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other matters I have always respected, expressed his willingness 

 to purchase all the manure from the cow-stable in Lowell at five 

 dollars per cord, though he must then cart it four or five miles in 

 order to reach his farm. These prices are enormous, and the 

 more surprising, since almost every farmer in Middlesex has at 

 hand the means of preparing a compost -dressing for his land of 

 equal value, at not half the cost. 



Upon the farms in the vicinity very great quantities are 

 carried from the livery-stables in the city. The hog estab- 

 lishment at West Cambridge supplies a large amount of manure 

 to the farmers in its neighborhood. I do not refer in this case 

 exclusively to the excrementitious matter of the swine, but al- 

 so to the refuse garbage from the tables, of which I have spo- 

 ken. This is spread upon their grass lands, or ploughed in on 

 their cultivated grounds, or spread round their apple trees ; and 

 in every case with great advantage. If not used immediately, 

 it is placed in a compost heap, and covered with mould, to be 

 used when needed. It has been found particularly useful when 

 applied to fruit-trees at the roots. It is of course full of ani- 

 mal matter, and must furnish in abundance the principles of 

 vegetable life. The intelligent farmer who gives me this ac- 

 count speaks of the eifects of this manure as immediate and 

 powerful. To night-soil he objects that its influence is tran- 

 sient. He gives the preference over all others to stable and 

 horse manure. He raises largely of early vegetables and small 

 fruits for the market. The stable manure is more convenient 

 for his forcing beds in the spring, and, after it has performed its 

 part there, is easily applied to other crops. 



Large amounts of night-soil are obtained in Boston and 

 Charlestown, and applied by the market -gardeners. It is 

 brought out in a crude state in covered and tight wagons, 

 and too often, without regard either to decency or comfort, is 

 carelessly deposited by the road-side near the dwelling-house 

 in a kind of basin, where a quantity of mould is at hand to 

 mix with it, to absorb the liquid parts, and to put the whole in- 

 to a condition to apply to the soil. The slovenliness with 

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