96 071 Salt as a Manure, 



that grazing cattle would feed and fatten thereon with 

 avidity. 



*' The safest way for a farmer, (says Mr. Parkes) is to 

 proceed to use his salt sparingly at first, and in all cases 

 to leave a small portion of the same land without salt, so 

 that the real effects produced by the salt may be, by com- 

 parison, in every instance, self-evident and palpable.'^ 



Salt also mixed with common barn-manure, will great- 

 ly sweeten the grass, and make it shoot and grow much 

 faster than any other manure whatever. In making com- 

 post, if a bushel of salt was strewed between every foot 

 layer, it would create fermentation, and add double 

 strength and treble value thereto, as a manure for any kind 

 of soil. So, in like manner, if the farmer would haul a 

 quantity of sand, loam, earth from ditches, or mud from 

 creeks or brooks into his barn yard, and mix it well up 

 with the manure, and throw on half a bushel of salt to 

 every load, it would ferment, invigorate, strengthen, and 

 thereby enhance the richness and value of his manure, 

 and it would be the cheapest way of dressing land that 

 could possibly be devised. Cattle fed only upon light 

 dry straw and corn fodder, without any thing else for 

 their sustenance, will yield but a poor and light manure, 

 very litde better than loam itself, unless it be well salted. 

 Whilst cows and oxen feeding on good hay, assisted by 

 a mess of corn two or three times a week, and a gill of 

 salt to each creature every third morning, will produce 

 manure of the best kind, and, by adding naif a bushel 

 of salt to every wagon load before or after hauling it into 

 the field, it would richly manure a third more land, be- 

 sides destroying all kind of grubs, moles, and other ver- 

 min with which the ground may be infested. 



1 have not the smallest doubt remaining upon my 

 mind, but, that the mixing of salt with ashes, lime, or 

 plaister, it would increase the fertilising qualities of each 



