58 HOW TO MAKE THE FARM PAY. 



light, porous, sandy soils, and heavy, clayey soils. In the former 

 the peat binds the soil together, acts as a sponge to hold 

 moisture, manures, and gases for plant food, warms the soil by 

 absorbing the sun's rays, while at the same time it cools more 

 rapidly at night, and collects the dew so necessary to vegetation 

 in hot weather. In clayey soils it separates the particles and 

 renders them more porous. Its second source of value is as a 

 compost with the manure of the yard. It absorbs and retains 

 the ammonia, the most valuable element of manures ; it also 

 holds the moisture necessary to keep the manure heap from 

 heating and becoming fire fanged. 



By its use, and only by its use, the farmer is enabled to save 

 the liquid manure. We do not hesitate to say that, properly 

 composted with one half its bulk of solid and liquid stable 

 manure, it makes an article each cord of which is equally 

 valuable with any cord of the original manure. 



The excavation and preparation, then, of the peat, is an im- 

 portant matter. 



Every man's circumstances must determine the time and 

 manner of getting out peat. The month of August, is all things 

 considered, the best time. But most farmers will have to put it 

 off till winter, as labor is cheaper, and there is less hurry with 

 other matters on the farm. It should be thrown into a pile 

 upon loose boards, and covered with loose boards, leaving it to 

 the action of the air for several months before it is carted to the 

 yard. An excavation should be begun at the border of the 

 marsh in the autumn, and continued into it sufficiently wide 

 for a cart path, and the muck thrown out in piles on each 

 side. By the succeeding autumn this will be seasoned enough 

 to cart away, and can sometimes be done on the surface, or 

 waiting until the grdund is frozen, can be readily hauled to the 

 vicinity of the barnyard. It is better to get out enough ai 



