THE FARMER AT HOME. |gl 



and the fourth, vegetable mould. It is with the last that the farmer 

 is principally interested ; as on this process depends the advantages 

 he derives from manures, from green crops used as dressings, and 

 from the preparation of composts. 



The vinous and acetous fermentation are confined to a very few 

 substances, chiefly of a saccharine nature ; the putrefactive stage 

 embraces a wider field, and takes place in almost every body of a 

 vegetable or animal nature. The vegetable matters which undergo 

 putrefaction most readily, are soluble in water ; though those which 

 are but imperfectly soluble, :f kept in a moist state, are not exempted 

 from this species of decomposition. This process is promoted by the 

 same circumstances which are favorable to the others, namely, mois- 

 ture and elevation of temperature. The presence of air, also, has no 

 less influence on the putrefactive, than on the acetous stage. 



The elastic fluids which are evolved from vegetables during the 

 putrefactive fermentation, are combinations of the elements of the 

 vegetable substance, and have for their bases hydrogen and carbon. 

 When the decomposition takes place under water, the hydrogen, by 

 its greater tendency to elasticity, makes its escape, and the residual 

 matter consists almost entirely of carbon. Hence wood which has 

 been long buried in the beds of rivers, is reduced nearly to the state 

 of charcoal. If the carbonaceous part, however, be exposed to the 

 air, it undergoes a gradual change, and is at last entirely decomposed, 

 by being converted into carbonic acid. When animal matters suffer 

 putrefaction, they evolve, besides the usual elements of vegetables, a 

 quantity of ammonia. They yield also certain other products which 

 are more peculiar to them, particularly combinations of sulphur and 

 phosphorus ; and to these substances must be ascribed fetid odor and 

 noxious properties of the gases, which are extricated from them dur- 

 ing putrefaction. 



Animal bodies scarcely suffer any change when they are well 

 dried, and completely excluded from the air. Even in the warmer 

 climates, beef, which has been effectually freed from its juices, may 

 be preserved a long time without salt ; and meat, which has been 

 sufficiently roasted, and afterwards covered with melted suet, may be 

 preserved in that state perfectly untainted for several months. Ani- 

 mals enveloped in ice, have been preserved for ages without suffering 

 any change. It appears, also, that animal bodies powerfully resist 

 putrefaction, which have been buried in morasses of peat ; probably 

 because, in such places, the carbonaceous part of the woody matter 

 being converted into a substance resembling tan, produces upon the 

 animal matter the usual effects of that vegetable product. 



FEVER. A disease characterized by an accelerated pulse, with 

 increase of heat, impaired functions, diminished strength, and often 

 with preternatural thirst. Fevers are often or generally preceded by 

 chills or rigors, called the cold stage of the disease. Fevers are of 



