AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 319 



It has been proved, that by mismanagement of solid manures, whether 

 from farms or from towns, by their retention on the surface, by the evapora- 

 tion of their most fertilizing portions, and by mismanagement of them in 

 the ground, as much as two-thirds, and often more, of their fertilizing 

 powers are commonly lost, and that the loss of the liquid manures is gene- 

 rally total. 



The American and English farmer have, hitherto, only considered that 

 as manure, which he could raise with his fork ; but the time is coming, as 

 I said at the last meeting, when that only will be considered regular 

 manure which he may apply with the scoop. 



Dark deep color, and rank consistencies, are the chief qualities he now 

 seeks in liquid manures as proper conditions for their use. 



The further advance, according to horticultural experience, will be in 

 liquid applications of perfect transparency and void of smell. The fibrous 

 or solid matter which farmers now most regard, is of little comparative 

 value, and the difficulty will hereafter be how to dispose of it, and prevent 

 it being injurious. 



Experience in England, with respect to the application of liquid 

 manures, is corroborated by agriculturists in Germany and elsewhere ; 

 especially by the practical experience of the celebrated De Candolle, 

 whose statement on the subject emphatically declares " It is to be desired 

 that the practical use of liquid manure, which serves at one and the same 

 time as manure and for watering, should become more universal and more 

 popular in a great part of Europe." 



The eminent German agriculturist Schwerze, gives the following as the 

 advantages which he had experienced, and observed generally in practice 

 from the application of manure in the liquid form, 



1st. The advantage of manure applied in the liquid instead of the solid 

 consists first, and above all, in the promptitude of its action. For a great 

 number of plants, such as cabbages, turnips, rape, hemp, flax, for fodder 

 plants, and all others that require prompt nourishment, and which cannot 

 wait the slow decomposition of solid manure for the food which is suitable 

 to them, liquid manure is most important. 



2d. In the saving of loss from less emanation by the immediate passage 

 of the manure into the soil. 



od. In hastening production. Whilst solid manure requires several 

 years to bring the whole of its force into action, manure applied in the 

 liquid form comes into action in a few weeks. Thus the returns of capital 

 for the manure in the liquid form will be made in half the time. 



4. Liquid manure is immediately available, relieves the plants at once, 

 changes the color to a deep green, and creates a metamorphosis which it is 

 impossible to effect with solid manure. 



5. For grasses and clovers, liquid manure, well treated, is the only sub- 

 stance that does not occasion any exhaustion of the soil ; for besides the 

 addition of the water, which is in itself a good thing for fodder plants, it 

 serves to dissolve and spread, and, without loss of time, convey nutritive 



