THE COMPOST HEAP. 379 



of animals, the hair of animals, all these make an ex- 

 ceedingly rich manure. A most intelligent gentleman, 

 connected with a wool factory, informs me that a cord 

 of matter collected at the establishment is worth at 

 least five or six cords of the best stable manure, for a 

 top-dressing. This we cannot doubt ; for here are the 

 blood, the wool, pieces of the skin of the animal, a little 

 lime, and many other substances, all collected together. 

 A fermentation takes place, by which the richest gases 

 are formed. Such a compost heap, with an addition of 

 loam and mud, would be invaluable for a top-dressing. 

 But, though in most cases all these substances cannot 

 be procured, many of them can, and should be saved by 

 every one who is desirous of improving his land. Those 

 who are near the sea, or near the market, can procure 

 an abundance of fish to add to the compost. Nothing 

 is better for soils than this. A little lime added to the 

 heap causes its rapid and thorough decomposition. 

 Ashes should also be added. When additions of 

 manure are made, they should be covered with mud or 

 loam, to prevent waste. 



We need not enter more minutely into the details of 

 forming the compost heap. It is sufficient to say, in a 

 word, that everything capable of fermentation should 

 be added to it. The lower layer should be of loam or 

 mud. Nothing is more common among farmers, on the 

 death of a horse or any other animal, than to throw the 

 body away. It is estimated by some that the body of 

 a single horse, when divided and mixed with peat mud 

 and loam, will make a compost worth fifteen or twenty 

 loads of the best and richest manure. This is, perhaps, 

 too high an estimate ; but animal substances ferment 

 rapidly, or rather they may be said to putrefy without 

 fermenting, so quick is their decomposition. If leaves, 

 grasses, moss, straw, and other substances of like 



