1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



305 



graving somewhat different from the one which he 

 sent us. Although Croskill's Cart is undoubtedly a 

 more perfect machine, it is too complicated and ex- 

 pensive for common use among our farmers of 

 moderate means. While we preserve the engrav- 

 mg of it, therefore, for the inspection of those who 

 desire to see it, we give an illustration of a sprinkler 

 which is at once simple, cheap and efficient. 



The cart itself is a mere skeleton, the shafts be- 

 ing about 14 feet long. They are connected by a 

 fore and hind bar, placed at such distance as will 

 just admit the length of the cask, while the width 

 between the shafts is suited to the diameter of it. 

 The axle is bent downward to nearly a semicircle, 

 to receive the cask. A pair of common broad cart 

 ■wheels are fitted to the axle. The cask is suspen- 

 ded on two straps of hoop-iron, the ends of which 

 are bolted to the shafts, and the same bolts pass 

 also through the ends of two lighter straps which 

 pass over and secure the cask firmly in its place. — 

 The funnel or hojjper is usually fixed on the top of 

 the cask over the bung-hole, or it may be inserted 

 therein by an attached pipe. The distributor may 

 be made of copper, or wood. The bore should be 

 about two inches, not less, and the length about 

 seven feet, and slightly bent with a uniform curva- 

 ture. The distributor may be attached to the cask 

 by means of a stem of the same material and bore 

 as the main tube, and should enter the end of the 

 cask close to the lower chine. 



A stop-cock is frequently put upon the stem, as 

 will be seen in figure 2, to regulate the discharge ; 

 but for the entire setting off or on of the supply, 

 the stem opens into a small chamber inside the 

 cask, which chamber is closed by a flap-valve heavi- 

 ly loaded. This valve, when closed, stops the dis- 

 charge, and, when lifted, the fluid has a free pas- 

 sage to the distributor. The opening of the valve 



the carter to set off or on at pleasure. Figure 2 

 is a section of a part of the cask, and showing the 

 chamber and valve ; f is the stem of the distributor, 

 h a stop-cock, i the chamber, and k the valve, which 

 is the common leather flap or clack valve, well load- 

 ed with lead, c c is part of the cask, I the chain at- 

 tached to the valve, and passing over the roller m. 



Figure 2. 



is effected by a small chain attached to the flap, 

 rising to the top of the cask, where it passes over a 

 small roller, and onward to the fore-part of the 

 cart on the right side, where it hangs at hand for 



For the New England Farmer. 



PREPARATION OF MUCK. 



Mr, Editor : — Your correspondent, "D. T. A.," 

 of Northfield, Vermont, inquires with regard to the 

 proper preparation of muck with ashes, in order to 

 be used as a manure. In replying to him, I would 

 say that the quality of what is called muck differs 

 so much in different localities, that no certain rule 

 can be given. The quality of muck differs, materi- 

 ally, from the geological formations in the vicinity. 

 The muck which is formed in that section of Ver- 

 mont where the rock, in places, is a frial:)le silicious 

 lime-stone, (the calaneo mica slate of Adams,) and 

 is formed over beds of shell marl, is of the best 

 quality, especially if it is from four to ten feet thick 

 above the marl. Mix with such muck two bushels 

 of caustic ashes with a cord, and shovel it over till 

 the ashes is well mixed with every part of the 

 muck, and he will have a good manure for wheat, 

 corn or potatoes, or for a top-dressing for grass. 

 It is ready to be applied just as soon as it is pro- 

 perly mixed. Caustic lime is as good as caustic 

 ashes for this purpose, bushes for bushel. There 

 are other beds in the same geological formations, 

 where no marl occurs. Such beds, if deep, and es- 

 pecially if found in the vicinity of rocks which con- 

 tain sulphuret of iron, (iron pyrites,) may be nearly 

 as valuable, but will require a greater proportion of 

 lime or ashes, say three bushels to the cord. If 

 there is not an excess of sulphuric acid, such muck 

 will be as valuable as that found above marl, with 

 this addition of ashes. If the muck has been 

 thrown up and exposed to the air, say for a year, 

 before using, a less quantity of ashes will answer. 



The muck which is found where the rock is a 

 talcose or chlorite slate, like that in Waterbury, 

 the west part of Northfield, Waitsfield, &c., where 

 the water is soft, is of much less value. AVhen well 

 saturated with the urine of cattle, having been 

 placed in a bam cellar during the winter, or placed 

 in the hog-pen, it is valuable. It is better, when 

 possible, to be thrown out of the bed and exposed 

 to the air for a year, before being put in the barn 

 cellar, yard or hog-pen. 



The muck found in those sections of Vermont 

 where the rock is lime-stone and the water is 

 hard, is a species of peat, the growth of a sphagnous 

 plant, and differs from other muck, as much as the 

 timber or other vegetation differs from that found 

 in the tolcose slate region. JJmj vegetable matter 

 may be composted, and made valuable, by mixture 

 with barn manures or alkalies. But the muck in 

 the linle-stone regions is more easily prepared and 

 of greater value than any other. I have a bed on 

 my farm which answers a good purpose, without 

 any preparation, especially for wheat and potatoes. 

 But when prepared by mixing with ashes, at the 

 rate of two bushels of ashes to a cord, it is better 

 than any manure from my barn, and fully equal 

 for corn to that from the hog-pen. 



Brownington, Ft., 1856. Orleaxs. 



