ARTIFICIAL MANURE. 185 



monia, and white or soda ash, are equal, pound for 

 pound, and that pots and pearls may be taken at 

 one half more. 



266. If all the nitrogen in dung, becomes ammo- 

 nia, then as has been shown, (187) each 100 lbs. af- 

 fords 2 lbs. 2 oz. Discarding fractions, let it be called 

 2 lbs. Hence, if to 100 lbs. fresh dug peat, there 

 are added 2 lbs. of soda ash, or 3 lbs. of pot or 

 pearl ashes, all the good effects of real cow dung 

 will be produced. Peat or muck, thus requires 2 

 per cent, of soda ash, or 3 per cent, of potash. 



267. By (259) a cord of green peat weighs 9216 

 lbs.; 2 per cent, is 184 lbs. Hence, a cord requires 

 that amount of soda ash, or 276 lbs. of potash. 

 But if the peat is quite dry, so as to have lost 3-4 

 of its bulk, then 736 lbs. of soda ash, or 1104 lbs. 

 potash will be necessary. Two per cent, of alkali 

 seems enormous. It is stated, in the hope that it 

 may lead to experiments on the free use of alkali. 

 But as it will be hereafter shown, that this is to be 

 reduced by mixing with loam or other matter, this 

 quantity, even if applied to one acre, will probably 

 produce very good effects. It has repeatedly been 

 proved for other purposes, that a cord of fresh dug 

 peat neutralizes 100 lbs. of soda ash, or 400 lbs. to 

 a dry cord. Further, dry peat, by boiling with, neu- 



16* 



