O tf A G 11 1 'U L T "U ft . 40 



and powerful fertilizer. Make the compost heap of 

 : such a size and shape to suit convenience, in the fol- 

 lowing manner-: A layer of cotton seed six inches in 

 depth, over which sow a light dressing of plaster, 

 then a layer of vegetable mold six inches in depth, 

 and so on, until the pile is as high as desired, taking 

 care to top off the heap with at least one foot of 

 mold. If the materials are very dry, the layers 

 should be dampened with a watering pot, such as 

 Used in gardens. In a few days fermentation will set 

 in, the lime and sulphuric acid in the plaster will eat 

 up the cotton seed, which, in two or three weeks, will 

 be entirely decomposed, while the vegetable mold 

 will absorb all the valuable gaseous ingredients given 

 -off by the heat of fermentation. This compost 

 should be made under shelter, but if not convenient 

 to do so, a thicker layer of mold should be placed 

 on top of the pile. Fifty bushels of this compost 

 will be equal to fifty bushels of fine cotton seed in its 

 fertilizing effect, and without the danger of killing 

 the young plants, as is often the case when cotton 

 seed alone is used. About one bushel of plaster 

 (sulphate of lime), and one bushel of ashes to twenty 

 bushels of cotton seed will be sufficient. 



Dark loams or soils containing much vegetable 

 matter are but little benefited by the application of 

 muck. Such soils have long been favorable to vege- 

 tation, as they naturally abound in potash and other 

 ingredients upon which plants are lively feeders. 

 But even such land as this may be so constantly 

 cropped, and its products carried away without the 

 return of any equivalents that an application of 

 muck may become necessary. The author has known 



o 



