M A N U E E S 



CHAPTER I. 



The term manure is applicable to all sub- 

 stancesj animalj vegetable or mineral, which can 

 augment or restore the fertility of the soil. In 

 former times the title was limited to matters of 

 organic origin; whilst the name of stimulant 

 was reserved for those saline or alkaline mine- 

 ral substances, that vvere considered as fit only 

 to facilitate the assimilation of the principles 

 which constitute the manures. The well 

 known labours of Boussingault, Payen, Gas- 

 parin, Liebig, &c., have removed this distinc- 

 tion, in proving by numerous analyses, and 

 carefully executed experiments, that the earthy 

 and alkaline salts are as indispensable to the 

 nutrition of plants as nitrogen itself. Hence, 

 the best manure is that which can present to 

 the growing plant, under an assimilable form, 

 not only the nitrogen, but all the other princi- 

 ples which enter into its composition. 



