farmers' miscellany. 315 



period of its life. It is thus enabled to send out numerous roots 

 into the soil, and to expand its leaves rapidly to the light and air, 

 and prepare itself to thrive at a period when food is less abun- 

 dant. Precisely such M^ill be the effect of thoroughly decompo- 

 sed manures. But when applied in their raw state — that is, with- 

 out fermentation — depending upon adventitious causes to promote 

 those changes which they must undergo — at one time furnishing 

 an abundant supply, and at another scarcely any — and exercising 

 their least influence at the period of germination, and directly af- 

 terwards, when the young plant requires all possible nourishment 

 md aid to est?iblish its vital powers — they cannot be supposed to 

 Droduce as strong an effect as in the other case. It is indeed a 

 generally admitted fact, that manures do not have so much effect 

 he first year, as the year following that in which they are ap- 

 plied. If we were to reason by analogy, from the animal race, 

 lie position will be farther substantiated. We cannot deny, that 

 inhere the common imprudent attention to, and reckless disregard 

 )f the principles upon which manures act, is followed out in the 

 litter neglect of all care to secure them against injury or waste, 

 he unfermented state is the best. For when once in the ground, 

 'hey are safe from so much loss. The mere practical farmer 

 ivould therefore do well to apply his manures in their fresh state, 

 tnd plough them in — the rational farmer will prepare them be- 

 brehand, so as to secure their greatest effect. And we shall 

 •onclude this paper with a few practical directions for the care 

 Jid management of farm-yard manure. 



We have stated already that all kinds should be collected in 

 he yard. By this means a mixture is obtained, promising in a 

 legree the qualities of all, and proper to be applied to any crop. 

 Che yard should be made sloping from the sides to the centre, so 

 s to prevent any liquid from escaping, and the bottom should be 

 jovered with a thick layer of peat, or swamp muck, or vegetable 

 patter — or, in the want of any of these, a quantity of earth may 

 \e used. In the lowest part a tank should be sunk, capable of 

 ontaining many hogsheads of water, and into which all the drain- 

 igs of the yard should be conducted. During the season in which 

 jattle and horses are stabled, all the manure and litter must be 

 pmoved from the stables and spread over the surface of the yard, 

 5 be trodden down and mixed with the substances already placed 



