On Liquid Manure. 



541 



liquid manure, entertain very extravajrant notions respecting^ the 

 amount and intrinsic value of the fertilising matters which it 

 contains. Such notions are a great bar to the fair adjustment of 

 the question so frequently asked — Will liquid manure pay or not? 

 It is well, therefore, to remember that 50,000 gallons may not 

 contain more fertilising matter than 2 cwt. of good Peruvian 

 guano ; and that this opinion is based on analytical facts which 

 are quite independent of anv theoretical reasonings. 



In the following Table I have placed side by side the — 



Amount of Phosphoric Acid, Potash, and Chloride of Potassium, expressed 

 in Grains and Fractions of Grains, in 1 Imperial Gallon of — 



Potash ami 

 C'hlovkie of 

 rotassium 

 togetliei-. 



Liquid manure from Westonbirt 



, , Badminton 



,, Cirencester College, 1857 



,, Cirencester College, 1858 



,, Tiptree, clear liquid .. 



, , Tiptree, with sediment 



175-23 



189-64 



21-123 



19-C6 



2-41 



2-30 



Even a superficial reader will be struck with the great varia- 

 tions which are exhibited in any of the Tables in which is con- 

 trasted for convenience of comparison the relative amount of 

 the more important fertilising substances contained in a gallon 

 of liquid manure. It is evident that the practical effects which it 

 is capable of producing depend upon the nature and amount of 

 fertilising matters which enter into its composition ; and as the 

 composition of the different kinds differs so very widely, we 

 cannot /eel surprised to hear that in one instance it has done 

 marvels, and in others little or no good. However, there are 

 other circumstances besides the difference in composition which 

 must be taken into account if we wish to entertain correct ideas 

 respecting the utility of liquid manure. I sliall therefore con- 

 sider in the next chapter the character of the soils upon which 

 it is applied with decided advantage. 



II. On the Character of Soils upon which Liquid Manure 



IS APPLIED WITH MANIFEST BENEFIT, AND ON THE REASONS OF 



SUCCESS. 



Experience has shown that liquid manure produces the most 

 beneficial and most striking effects when applied to light, deep, 

 sandy soils, resting upon a porous subsoil. However poor 

 originally such a soil may be, after repeated applications of 

 liquid manure it is rendered capable of yielding remunerative 



