338 



and covered up with the mass in the smaller ditch, 3,600 pounds of water added, 

 and the whole left to itself. From time to time small quantities of water are 

 added to keep the mass moist. As soon as it is found that the bones are so far 

 decomposed that when pressed between the fingers they are soft and crumble, 

 the second portion, i. e., the other 2,000 pounds of bones, is brought into the 

 larger ditch and covered in layers with the first mass, and left to decompose. 



After the whole mass has undergone decomposition, it is suftered to dry by 

 removing it, and, lastly, to facilitate its reduction to powder, mixed with 4,000 

 pounds of dry turf, or some other dry vegetable earth. The mixture is re- 

 peatedly stirred about with a shovel, a"nd may at once be broxight upon the 

 fields. Manure prepared thus will contain about 12 per cent, of tribasic phos- 

 phate of lime, (3 CaO, P05,) 2 per cent, of alkaline salts, and 6 per cent, of 

 nitrogenous matter. 



This manure must, from its composition, produce an admirable effect upon 

 grape-vines. 



Liebig, in generally recommending this new fertilizer, thinks an addition of 

 gypsum an improvement for many kinds of fruits. 



BRITISH IMPORTS OF THE PRESENT YEAR. 



The following are some of the imports into Great Britain for the sevea 

 months of the present year ending July 31, which are of especial interest to 

 producers in the United States — beginning with cotton: 



From- 



United States cwts . . 



Bahamas and Bermuda do 



Mexico do... 



Brazil do... 



Turkey do 



Egypt do... 



British India do. .. 



China do... 



Other countries do 



Seven- months ending July 31 — 



1864. 



98, 824 

 186, 858 

 157, 086 

 218, 070 

 138,558 

 796, 853 

 1,889,997 

 483, 328 

 155, 050 



1865. 



82, 

 155, 

 249, 

 268, 

 155, 

 904, 

 1,41], 

 2.56, 

 208, 



963 

 833 



509 

 767 

 826 

 319 

 296 

 928 

 621 



1866. 



, 635, 202 



5, 931 



3,145 



450, 166 



82, 504 



690, 267 



,888,141 



13,496 



164, 134 



Total 4,124,624^ 3,694,062 7,932,988 



The above is an instructive exhibit. It shows a rapid approach to the at- 

 tainment of an average cotton supply, and proves that this country still holds 

 a controlling influence in the cotton trade. From 'a mere trifle in 1S64, the 

 receipts of 1865 from the United States assumed the leading position, distancing 

 India by thirty per cent. These receipts of seven months — 3,635,202 cwts. — 

 are equivalent to 1,017,856 bales, of 400 pounds each. The receipts of six 

 months— 904,704 bales — cost $126,349,855, or 34j cents per pound. The 

 remainder of the imports of six months, from all other countries, amounted to 

 only 1,015,462 bales, costing .§110,394,940, or 27 cents per pound. Here is a 

 difference between our cotton and that of all other nations of 7| cents per 

 pound, or more than twenty per cent. But this includes not only the boasted 

 competition of British India, which has been so sedulously fostered, but the 

 contributions of Egypt and other localities, of comparatively high cost. It 

 will be seen that the Egyptian production is falling off, notwithstanding the 



