212 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 



3. It increases the effect of other manures by hastening de- 

 composition. " 



4. It destroys noxious insects and worms. 



5. It destroys noxious weeds and mosses, and gives rise to 

 sweet grasses and herbage. 



6. It prevents smut in wheat and other crops. 



7. It hastens the maturity of the crop. 



8. It neutralizes the acidity of sour soils and renders them 

 productive. 



9. It makes cold wet soils dryer and warmer. 



10. It renders tight stiff clays loose and friable 



11. It destroys noxious gases and promotes health. 



12. It stiffens loose sandy soils. 



13. It brings inert organic matters into a state of fermen- 

 tation. 



14. It causes the evolution of carbonic acid. 



15. It serves directly as the food of plants. 



16. It causes the formation of several salts in the soil. 



COMPOSTS. 



It was formerly supposed, that great advantage was derived 

 from the combination of several different substances together, 

 and forming what are called composts. The recipes for these 

 compounds are numerous, and go to prove that the diswvcry 

 of a good compost requires but little scientific or practical skill. 

 AVhen a compost heap is made up of several materials which 

 are all separately good manures, it follows of necessity that 

 the resulting compound must be a good fertilizer. But it is 

 impossible to supply any more in this way than if these seve- 

 ral ingredients were applied to the soil separately. And a 

 little knowledge of chemistry w^ill show that by this means, 

 no new elements can be generated. Neither can any new pro- 

 perty be developed which could not be done by their separate 

 action. -We see that whenever a substance which has little or 

 no fertilizing power, is in this way manufactured into a good 



