ARTIFICIAL MANURE. 223 



the ammonia in a cord of dung, and that is supposed to be 

 composted ' with 2 cords of loam, or meadow mud. 

 Whether the estimates are correct, each one will determine 

 by the value he may place on his peat and manure, and will 

 apply his own estimate. When a cord of stable or barn- 

 yard manure is usually estimated worth $4, the price of 

 a cord of clear pure cow- dung w^ill not be thought high at 

 $17. In fact, it probably, when mixed with the usual pro- 

 portion of litter, straw, stalks, and the usual loss by w'aste 

 of its value, would become worth only about $5. But these 

 questions do not affect the principle — that from alivali and 

 peat, as cheap a manure may be prepared, and as good, as 

 from stable-dung ; for let that be called $5.00 

 then adding 2 cords of peat, 3.00 



3)$8.00 



$2.66 per cord. 



277. There are other sources of alkali, for converting peat 

 into soluble manure. Of these the chief is animal matter. 

 Here we have ammonia produced. It has been actually 

 proved by experiment, that a dead horse can convert 20 

 tons of peat into a valuable manure, richer and more lasting 

 than stable dung; "a barrel of alewives is equal to a w\igon 

 load of peat." The next great and prolific source of ammo- 

 nia is the urine. The urine of one cow for a winter, mixed 

 up as it is daily collected with peat, was sufficient to manure 

 I an acre of land with 20 loads of manure of the best qual- 

 ity, while her solid evacuations, and litter, for the same 

 period, afforded only 17 loads, whose value was only about 

 one-half that of the former. 



278. It need only be added in confirmation of all that has 

 been advanced, that those who have had the prudence to fill 



