394 APPENDIX G. 



Japanese farmer in all this is to turn his manure to account 

 as promptly as possible. 



To attain this end, besides preparing his manures in the 

 manner described, he has recourse also to the following means : — 



1. He applies his manui-es, and particularly his chief manure 

 derived from his privy, invariably as much as possible in the 

 liquid form. 



2. He knoivs no other mode of manuring than that of top- 

 dressing. 



When he wishes to sow, the land is laid in furrows, in the way 

 to be more fully described hereafter, and the seed is strewn by 

 hand, and covered with a thin and even layer of compost, over 

 which liquefied and very dilute privy manure is poured. The 

 manure is diluted in the buckets in which it is carried from the 

 preparing tub or pots to the seed furrow, as this is the only 

 way to ensure uniform intermixing of the materials. As this 

 manure has fully fermented, it may without danger be brought 

 into immediate contact with the seed, and thus materially assist 

 the first radication. 



It may be that this Japanese system of manuring cannot as 

 yet be introduced into Europe in its integrity. But with such 

 excellent results to show for their proceedings, we might surely 

 take a few lessons from these old practical men, and employ them 

 with such modifications as our social relations require. At all 

 events we might adopt in principle the following : — 



1. The greatest possible concentration of manures, which 

 must necessarily lead also to a material reduction of cost. 

 ^^^len I stated that the Japanese does not trouble himself about 

 the azotised matters in his manures, and that his land is, not- 

 withstanding, in a most flom-ishing state of culture, this is no 

 proof, however, that it might not even be better, perhaps, to en- 

 deavour tp fix the nitrogen too. If a more practical system can 

 be devised, of which however I have my doubts, combining the 

 advantage of both, so much the better I But till something- 

 better is discovered, we might surely adopt that which experi- 

 ence has proved to be good. 



2. Top-dressing, which is of course necessarily connected with 

 cultivation in drills or furrows. 



3. Liquid manuring ; not to the extravagant extent, however. 



