THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



221 



latile smell of the ammonia indicates that decom- 

 position has taken place. When this occurs, it 

 may be either poured over a heap ol' compost, 

 consisting of coal aslies, charcoal or gypsum, in 

 any proportions that are the most conveniently 

 obtained, and then allowed to dry by Irequenily 

 turning the heap. Care being taken, tliat if any 

 volatile smell occurs, during this process of drying, 

 that more sypsuin be at once added. The volatile 

 ammonia will in this operation be absorbed by 

 the gypsum, and converted into a sulphate of am- 

 monia, and other parts will be absorbed in the 

 gaseous state by the charcoal and the ashes ; but 

 all Will at once be yielded up to the first moisture 

 that may come in contact with the heap; and 

 therelbre, it may be very properly classed amongst 

 those leriilizers which act as a stimulus to the 

 plant. We would, therelore, reasoning I'rom ana- 

 logy, suggest the use of this dried compost, as an 

 excellent substitute for bones in the drill in sowing 

 turnips. And we are further confirmed in this 

 opinion, from the fact, that the new manure, the 

 urate, only lately introduced, and which is pre- 

 sumed to be prepared somewhat in this way, has 

 been found to answer admirably lor the purpose 

 intended. The addition, however, of a phosphate 

 ol lime, would increase its value in this respect, 

 and render it undoubtedly more valuable than 

 bones lor this purpose. 



Another compost heap, which would answer ad- 

 mirably lor any purpose almost lor which a ma- 

 nure can be required, that is, either as a stimulant 

 lor turnips, as a pabulum for wheat, or white crops 

 — or, again, as a top-dressing lor either of the 

 above, or lor grass — may be readily formed by 

 mixing long stable litter, in which decay has al- 

 ready commenced, with the burnt ashes of vege- 

 tables or wood, in somewhat indefinite portions ; 

 taking care, however, that the litter should pre- 

 dominate, and then pouring over the heap daily a 

 portion of the putrid urine, and stirring the mass 

 well up together. 



In this heap the ammonia of the urine would 

 be decomposed ; but the nitrogen, the vivifying 

 principle of the ammonia, would unite with the 

 alkaline matter, the soda or potash of the burnt 

 vegetable ashes, to form nitrate of potash or soda: 

 the hydrogen, the other constituent^ of ammonia, 

 being given off. 



Alter what has already been said about the uti- 

 lity of these salts as fertilizers, it will be needless 

 to add more here, than earnestly to recommend 

 every agriculturist to adopt these simple means lor 

 the production of two manures, which in value to 

 the larmer cannot be surpassed— both lor the faci- 

 lity and economy with which they may be pre- 

 pared, and which would by their lerthlizing pro- 

 perties confer a benefit not only on the farmer, but 

 on the community at large. 



It may be urged as an objection, that in many 

 localities, far distant from towns and cities, this 

 rnanure could not be obtained in sufficient quan- 

 tities to supply the place of other substances 

 more readily obtained. To this objection we 

 Would beg to suggest, that if ever a demand for 

 this article exists, means will be taken to secure a 

 supply; and, that in such a case as above sup- 

 posed, the farmer's wagon would be enabled to 

 load back from the town or market where their 

 produce must eventually be consumed, with this 

 matter. And further, they may commence with 



the supply that is always to be had to some extent 

 on their own liirrae, and thus verily the results 

 here predicted. 



We will only add, that the urine of one man, 

 taken at its lowest calculation, will produce in one 

 year, a suflicient supply of nitrogen Ibr the Ibr- 

 niation of 8L)U pounds of wheal, oi 900 pounds of 

 barley ; a fact of sufiicienl importance, it is hoped, 

 to induce a trial at least— and this trial iairly 

 made, we have no doubt of the result. 



Indeed, if all the human excrement, now worse 

 than wasted, were applied to the purposes of agri- 

 culture, animal manure might be entirely dispens- 

 ed with. But if we look at the subject on an ex- 

 tended scale, and see the thousands of acres now 

 barely cultivated ai all, but all of which only re- 

 quire manure to be applied to them, to enable 

 them to yield abundant crops ; and if we reflect 

 on the benefits all must derive from such an in- 

 crease to the real wealth of the country, as the 

 cultivation of these lands would induce; and fur- 

 ther, that the increased means thus afforded, 

 would as certainly induce an increased population, 

 which again in their turn, acting fully up to this 

 system, would again prove another source of 

 wealth and strength to the community — we may 

 be enabled to esiimate in some slight measure, 

 the order and arrangement that exists in nature, 

 Ibr the support of all her creatures; and that it is 

 the neglect of those means, vvhich providence in 

 iis wisdom has placed at the s'ervice of man, and 

 not any imperfection in the grand scheme of the 

 creation, which has induced the impious beliel by 

 some, that a redundant popula;ion may be a curse 

 instead of a blessing. 



But to return more immediately to our subject. 

 Enough has been said to show that ample means 

 exist lor bringing all the waste lands gradually 

 into cultivation; that we haye the power, if we 

 have the inclination, to do so. And the circum- 

 stances of an increase, and rapidly increasing po- 

 pulation, may compel a much moie attentive con- 

 sideration, than this subject has hitherto received, 

 and one which eventually must lead to the benefit 

 of all classes concerned. 



So much for human urine. The urine of ani- 

 mals, as previously stated, from the nature of their 

 Ibod, contains much less nitrogen than that of 

 man ; but is equally, and in many cases, much 

 more rich in the saline properties it contains, such 

 as the phosphates of magnesia, and the salts of 

 potash and soda. They are, therefore, bj'- no 

 means to be neglected, and indeed all the remarks 

 appended to the subject of human urine apply 

 here only with lesser lorce. We would, however, 

 recommend, that all stables, farm-yards, sheds and 

 other places where cattle are kept, should be so 

 arranged, as for the urine to be saved, and applied 

 in the manner we have before described. 



Connected with this subject it may here be 

 stated, that the strong volatile smell, vvhich is al- 

 most overpowering, when entering a close con- 

 fined stable, where many horses have been shut 

 up lor the night, arises entirely from the volatiliz- 

 ing of ammonia in the urine, 



A very simple, and at the same time a very pro- 

 fitable way, of correcting this injurious atmo- 

 sphere, is to strew the stable with gypsum, which 

 would absorb the ammonia at once as it is formed, 

 and prevent the presence of this gas in the atmo- 

 sphere. Such an arrangement, besides being pro- 



