1838] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



365 



wall of brick to keep the earth from fiillini]: in, find 

 this wall sotneiinies risps a Ibot or more above the 

 level of the irroiinJ. In this pit are collpcted par- 

 inirs of irmss pods from the sides of roads and 

 diiclips, vvreds laken out: of the fields or canals, 

 and everv kind of refuse from (he jrarden*: a'l this 

 is occasionally moistened with the washinL^s of 

 the stables, or any oilier rich liqmd; a small por- 

 tion of dunir and urine are added, if necessary, 

 and when il has been accumulating for some time, 

 it is taken out, a iporiion of lime is added, and 

 the whole is well mixed toirether; thus it Ibrms 

 the bciiinnipfl: of a heap, which rises gradually, 

 and in due time gives a very good supply of rich 

 vegetable mould, or compost well adapted to every 

 purpose to which manure is applied. The place 

 where this accumulation is made is called in 

 French a croiipissoir. and in Flemish or Dutch 

 smoor hoop, which may be translated smothering 

 heap. 



Besides the manure which is collected on the 

 farm, the vidanges, or emptyings of privies ob- 

 tained from the towns, and the sweepings of 

 streets, a large quantity of peat ashes imported 

 from Holland are used, principally as a dressing 

 ibr clover. These are the ashes of the comnmn 

 luel in use in Holland, and are sold in Flanders 

 by the bushel, as the Newbury ashes are in Berk- 

 shire. 



Wood ashes, after the greater part of the alkali 

 has been extracted for bleaching, are still consi- 

 dered as of great use to the land. Soapers' ashes 

 are in great request tor cold heavy soils; and su- 

 gar scum from the refiners, if it could be procured 

 in sutRcient quantity, would be an excellent ma- 

 nure lor every kind of soil. Where it can be ob- 

 tained, they usually throw it into the urine tank; 

 and the mixture is then considered as almost equal 

 to the vidanges, which are looked upon as the ne 

 plus ultra oi' manures. Soot is used as a top- 

 dressing lor wheat, or clover in spring, as it is 

 Avith us. It is thought to destroy insects and has- 

 ten vegetation. 



The weeds, which grow abundantly in all 

 ponds, canals, and ditches in this level country, 

 where the current is never rapid, are mown in 

 spring, and used in the green state as manure for 

 potatoes. They are laid in the furrows, and the 

 sets placed over them; the furrow is then filled up 

 by the plough, and the weeds decomposing very 

 rapidly, greatly assist the growth ot"lhe potato 

 plants: so rapidly do these weeds ferment, that 

 much of their value is dissipated, if they are left 

 only forty-eight hours in heaps before they are put 

 into the earth. 



The manner in which manure is applied to the 

 land fbr difTerent crops will be explained as these 

 are separately treated of: but the general princi- 

 ple which pervades the whole system of manur- 

 ing, is worthy of attention. Two great objects 

 are always kept in view. The first is to obtain 

 the most abundant crop of whatever is sown: the 

 next is to impregnate the soil whh an increasing 

 power of production, if possible, or at least to 

 maintain that which has been obtained. In con- 

 sequence of this, almost every crop has a certain 

 portion of manure applied to it, which varies ac- 

 cording to the nature of the crop to be raised, and 

 that which has preceded : experience having 

 taught that some crops exhaust the soils more 

 than others. 



But it is not the mere surliice that they desire 

 to manure. They well know that the deeper the 

 soil is fertilized, the greater will he the profit and 

 the less the labor. They are not satisfied with 

 enrichinir the laiid to receive the seed, they furnish 

 fond fhr the o-rowinir plant in different stages of its 

 giowlh, it' they think it necessary. There is in 

 cotis'-quence no fluctuation in the growth, no 

 check at a time when the plants require support. 

 The seed is made to vegetate rapidly by btsing in 

 contact with the rich juices of the manure; and 

 hence a much small(>r proportion of seed is re- 

 quired. The young blade is invigorated by a ju- 

 dicious watering, and is sooner out of danger of 

 the attacks of insects. 



Liquid manure is carried to the fields in com- 

 mon water-carts, which consist of two wheels 

 and shafts, carrying a cask containing from sixty 

 to one hundred and twenty gallons of liquid. The 

 cask has in the under part a hole, two or three 

 inches in diameter, secured inside by a valve: un- 

 der this is a board a little slanting, to spread the 

 liquid as it flows out of the cask. A man usually 

 rides on the horse which draws the cart, and holds 

 in his hand a string, which passes through a hole 

 in the cask, and opens the valve when required. 

 There is an advantage in riding on the horse, as 

 it does not add to the weiiiht of the load on the 

 wheels, which in light soils would be apt to sink 

 deep. In a momentary exertion it assists the 

 horse by the weight on his back; and the heavy 

 Flanders horses are well able to carry a man and 

 draw a light load at the same time. When the 

 cask is empty he trots home for another load, and 

 no time is lost. It is astonishing what advantage 

 there is in accustoming horses to trot when they 

 have no load; it actually fi^tigues them less than 

 the continued sleepy walk. Who would suppose 

 that the Flemish and Dutch farmers surpassed us 

 in activity? but whoever has been in the Nether- 

 lands in hay-time or harvest must acknowledge it. 



The duiig which is carried in a solid state, is 

 generally used at a time when it is in a state of 

 active fermentation, as it is then supposed to have 

 the best eflect. To ensure this in some districts, 

 as the Waes country, where the minutest atten- 

 tion is paid to every circumstance which can in- 

 crease fertilhy, the dung is laid on the field in mo- 

 derate heaps, and on each heap a certain quanti- 

 ty of urine is poured to excite and renew the fer- 

 mentation : when it becomes sensibly heated, the 

 dung is spread out and immediately ploughed in. 

 After ploughing in the manure, the land is left for 

 some time, and then a second deep ploughing is 

 given to incorporate the decomposed dung with 

 the soil, hut so as not to bring any to the surface. 

 A short time before sowing, the liquid manure is 

 poured over ; and this enriches the surface to 

 make the seed germinate sooner. 



Lime is not much used in the light soils, but 

 commonly in the cold and stifl!". As it is general- 

 ly brought from a distance, it is dear ; and this 

 prevents any extensive application of it. JVIarl is 

 found in a fiiw spots, and serves to improve the 

 poorer lands within reach of it. 



BONK MANURE. 



In consequence of the extensive introduction of 

 this new species of manure into our highly im- 



