FLESH COMPOST. 123 



four of nitrogen. Thus we find in the 1200 pound 

 carcass, at a rough estimate, the following quanti- 

 ties of plant food, viz.: 



34 pounds nitrogen @ 15| cents, - - - $5.27 



25 " phosphoric acid @ 7 cents - - 1.75 



Total value, - - - - $7.02 



The problem before us now is how to make all this 

 plant food available. We might follow the advice so 

 often given, to bury the carcasses of smaller ani- 

 mals, or pieces of larger ones, at the roots of trees 

 and grape vines. This will put the plant foods to 

 very good use; but, after all, it is a very crude and 

 unscientific mode of application. Fertilizer or " ren- 

 dering" establishments make a convenient market 

 for all carcasses available within a reasonable dis- 

 tance, and afford to the people in that circle a good 

 chance to sell dead animals, or exchange them for 

 fertilizers Farmers not having this opportunity, 

 or who, if they have it, wish to make still better 

 use of their dead animals, may get them into avail- 

 able shape for manure by composting them with 

 horse manure, or with muck, turf, etc. 



Tlie process is simple enough. Cut the carcass or 

 carcasses into reasonably small pieces, place a layer 

 of these upon a deep layer of muck or fresh horse 

 manure, cover with another layer of muck or man- 

 ure, and continue in alternate layers, making the 

 heap three or four feet high. Cover the whole with 

 a foot or so of dry muck, turf or loam, and leave 

 until the fleshy matter has decomposed enough to 

 allow the heap to be shoveled or forked over. The 

 process of composting may take a year' s time, but it 

 will result in a very rich manure. If muck alone is 

 used, without horse dung, potash may be added in 

 the form of unleached wood ashes, or perhaps better, 



