298 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 6 



at least of one-lburlli by the system generally 

 pursued. 



On surveying the manner hi which manures are 

 at present prepared and applied, we are at a loss to 

 detect the slightest approximation to system in the 

 whole process. Whatever may be the rules and 

 axioms to which farmers consider themselves 

 bound to adhere in other departments of their 

 profession, one and all of them seem to think 

 themselves entitled to take their own way in this. 

 The consequence of such an indiscriminate mode 

 of procedure is, that in the general, and (as they 

 think) justifiable negligence, which, if not openly 

 advocated, is at least most sedulously persisted in, 

 the true principles and proper practice arc entirely 

 overlooked. 



It must be well known to our agricullm-al read- 

 ers that it was the opinion of the late Sir Hum- 

 phrey Davy, Ibunded upon a series of minute ex- 

 periments, that manures suifered much loss in 

 their nutritious properties from the decomposition 

 being allowed to proceed too far; and that m order 

 to prevent this, only a very slight degree of fer- 

 mentation should be permitted. 



It is not our intention to defend all the con- 

 clusions to which this talented chemist was led. 

 On the contrary we are of opinion that lie perhaps 

 carried his favorite principles loo far, and that a 

 greater degree of decomposition than what he 

 contemplated is necessary to reduce the fibrous 

 substance of vegetables so far as to afford nutri- 

 ment to the plants. This, however, is a matter of 

 no great consequence in the present discussion. 

 If this theory be true in the main, we can be at no 

 loss to perceive that the present mode of prepar- 

 ing manures so generally followed by farmers, is 

 as much opposed to it as any two extremes can 

 well be. By throwing the dung and litter loosely 

 together into one general mass, as a natural con- 

 sequence, a constant fermentation is kept up, and 

 the gases, which, according to Sir H. Davy, form 

 the only valuable properties of the manure, are 

 exhausted and dissipated in the atmosphere. — 

 The soluble, and therefore the richest particles are 

 also carried down to the bottom of the heap by the 

 rain, and thus e.sca|)e at the lowest point of the 

 area. And it is certainly by no m^ans difficult to 

 conceive that the remaining mass must consist m a 

 great measure of the coarser and least nourishing 

 parts of the deposite. Unnecessary lermentalion, 

 however, might be easily prevented by havino; the 

 heap compressed. This may be done by allowiuir 

 animals to tread constantly upon it, when suffered 

 to remain in a court. When removed, the genera- 

 tion of the gases might be prevented by covering 

 the heap with asufficienlly thick coating of mould. 



It is also evident, in a case where there are so 

 many and opposite chemical agencies in operation, 

 that the utmost delicacy and attention are requi- 

 site to prevent injury. Were the distiller and 

 brewer to allow the fermentation of their worts 

 to proceed beyond a certain fixed period, instead 

 of having a nutritive and palatable liquid, vinegar 

 would be produced; and were they to prolong the 

 fermentation still further, the residue would be- 

 come putrid. Similar chemical changes are goinf 

 on in the dunghill; the vinous, acetous, and pu- 

 trefactive fermentations successively recur ; and 

 according to the common mode in v.'hich dunghills 

 are prepared, where fresh stimulants are daily 

 added to the old matter, these three diverse agen- 



cies are all in operation at the same time. What, 

 then, must be the nature of that heterogeneous 

 and monsrel product which is finally applied to 

 the nourishment of vegetable lite? We are aware 

 that a theory, in all respects opposed to that of 

 Sir H. Davy, has lately been laid before the pub- 

 lic, the principle oi' which is, that the decomposi- 

 tion of vegetables cannot be carried too far, inas- 

 much as the product which is thus evolved is an 

 elementary substance, in which all nutrition is 

 centered. Without pretending to decide upon the 

 comparative merits of tliese two theories, we 

 would only observe, that whether the one or the 

 other be true, the great majority of fiarmers do 

 not act in accordance with either; consequently, in 

 the event of any of them being proved right, 

 their practice must be proclaimed wrong; and 

 when the dictates of science are thus directly op- 

 posed to each other, and ihe opinions of practi- 

 cal men at variance with both, does it not show in 

 a very strong point of view, the necessity of hav- 

 ing an experimental farm, tliat the whole matter 

 might be submitied to the best of all j^racticable 

 tests, that of direct experiment? 



At present, as Mr Cleghorn observes, no rule of 

 .universal application can be laid down on this sub- 

 ject. The degree of decomposition at which larm- 

 yard dung should arrive before it can be deemed a 

 profitable manure, must probably depend on the 

 texture of the soil, the nature of the plants, and 

 the time of its application. 



In general, clay soils, more tenacious of mois- 

 ture and more benefited by being rendered inco- 

 hesive and porous, may receive manure less de- 

 composed than well pulverized turnip soils require. 

 Some plants, too, seem to thrive better with fresh 

 dung than others, potatoes in particular; but all 

 the small seeded plants, such as turnips, clover, 

 carrots, &c., which are extremely tender in the 

 early stage of their ijrowth, require to be pushed 

 forward into luxuriant vegetation with the least 

 possible delay by means of short dung. The sea- 

 son when manure is applied is also a material cir- 

 cumstance. In spring or summer, whether it be 

 used for corn or green crops, the object is to pro- 

 duce an immediate efi'ect, and it should, therelbre, 

 be more completely decomposed than may be ne- 

 cessary when it is laid on in autumn, for a crop 

 whose condition will be almost stationary lor seve- 

 ral months. 



We may be permitted to remark, that amid the 

 many unsatisfactory hypotheses that are daily pro- 

 mulgated regarding this subject, in works on agri- 

 culture, there is one fact which appears to be most 

 clearly established, although too generally over- 

 looked. We allude to the benefits that result 

 from the application of manure in a liquid state. 

 It has been verified by experience that the liquid es- 

 sence of the dunghill, when applied to grass du- 

 ring the winter, but more especially in the spring 

 months, has the effect of not only adding to the 

 weight of the ensuing crop, but of making it from 

 three to four weeks earlier than it otherwise 

 would have been. In Holland, where perhaps 

 the action of manures is best understood, they are 

 invariably applied in this state in raising every 

 species of' crop. But how stands the case in this 

 country'? Liquid manure is almost unilbrmly re- 

 garded as a nuisance, and in order to dispose of 

 it with the least possible trouble, it is allowed to 

 evaporate by the sun, or it is directed to the near- 



