COMPOSTING SOILS. 



gas. No solid particles of matter, of any description, can enter the circulation of 

 plants. Hence, everything intended for their use must be capable of being dissolved 

 in water, or of being converted into a gas, when needed. Now if a sod, though rich 

 in fertilizing materials, be not completely rotted or decomposed, or in a state to 

 become fully rotted and decomposed, it follows that its constituents can not possibly 

 become immediately useful. Clover contains many valuable fertilizing ingredients; 

 but until these ingredients become changed from the form of clover into their chem- 

 ical elements, (lime, potash, soda, &c.,) they can not be appropriated by plants. 

 Again, even if the clover be decomposed, and the chemical elements remain in such 

 relations that they are insoluble in water, or not capable of readily becoming gases, 

 they can not be made available in the garden. Of course it will be seen at once that 

 under such circumstances a gardener may have a heap of rich material, and yet, if it 

 is not available, it is no better for present use than a poor heap. 



The imperfection of the process commonly adopted in composting garden soils 

 consists in several points. First, where all the soil is fresh, there is no well decom- 

 posed matter of a carbonaceous character to act as an absorbent of the gases generated 

 by the act of decomposition, and hence much valuable material (ammonia) is lost. 

 In all such compost heaps a quantity of well decomposed turf or black, garden soil 

 should be mixed with the new soil, to catch the ammonia produced by the decay of 

 the new soil or sod. Again, much valuable time and labor is lost by the slow decay 

 of sod where no chemical agent is employed to assist the decomposition. Lime is an 

 objectionable agent, because, when freely used, it locks up nearly as much fertilizing 

 material as it liberates. Stable manure, in a state of rapid decay, or high heat, is not 

 so objectionable as lime ; but this is not the best material for this purpose. Water 

 in moderate quantities is highly important; but with this should be used potash — 

 the common potash of the shops — which decomposes all vegetable matter rapidly 

 and powerfully, and does not lock it up in new combinations as lime does, but on the 

 contrary sets free even those combinations which lime renders insoluble. 



With solutions of potash in water, any heap of sod or other vegetable matter may 

 be decomposed as rapidly as the operator may desire, and all the constituents of the 

 heap will be placed in a state easily soluble in water, or ready to become gases, on 

 the slightest action of water and vegetable life. Indeed, the ingredients of plants are 

 by potash converted in great measure into gases ; and if there be present vegetable 

 charcoal, (black loam,) or animal charcoal, (bone black,) or clay, these gases will be 

 caught up and retained till taken up by plants. No organized vegetable body can 

 resist the action of potash ; it must decay, and rq^Bolve itself into its original elements 

 at its touch. In fiict, it is not necessary that the potash should touch the substance 

 of the vegetable ; it acts by its mere presence in a near part of the heap, disposing not 

 only that matter which it touches, but all other matter in contact with that which it 

 affects, to decay. " Rot makes rot," is an old adage ; and so it is in an especial 

 manner with the rot caused by potash. 



All who undertake the cultivation of the eailh, either in the field or the garden 

 should bear in mind these important principles. Yon may have rich fields, but 



