PLYMOUTH SOCIETY. 321 



Africa for guano, except fanciful farmers. In what manner the 

 rich deposits found can be the most usefully diffused over the 

 farm, with what soils and in what proportions they should be 

 at first incorporated, how long remain in the compost heap, be- 

 fore applied to fields, are questions which should call forth 

 the habitual inquiries of farmers, and concerning which, their 

 knowledge should be constantly increasing. The business of 

 composting manure, one of the most important in which farm- 

 ers engage, is reducible to no set of general and invariable rules, 

 but must be governed in view of the materials employed, the 

 texture of the soil where it is to be applied, and the kind of 

 plants we wish to cultivate. There is, however, one rule, 

 which, we think, ought to be invariably observed. The prin- 

 cipal ingredient in the compost heap, should form a contrast to 

 the quality of the soil on which it is to be spread. The ob- 

 servance of this rule will produce a gradual mixture of soils, 

 which often proves highly beneficial without the addition of 

 manure. 



There is in this county, very general neglect of one highly 

 useful article in the compost heap, green vegetable matter. 

 This contains all that is necessary to the reproduction of plants. 

 An abundance of it is every year, decaying on the borders of 

 fields, and in swamps, where the growth is not considered 

 worth saving as food for animals. We do not recollect, that 

 in any statement, mention has been made of the conversion of 

 a large quantity of green, vegetable matter into manure before 

 the present year. 



The applicant for the premium this year, formed one heap, 

 with the view of dissolving in it, green plants to a considerable 

 extent. The dry season, and the pressure of other business, 

 prevented the collection of the materials in so green a state as 

 would have been desirable. The appearance of the heap, 

 however, in October, indicated, that after one shoveling over^ 

 it would be in fair condition for application. This applicant 

 has varied his operation something more than has been usual, 

 but has made in all, a less number of loads than every 

 farmer who owns fifty acres of land, should annually apply to 

 his fields. The committee are induced to recommend the 

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