142 CALCAREOUS MANURES-PRACTICE, 



what a vast amount of putrescent matter existed in every town, and which 

 was so rapidly' reproduced, that its complete riddance was impossible. Im- 

 mense quantities of the richest manures, or materials for them, were washed 

 away into the rivers — caustic lime was used to destroy them — and the 

 chloride of lime to decompose the offensive products of their fermentation, 

 when that process had already occurred. All this amount of labor and ex- 

 pense was directed to the complete destruction of what might have given 

 fertility to many adjacent fields — and yet served to cleanse the towns but 

 imperfectly, and for a very short time. Yet the object in view might have 

 been better attained by the previous adoption of the proper means for pre- 

 serving these putrescent matters, than by destroying them. These means 

 would be to mix or cover all accumulations of such matters with rich marl, 

 (which would be the better for the purpose if its shells were in small parti- 

 cles,) and in such quantity as the effect would show to be sufficient. But 

 much the greater part of the filth of a town is not, and cannot be accumu- 

 lated ; and from being dispersed is the most difficult to remove, and is 

 probably the most noxious in its usual course of fermentation. This would 

 be guarded against by covering thickly with marl the floor of every cellar 

 and stable, back yard and stable lot. Every other vacant space should be 

 lightly covered. The same course pursued on the gardens and other culti- 

 vated grounds would be sufficiently compensated by their increased products 

 that would be obtained. But independent of that consideration, the ma- 

 nures there applied would be prevented from escaping into the air ; and 

 being wholly retained by the soil, much smaller applications would serve. 

 The level streets ought also to be sprinkled with marl, and as often as cir- 

 cumstances might require. The various putrescent matters usually left in 

 the streets of a town alone serve to make the dirt scraped from them a 

 valuable manure; for the principal part of the bulk of street dirt is com- 

 posed merely of the barren clay brought in upon the wheels of wagons 

 from the country roads. Such a cover of calcareous earth would be the 

 most effectual absorbent and preserver of putrescent matter, as well as the 

 cheapest mode of keeping a town always clean. There would be less 

 noxious or offensive effiuvia than is generated in spite of all the ordinary 

 means of prevention ; and by scraping up and removing the marl after it 

 had combined with and secured enough of putrescent matter, a compost 

 would be obtained for the use of the surrounding country, so rich and so 

 abundant, that its use would repay a large part, if not the whole of the ex- 

 pense incurred in its production. Probably one covering of marl for each 

 year would serve for most yards, cellars, &c. ; but if required oftener, it 

 would only prove the necessity for the operation, and show the greater 

 value in the results. The compost that miglit be obtained from spaces 

 equal to five hundred acres, in a populous town, would durably enrich thrice 

 as many acres of the adjacent country; and after twenty years of such a 

 course, the surrounding farms might be capable of returning to the town a 

 ten-fold increased surplus product. After the qualities and value of the 

 manure so formed were properly estimated, it would be used for farms that 

 would be out of the reach of all other calcareous manures. Carts bringing 

 country produce to market might with profit carry back loads of this com- 

 post eight or ten miles. The annual supply that the country might be fur- 

 nished with would produce very different effects from the putrescent and 

 fleeting manure now obtained from the town stables. Of the little durable 

 benefit heretofore derived from such means, the appearance of the country 

 offers sufficient testimony. At three miles distance from some of the prin- 

 cipal towns in Virginia, more than half the cultivated land is too poor to 

 yield any farming profit. The surplus grain sent to market is very incon- 



