THE F A It M E K S ' " R E G I S T E R . 



Vol. VI. 



OCTOBER 1, 1838. 



No. 7. 



EDMUND RUFFIN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, 



From llie New England Farmer. 

 MATERIALS FOR MANURK. 



We have spoken of various sources and means 

 of accumulation and manuliicturein regard to ma- 

 nures; llie barn cellar, the hog sty, the privy, the 

 compost heap, the wash tubs, the sink; in respect 

 to all these matters we have made suggestions, 

 which we hope will be taken in, good part by the 

 farmers; and which we are persuaded, if properly 

 aUended to, will result in accumulations oi' valua- 

 ble manure little dreamt of, when the tbundation 

 of the heap was laid, and the first contributions 

 brought to it. The sailors tell us of extensive 

 islands, holding a large population and leasting 

 them in plenty, and reels stretching themselves for 

 miles in the ocean, and columns of coral rising 

 from the very depths of the sea to its surface, and 

 if the sea could be for a time withdrawn, and their 

 vast height and proportions disclosed to the eye 

 they would be seen casting into the shade even 

 the mighty pyramids of Egypt and the proudest 

 trophies of human art and labor; and all these 

 were the result of the combinec'. and unintermit- 

 ted toil of very small insects, labormg constantly 

 at these erections by the gradual deposits of mi- 

 nute atoms. These mighty masses show what 



can 



most 



be efTected by persevering labor, even with 

 t humble instruments and means. 'J'he ter- 

 mites or ants of Africa erect large cabins, which, 

 spread out upon extensive plains, look like a vast 

 military encampment. VVe see constantly upon 

 our own pitch-pine plains, those heaps which the 

 common pismires accumulate; and observe that 

 all this is the product of single atoms brought by 

 single individuals of those minute animals, thou- 

 sands of whom we destroy at a single footstep. 

 Every part of creation illustrates the extraordi- 

 nary, immense, and triumphant results of perse- 

 vering labor. Many of the largest fortunes that 

 have ever been accumulated have arisen from mi- 

 nute savings and deposits. 



We hope our illustrations of this homely sub- 

 ject will not be deemed too ambitious. We should 

 be glad to make them as striking and memorable 

 as possible; and we care little for the source 

 whence they are drawn, provided only we can in- 

 duce the farmers to gather every thing, and to 

 save every thing, which comes in their way, by 

 which the means of enriching their farms may be 

 created or extended. We reiterate the great po- 

 sition, that almost every farni, certainly where its 

 products are consumed on the place, contains the 

 means of maintaining and extending its fertility. 

 Every traveller who visits China, reports the ex- 

 traordinary condition of the Chinese cultivation; 

 and concludes by stating that the most remarka- 

 ble and particular attention is paid to the saving 

 of manure. If gold dust, if corn itself, were 

 sprinkled in their streets, they could not be more 

 careful in picking it up and collecting it together, 

 than they are in picking up and collecting whate- 

 ver may go to the increase of their manure heap. 

 It is in this matter our farmers fail, perhaps 

 more than in any thing else connected with our 

 Vol. VI.-49 



agriculture; and this is a failure most essentially af- 

 fecting their interests. If we would have an im- 

 proved agriculture, a revolution in our habits must 

 lake place here; and when this is effected, and all 

 the manure is provided and prepared, which we 

 can provide and prepare, we have accomplished 

 comparatively half the work. The getting of 

 manure on a farm must be as much matter ofljtu- 

 dy, care, and labor as the getting of crops from 

 thatfiirm. ' 



We are of opinion that on every considerable 

 farm there should be a man employed with a cart 

 and horse or yoke of oxen, whose sole and exclu- 

 sive business it should be, excepting in some ex- 

 traordinary emergency, to collect the materials for 

 manure; and to put them in the way of beino- 

 manufactured. It is not enough tor the farmer to 

 say he will do this at his leisure; this shall be the 

 business of odd times; he will attend to this when 

 nothing else presses upon him. It must be a spe- 

 cihc, constant, principal object of study and labor. 

 Remember again that every vegetable substance' 

 and every animal substance, is capable of bein^ 

 converted into a manure. ° 



Now we will look out of the window where we 

 are sitting, and see what in hasty glance comes 

 within our sight, which ought to be saved. There 

 is the garden, with an abundance of weeds and 

 decayed vegetables; collect all them, and let them 

 go into the hogs' pen or the barn cellar. There 

 is the pasture, where bramble bushes, sweet fern 

 Canada thistles, alder bushes, brakes, &c. abound! 

 Gather them, and you will at the same time clean 

 your pastures. There is the road lined for miles 

 with all ^ sorts of weeds and coarse grasses; o-et 

 them. There is many a mud hole, which receives 

 the washings of the streets, and where a great 

 deal of valuable and rich manure has been coTlect- 

 ed ; empty that. There is a large shade tree 

 where the cattle daily collect; and where their 

 droppings are accumulated ; collect these and 

 ^ them in the common heap. There is many a rich 

 I spot by the side of the roads, which without any 

 prejudice to your neighbor or the public you can 

 plough up; take off the mould, and carry that like- 

 ! wise into your manure yard. There is the refuse 

 of the shoe shop, scraps of leather, &c., collect 

 them and lay them on your land to be ploughed 

 in. There is a clay pit; occasionally get a load or 

 tvvo of that and throw into your barn yard. It 

 will greatly improve the composition. Then you 

 have a wood or grove at hand ; collect the leaves 

 from that and lay them in store for littering your 

 cattle-stalls and your sties. But you have a"^ bog 

 meadow; here then is an abundant supply of the 

 materials for enriching your fields. Collect this 

 mud; it is lull of the most enriching substances. 

 They may be spread with great advantage upon 

 your grass lands; but they are still betted placed 

 upon your compost heap. 



We have seen an excellent arrangement on the 

 part of two or three farmers for saving manure, 

 and especially the liquid portions. They daily 

 spread the back part of their cow stables with 

 mould or sand, of which both in winter and sum- 



