoes per hour to a perfect pulp. 

 It may be worked either by water, steam, horse, or hand- 

 power. 



_3rd. The pulping being effected, it is passed through a 

 Wire sieve ; and the cellular tissues, which constitute the 



