44 



AGRICULTURAL ESSAYS. 



attention to use those means which may be necessary, to make 

 such an exact preparation of his manure, that it may become 

 decomposed to such a certain degree as to be easily managed 

 With the shovel or dung-fork, and yet be able to commit it to 

 the soil before its value is too much diminished by fermenta- 

 tion. When, however, the ingredients are collected in the 

 manner which has been mentioned, a very little experience, 

 with the exercise of his discretion, will enable him so to man- 

 age it, that It may become decomposed sufficiently for the pur- 

 poses of manure, without heating it so that it would produce 

 too great a degree of fermentation. If the depository is suffi- 

 ciently large, it may be spread, when deposited, so as not to 

 expose It to any great degree of heat, and it should be exposed 

 to no more moisture than to decompose it so that it may be cut 

 and managed with the shovel. The English farmers, when 

 they provide a depository, construct the roof, or cover to it, so 

 that only a little rain will drop through ; and some of them even 

 provide certain places on the roof, where, by removing a board 

 or shingle, they can let in water at their discretion. The 

 sheds which are usually attached to barns, may be so situated 

 that the horse-dung may be throv/n unJer them, and then some 

 part of it occasionally spread over the whole mass of composts. 

 This will prevent too great a degree of heat in the horse-dung, 

 and at the same time help to improve or prepare the composts.* 

 It is easy to conceive tliat the farmer who cultivates no 

 more land than enough to furnish him, with his industry, a 

 comfortable support for his family, or the one Mho cultivates 

 any less quantity of land, and needs all the income from it that 

 It can be made to produce, may lose a great portion of his 



* From the science, derived both from philosophical principles 

 and practical observations, respectin? the apphcatimi of compost 

 manure, it is very obvious, the diversity of opinion refpecting its 

 application arises trom errors in prartict-. Thote who destroy the 

 efficacy of their compost manure, by exposif^ it to excessive mois- 

 ture, or too great heat by A rment'ation, may well suppose it had 

 belter be carried fresh to the field, and buried with the seed ; 

 while those who carry it fresh to :^e field, and do not leave it 

 thoroughly deposited with the seed, unexposed to the sun and 

 wind and rain, may believe it would be n.ore efficacious, to first 

 decompose it so that it may thereby be re-^dered more practicable 

 to bury it, or mix it with the soil. Whatever mode the farmer 

 may be disposed to adopt, he should recollect that the excessive 

 heat necessary to reduce it to a fertilizing state, should commence 

 and progress with the gernaiDation and growth 0/ the plant. 



