50 Manures — their Application. [J 



an. 



all the produce of the cattle yard, the sheep yard, the horse stable, 

 the pig stye, and the poultry house. 



The dung of the hog, owing to the greater fatness of the ani- 

 mal, and nature of its food, is the richest and strongest; that of 

 the horse, the most heating; that of cattle, the coldest, but the 

 most durable. The dung of sheep, it is conceded, is quick in its 

 operation, and powerful in its effects; therefore the mixing of 

 cattle, horse, hog and sheep dung for all kinds of soils and all 

 kinds of crops, is always to be preferred, and the one corrects 

 the defects of the other, and prevents the fermenting process from 

 going on too rapidly. 



The utility of fermented dung is proved from the little advan- 

 tage derived from what is dropt upon the ground, and has not 

 undergone that process. In the course of its being fermented also 

 the seeds of weeds and the eggs of insects are destroyed. 



My yard is dishing, still it sometimes overflows, and w^here the 

 excess passes off, I caused a basin to be excavated to retain the 

 liquid. Near this basin, which is outside the yard, I place my 

 compost heap, which I commence with a layer of yard manure 

 about one foot in thickness; then a layer of soil, then a layer of 

 green weeds; then a coat of shell lime and ashes; then a layer 

 of turf; then a layer of horse, hog, or sheep dung; then a coat 

 of soil, and so on, with such materials as are available. In short, 

 every thing of a fertilizing nature is placed in the heap, carrying 

 up the sides square, until the pile reaches to the height of from 

 five to six feet. As the heap progresses, each layer is saturated 

 with the liquid which escaped from the cattle yards and then 

 covered with fine soil, to prevent the escape of the volatile parts 

 of the manure, and in the next place, to absorb ihe gases — so 

 that the soil used for a covering becomes itself a valuable manure 

 — a point long since established by the practice of many enlight- 

 ened farmers. After remaining a sufficient time, I cause the 

 whole heap to be carefully and completely turned and mixed, 

 throwing on liquid manure as the work progresses. A fermenta- 

 tion soon takes place, sufficient to destroy the vitality of the seeds 

 of such weeds as may find their way into the heap. After two 



