1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



157 



ciple, and similar in construction, to those used in 

 this country for watering the streets in cities, dur- 

 ing dry weather in summer ; but one of much 

 easier and simpler construction may answer all use- 

 ful ])urposes, to those of small means. A large 

 band fixed on a pair of old wheels, with a spire for 

 oxen or shafts for a horse attached to the axle, is 

 all that is wanted ; or the barrel may be placed in 

 an ox or horse cast, as convenience may dictate, 

 with a spout or box behind pierced with many holes 

 in the bottom for the even distribution of the liquid 

 on the grass. With such a cart one man can ma- 

 nure from 4 to 6 acres in a day, which is a great 

 saving in the expense of labor compared with the 

 common practice of top-dressing with composted 

 manure, a topic worthy of some consideration in 

 this frugal land. 



In order to derive all the advantages from this 

 mode of manuring grass land, special attention 

 must be paid to the pfoper fermentation of the li- 

 quid before application, as properly fermented, and 

 unfermented liquid, may be compared to strong 

 manure, and no manure at all. Every one at all 

 conversant with the making of wine, beer and cider 

 knows that these liquors require to undergo a cer- 

 tain degree of fermentation before they impart that 

 invigorating and stimulating effect on those that 

 drink them, for which alone their value in propor- 

 tion to their relative strength is estimated. In like 

 manner does liquid manure operate in all its stages 

 of fermentation ; as it has to undergo several 

 chemical changes during that process before it be- 

 comes fit food for plants. The next important 

 consideration connected with this undertaking after 

 the fermentation has subsided, is how to fix the 

 ammonia and other volatile matter that the liquid 

 may contain ; and how to ascertain when they are 

 fixed. Many substances may be used with good 

 effect for fixing these volatile principles in liquid 

 manure. Any ingredient of an acid nature, if 

 added in sufficient quantity to decomposing urine, 

 fixes and neutralizes the ammonia as it is evolved 

 from the urea and the other nitrogenous bodies of 

 urine ; and in consequence very much enriches the 

 ultimate liquid manure. Water, as Professor Nash 

 says, is an excellent absorbent of ammonia, and is in 

 all cases a sufficient deodorizer, provided enough of 

 it is used. This I have invariably found to be cor- 

 rect ; and would, therefore, advise a certain quan- 

 tity to be pumped into the tank every other day in 

 proportion to the amount of other matter it may 

 contain. This will completely subdue any offensive 

 odor that may arise from the fermentation of the 

 liquid, and add considerably to the bulk of the ar- 

 ticle. Should this course be objected to on account 

 of such quantities of water making the preparation 

 too weak, I would say add guano, night-soil, cow 

 dung, or even green succulent vegetables and many 

 kinds of weeds from the garden and field, to thick- 

 en the mass, and bring it up to the proper strength. 

 Before application I invariably use a small quantity 

 of diluted sulphuric acid as a deodorizer and neu- 

 trahzer of the ammonia ; and the surest and safest 

 criterion to judge by, when the liquid is fit for us- 

 ing, is its being destitute of any disagreeable odor 

 when stirred about with a stick from the bottom of 

 the tank. That shows conclusively that the whole 

 volatile principles of the manure are fixed, and 

 neutralized, and prepared for application to the 

 grass or other crops. Any one may see that even 

 water alone put upon grass Svhile in a growing state, 



accelerates its growth, often in a very wonderful 

 degree ; and how much more may not l)e reasona- 

 bly expected, from such a combination of the known 

 elements of fertility, as such liquids contain. With 

 a plentiful supply of such liquid preparations, which 

 are within the reach of every cultivator of the soil, 

 from the small garden to the extensive farm, there 

 is nothing to prevent an increase of the crops of 

 hay and fruit four-fold, at least, if people interested 

 in such matters would give it a fair trial. 



I have been a practical cultivator of the soil for 

 over fifty years, in diff"erent parts of the world, and 

 it is only within the last five years that I learned 

 the secret of properly preparing and applying li- 

 quid manure to growing crops ; and since then, I 

 have seen two, three, and even four crops of strong 

 grass cut from the same ground in one season by 

 the copious application of liquid preparations ; and 

 for that valuable discovery I have to thank Profes- 

 sor Liebeg's familiar letters on chemistry ; although 

 deadly opposed to book farming previous to that 

 date. T. C. 



Beverly, West Beach, Jan. 16, 1856. 



Remarks. — ^We are under obligations to the 

 writer of this article — his suggestions and descrip- 

 tions will lead many persons to adopt a system for 

 preserving the best portion of the manures of the 

 farm. Will he favor us with an interview ? 



AGRICULTURE IN MAINE. 



Some of the farmers in Maine had a meeting at 

 the State House, on Friday evening, Jan. 18, and 

 from the report given m the Maine Farmer, it must 

 have been an interesting and profitable one. There 

 was quite a free interchange of opinions, and among 

 others, the discussion evolved the following : — 



"Mr. Carr, of Bangor, said, "we did not do 

 enough in farming ; if it were profitable on a small 

 scale, it would, if rightly pursued, be more profita- 

 ble on a larger scale. 



If we could demonstrate this, and convince our 

 young men of it, it would induce them to stay 

 here instead of going West, and a great object 

 would be attained. 



Mr. Parlin, of Winthrop, being called upon, 

 stated that he was a mechanic, but farmed it on a 

 small scale, he had to hire his labor, he kept a strict 

 account with his farm, and finds, that this year, af- 

 ter paying all expenses, he has $450 for oversee- 

 ing the business. 



Mr. Butman said he had been a farmer 50 years, 

 labored with his hands, had a sick wife, no sons — 

 no daughters, has had to hire help, and yet had 

 made money by farming ; when he bought where he 

 now lives, found six acres of swamp land near his 

 bvvildings, — not wanting a frog pond there he com- 

 menced clearing it, and finally got it in a condition 

 to plow, plowed it into beds, made the dead furrow 

 pretty deep, and then set a man to dig it deeper, 

 on the 13th of June following, hauled on 100 loads 

 of manure and sowed to oats and grass — had 65 

 bushels of oats per acre, which he sold for 55 cts, 

 per bushel ; this paid all the expenses except for 

 manure, then laid it down, and has mowed three 

 tons to the acre ; has mowed it ever since, and has 

 cut 120 tons of hay from it during this time. The 

 whole of the labor cost $28 to the acre. 



