160 ESSAY ON TOP DRESSINGS 



arrangement by which the liquid and most valuable part of 

 stable manure is saved. And yet, under all these disadvanta- 

 ges, they are too apt to congratulate themselves on having so 

 many loads of mauure. They do not consider that it is the 

 quality, and not the quantity, which adds richness to the soil. 

 The practice of digging a cellar under the barn, is becoming 

 more conmion among enterprising farmers, and it may be said 

 that the increased value and quantity of the manure, is enough 

 to pay for more than the interest of the extra expense. Pro- 

 tected manure is far the most valuable. But in cases Avliere 

 this has not and cannot Avell be done, much of the real value 

 may be saved by forming the yard so that nothing may es- 

 cape. Let peat mud and loam be thrown in, to absorb what 

 would otherwise be lost. Plaster occasionally thrown into the 

 yard is like money — I will not say in the saving's bank, — but 

 rather put to compound interest. In Flanders, where the 

 greatest economy is practised, the liquid of a single animal is 

 estimated at from ten to fifteen dollars a year. This applied 

 as a top dressing, has a surprising effect. 



No one should neglect to form a compost heap. It may be 

 so made as to form an extremely valuable article for top dress- 

 sing. A quantity of meadow mud should be dug out in the 

 autumn for this especial purpose. That this is indispensable, will 

 be seen from the fact that two cords of peat mud, added to one 

 cord of good stable manure, will make a compound of three 

 cords, as valuable as clear barn manure. This has been tried 

 repeatedly, and is constantly done by those who are ambitious 

 to excel in farming, To this compost heap should be added, 

 from time to time, all the animal and vegetable matter adapted 

 to ferment and enrich the soil. Woolen rags, the remains of 

 fish, the blood and flesh of animals, the hair of animals, all 

 these make an exceedingly rich manure. A most intelligent 

 gentleman connected with a wool factory, informs us that a 

 cord of matter collected at the establishment, is worth at least 

 five or six cords of the best stable manure, for a top dressing. 

 This we cannot doubt, for here are the blood, the wool, pieces 

 of the skin of the animal, a little lime, and many other sub- 

 stances, all collected together. A fermentation takes place, by 



