USE OF LIQUID MANURE. 65 



the cesspool ; the overflow from the house tank passing 

 into it would flush and cleanse the latter at every con- 

 siderable shower. A good supply of liquid matter of the 

 very richest fertilizing power would then be at hand for 

 use by means of permanent or temporary irrigating. The 

 liquid would need to be raised from the cistern by a 

 pump worked by wind or horse-power, as has been already 

 described, and conveyed through large pipes into the 

 distributing channels. These could be permanently made 

 of inverted horse-shoe tiles, or in any of the methods here- 

 tofore mentioned, or temporarily by the use of the hoe. 



In applying liquid manure it is always necessary to use 

 it in a highly diluted state ; even so much diluted that it 

 would run off perfectly clear might be of sufficient strength 

 for all purposes. The danger lies in using it of too great 

 a strength rather than in diluting it too copiously. It 

 has been found in practice when a heavy rain had filled 

 the tanks at a season when there was but a very small sup- 

 ply of manure, and the dilution was certainly not less than 

 a hundred times weaker than ordinary liquid manure, 

 that the use of this weak liquid upon a plot of corn fod- 

 der, gave a wonderful stimulus to the crop, and the sud- 

 den change to an intensely dark green color proved that 

 it was sufficiently strong, although from its color and 

 freedom from smell the source of the liquid would not 

 have been suspected. But it should be borne in mind 

 that it is easy to injure a crop by using a too concentrat- 

 ed liquid manure. 



For the most economical preparation and use of liquid 

 manure proper cisterns need to be provided. The most 

 convenient situation for these is the barnyard, where the 

 drainage from the stables may be gathered, and where, 

 above the cistern or near it upon one side, the manure 

 may be heaped. When it is decided to use liquid manure 

 there need not be so much attention given to the preser- 

 vation of the solid manure, and although it may seem to 



