MANURE. 149 



prived of their customary habits, all animals draw 

 upon, and in such cases, may be said to eat them- 

 selves. The daily amount of bone dust, however, 

 which one hen thus produces in her various drop- 

 pings, is about 18 1-2 grains, and of carbonate of 

 lime, 3*9 or an annual amount in round numbers, 

 of these two salts, of 1 pound and 3 ounces. Estima- 

 ting the salts only, it is found that the agricultural 

 value of a single hen per annum, equals the salts 

 contained in 1-2 bushel of wheat. 



215. And here, having adverted to eggs, attention 

 may be called to a sadly overlooked fact. All 

 around is heard the requiem of departed wheat fields. 

 The burden of the chant is, carbonate of lime ! car- 

 bonate of lime ! The wail is, it is gone ! gone ! 

 The want of this is the grand characteristic of our 

 soil. The sole cause, in the estimation of some, of 

 all our barrenness, and fruitless attempts, as they 

 say, and would have us believe, at raising wheat. 

 An egg-shell shall put such reasoning or dreaming 

 to flight. A common sized hen's egg weighs about 

 1000 grains, of which the shell is about 106 grains. 

 Two per cent, of the shell is albumen or animal 

 matter; 1 per cent., phosphate of lime and magne- 

 sia, and the balance or 97 per cent., carbonate of 

 lime. At an egg a day, this is equal to 1 1-2 ounces 



13* 



