ANIMAL MANURES. 141 



Blood decomposes with facility, and is, therefore, a good 

 addition to the compost heap, as it induces the decomposition 

 of other substances. 



210. The parings of the skins of animals^ and horn 

 ^havings^ contain a larger amount of nitrogen than blood or 

 ilesh; skin leaves, when buraed, only J per cent, and horn 

 about -^ per cent of ash. In the neighbourhood of tan-yards, 

 Avhere they can be procured, these substances are used with 

 great advantage ; but at present, they arc chiefly consumed in 

 the manufacture of glue. Horn shavings decompose slowly in 

 the soil; therefore, where an immediate effect is required, 

 they should be either made into a compost, or dissolved in 

 the vitriol vat with the bone manure. 



211. Woollen rags and hair. — The first of these substances 

 is very extensively used in England, especially in the hop- 

 growing districts; 20,000 tons being, it is said, annually 

 applied to the soil by the farmers in Kent, Sussex, Oxford, 

 and Berkshire. Rags are also occasionally used for wheat 

 and potatoes, and are considered to be most efiicacious on 

 the light chalk soils. They are cut into pieces with an 

 instrument like a turnip-ciitter, and are spread by hand over 

 the land, at the rate of 12 or 15 c^i;. per acre. They de- 

 compose slowly on the soil, and should therefore be either 

 ploughed in a considerable time previous to putting in the 

 seed, or made into a compost. They are sold at from £3 1 2s. 

 to £5 per ton. Both rags and hair are poor in inorganic 

 matter, but contain a larger amount of nitrogen than blood 

 or flesh. Like bones, they consist of an organic or combus- 

 tible matter, and an incombustible ash. 



In China, hair is considered one of the best manures ; but 

 in this country it is seldom that it can be procured in suflicient 

 quantities. Occasionally, it can be purchased at the tan- 

 yards at from £4 IO5. to £5 per ton. As met with in 

 Belfast, it is usually mixed with about the fourth of its weight 

 of lime. 



2 1 2. The refuse of the glue manufacture, technically termed 

 " gumps," is occasionally used as a manure in certain locali- 

 ties. It is a variable mixture of animal matters — hair, 

 bones, lime, bone earth, and sand. This refuse is sold in 

 two states, — as a moist mass, and m dry, brick-shaped lumps 

 of a dirty white colour. The following is the composition of 

 two samples of glue refuse, from the manufactoiy of Mr. 



