HAMPDEN SOCIETY. 231 



hogsheads of liquid manure from the yard, by means of a box 

 made for the purpose, — drawing it into a hole and dipping it 

 up with a pail. In November, 1848, we spread it upon six 

 acres of grass, and found it well pulverized and fine for use. 



Northampton, January, 1849. 



Samuel Poiver^s Statement. 



In September, 1847, I collected from my swamp, and clear- 

 ing of ditches, a mixture of peat and black or swamp mud. 

 After carting it near where water could readily be procured, I 

 made a large enclosure, by setting up posts, and placing within, 

 boards, so that it might be kept compact, I first filled the en- 

 closure about one foot, which took about fifteen loads of the 

 mud. I then added about fifteen bushels of ashes, and as 

 many pounds of saltpetre, or one pound to a load, together 

 with a small portion of lime and plaster of Paris ; the whole 

 spread broadcast, and then thoroughly drenched with water ; 

 thus continuing one course upon another, until the pile was 

 finished. Thus I used one hundred bushels of ashes, one hun- 

 dred pounds of saltpetre, five hundred pounds plaster of Paris, 

 and three bushels of lime, for the one hundred loads, at an ex- 

 pense of about thirty dollars, or thirty cents per load, for both 

 materials and labor. 



Now, the question will naturally arise, what is the real value 

 of the article ? This I propose to show, by the application of 

 it, the past year, (1848,) believing one fact worth more than 

 many doubtful speculations, on any subject. In the fall of 

 1847, I ploughed six acres of land, that had been mowed some 

 three years, and produced a moderate crop of hay, having nev- 

 er been manured very highly. To four acres, on the best side, 

 were put twenty loads of good manure to the acre, taken from 

 the yard, last spring, and spread broadcast. Cultivated it in, 

 and planted to corn. The two remaining acres, I served the 

 same way ; with an addition of five loads to the acre, — making 

 in all, fifty loads on the two acres, — from the compost pile. 



It was manifest to all who saw it, that the corn on the two 



