WASTE OF MANURES. 233 



This " waste of manures," of fertilizing matter, which if 

 applied to the soil would make our impoverished farms as rich 

 in production as a garden, is enormous. The amount of wheat- 

 producing material which is yearly lost to agriculture and to 

 the world, demands our attention, and the day is approaching 

 when this waste upon our farms, and more especially in the 

 cities, the waste of sewerage, shall be converted into fertilizing 

 matter, to be used for agricultural purposes. 



One writer upon this subject estimated " that every family of 

 five persons annually created refuse matter sufficient to manure 

 one acre of land ; and that the fertilizing matter annually 

 wasted in Boston was sufficient to restore 30,000 acres of poor 

 land to fertility." It is estimated that the money value of this 

 waste of fertilizing matter in the city of New York, exclusive of 

 the products of the immense number of animals, amounts to 

 $5,475,000 annually. 



Experiments have been made to a small extent with the use 

 of this sewage upon diffi3rent plants with great success. 



The question is frequently asked by the progressive agricul- 

 turist, " How can we make more manure ? " 



Those living near cities, or stables, resort to them for elements 

 to supply to the soil that which their crops exhaust. Those 

 living more in the interior, resort to muck beds, clay pits, 

 scrapings from the roadsides, and to commercial fertilizers to 

 help eke out their scanty supply. 



In the tobacco growing regions, large quantities of hay, grain 

 and oil cake are bought and fed to animals for the secondary 

 purpose of obtaining the manure. And if it is true that the 

 value of the manure does not depend upon the animal, but 

 upon the food, then we are led to conclude that those who feed 

 such quantities of fat-producing material as cotton-seed, rape 

 and linseed cake, must have manure of great value. For 

 according to Prof, Lawes, than whom there is no better author- 

 ity, one ton of cotton-seed cake is worth $27.86, and one ton 

 linseed cake $19.72, for manure. 



Allowing these figures to be correct, and if these articles can 

 be so fed that fair returns can be made in beef or mutton, we 

 see the desirableness of depending more upon the manures of 

 the farmyard, and less upon the worthless trash sold for 

 fertilizers. 



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