NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



127 



\vliicli resort to the shores of North Carolina, might be turned 

 to an immense profit. The use of fish, employed for this 

 purpose, has been practiced for a century upon and near the 

 coast where they can be readily procured. Both Connecticut 

 and Massachusetts have experienced the benefit of their em 

 ployment. Recently in New Jersey a more systematic at 

 tempt has been made to furnish agriculturists with a supply 

 of this kind of manure. In the old way of employing fish 

 they were put whole, if small, into a hill of corn or spread 

 over the field. In this mode they become highly useful, but 

 were very offensive. The moss-bonkers have been principal 

 ly used in New Jersey, and are regarded as a powerful ma 

 nure. Prof. Cook has given an analysis of this fish for the 

 purpose of ascertaining the amount of fertilizing matter which 

 it contains and its comparative value when dried as a ma 

 nure.* 



In the fresh state, it consists of 



Water, 77.17 



Oil, 3.90 



Dry substance, 19.93 



The dry substance is composed of 



Lime, 8.670 



Magnesia, 670 



Potash, 1.565 



Soda, 1.019 



Phosphoric acid, 7.784 



Chlorine, 678 



Silica, 1.333 



Organic matter, 78.301 



100.000 

 Ammonia, 9.282 



The fish were taken in the fall at the season when they are 

 fat. At this season they weigh nearly a pound. Substances 

 which abound in oil always make powerful fertilizers. The 



* Third Annual Report for 1856, of the Geol. Survey of New Jersey, p. 68. 



