AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK, 335 



which was carted away by tlie farmers. He found a considera 

 ble quantity of animal matter, with much finely divided silica, 

 which were found under the microscope to be infusoria. 



Many mucks will probably be found to contain phosphoric 

 acid, ammonia, vegetable matter, sulphur, and salts of lime and 

 potash, and if so they are important to the farmer ; but in our 

 present state of ignorance regarding them, we can only recom 

 mend careful trials. We believe that, in practice, they are usu 

 ally left exposed to the air, after digging, till dry and disinteg 

 rated ; and if dug in the fall, so as to be frozen, they are found 

 to be inproved. 



708. III. VEGETABLE MANURES. 



These are practically of two classes ; (a.) such as are grown 

 for the purpose of being plowed in ; (b,) and those which are 

 collected from other sources, and applied as are ordinary ma 

 nures, e. g. peat, leaves, &c. In the West, the first are employ 

 ed in the shape of buckwheat, clover, and sometimes rye ; and 

 in other countries several plants are used for the same purpose ; 

 being turned under immediately before flowering. Such plants 

 as collect their food chiefly from the air by the leaves, and contain 

 much carbon, or those whose roots pierce deep into the subsoil, 

 are preferred. Their value is owing to the elements which they 

 supply directly to the next crop ; and they are estimated accord 

 ing to the amount of nitrogen, carbon, and inorganic matter 

 which they contain. In soils deficient in organic matter, such 

 manuring is often very profitable when properly applied. The 

 mechanical tendency of such applications is, also, to render stiff 

 soils more friable. 



In the second division a great variety of substances have been 

 used, as straw, chaff, bran, rape cake, sawdust, malt-dust, &c. ; 

 but, in this country, PEAT promises to prove the most impor 

 tant. Peat is a partially decayed moss or sphagnum, and is a 

 real coal in an imperfect state. It is found in marshes and wet 



