172 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Nov. 1845 



LIQUID MANURE. 



It is now a pretty general belief among farmers, 

 that there i.j '* some good"' in iKjuid manures ; but, 

 some how or other, we never see much preparation 

 either for the collection or application of this, the 

 cheapes-t and most vahiablo of all manure?, and we 

 verily believe that the subject iw as yet scarcely 

 thought of — in a way to lead to any practical result, 

 by one bona J\dc rent-paying farmer, out of a thou- 

 sand. Now, having for several years been an cx- 

 penmenter in this way, and sensible of the very great 

 imporliMceand value of liqr.id manures, I shall here 

 take the liberty of throwing in my mite to the gen- 

 eral fund, hy conmiunieating the little I have gained 

 bv experience to my fellow-faimtrs. 



As I discard all chemical formula — the tank, watcr- 

 ing-cait, and other et cettros, from my system, and 

 attach the fertilizing ingredients to a substance 

 which farmers can actually work in with spades and 

 shovels, I have more hope that my plan will be fol- 

 lowed. 



Chemists, generally, do not tell us the reason why 

 liquid manures will not do much good when applied 

 in a fresh state, though this is perfectly plain to all 

 reflecting men. Liquid manure, if applied upon a 

 pervious or gravelly soil, in a fresh state, is not re- 

 tained long enough for its decomposition to take 

 place, or for the roots to drink it up. It is put on a 

 liquid manure, and runs off in the same state ; but 

 apply it to a soil rich in decayed or decaying vegeta- 

 ble matter, and on which a vigorous vegetation is 

 going on, and it never fails of its extraordinary ef- 

 fects. The plan of administeriflg liquid manures in 

 a perfectly iresh state, is probably the best of any, 

 were it ni)t for the continued care and consequent ex- 

 pense necessary in supplying our crops with satura- 

 ted water in all their stages throughout the year, and 

 were we certain of the exact strength of the solu- 

 tion suited to their wants. As we, therefore, can- 

 not apply our liquid manures on the best principles, 

 on account of the expense, we must try the next best 

 plan, that of decomposing them by the aid of decom- 

 posed vegetable matter: and this can happilybe done, 

 to great perfection, by reducing the vegetable mat- 

 ter to the state of carbon "r charcoal — which we 

 make from peat, as being trifling in expense, easily 

 ])ulverized, and withal an excellent manure of itself. 



We divide a shed into two compartments, one of 

 which we make water-tight, by puddhng the side 

 walls with clay to tiie hight, say of two feet, and sep- 

 arated from the other compartment by a low water- 

 tight wall or boarding. This is my fermenting tank, 

 which is filled half or three parts full of pulverized 

 burnt peat, and the liquid manure from the stable, pig 

 styes, iic, directed into it. This is mixed tip with the 

 pulverized peat and allowed to remain three or four 

 weeks, till the decomposition seems about completed, 

 being occasionally stirred about after the composition 

 has become about the consistency of gruel. The 

 whole is then ladled with a pole and bucket over the 

 low partition into the second floor, which is also 

 three parts filled with carbonized peat : and as the 

 second floor is meant merely as a filter, we have it 

 lower on one side than the other, by which means, 

 in the course of a day or two, the carbonized peat 

 is left comparatively dry. The water having passed 

 ofl'at the lower side, the first, or fermenting floor 

 is again filled as before, and the contents of the sec- 

 ond floor, if considered saturated enough, are then 

 shoveled no into a corner, and allowed to drip, and 

 further dry till used, which maybe either immediate- 



ly, or at the end of twenty years, as scarcely any 

 thing will affect it, if not exposed to the continued 

 washing of pure water, or exposed to the influence 

 of the roots of growing plants. By being thinly 

 spread on a grainery floor it soon becomes perfectly 

 dry, and suited to pass through drill machines. 



'J'he mixing of the carbonized peat with the liquid 

 manure on the first or fermenting floor, it will be ob- 

 served, is for laying hold of the gaseous matters as 

 they escape during the fermentation ; perhaps ot'.ier 

 substances may effect this more effectually, but none 

 so cheaply. I think by this plan it wdl be obvious 

 to every one that a great many desiderata are at 

 once obtained. In the first place you get free oi 

 about 956 parts out of every 1000 of the v.'eight and 

 bulk of manure, by the expulsi;)n of water : — 

 while at the same time you link all the fertilizing 

 properties contained in it to one of the most handy 

 vehicles — light, cleanly, and portable, and possessed 

 of the peculiar property of holding together the 

 most volatile substances, till gradually called forth 

 by the exigencies of the growing plants. Lastly, 

 you get free of the nasty tank, and the hogshead 

 and the watering-cart, with all its appendages, 

 and are no more bothered with overflowing tank or 

 over-fermenting liquid, with weather unsuited for its 

 application. You have merely to' shovel past the sat- 

 urated charcoal, and shovel in a little fresh stuff, and 

 the process goes on again of its own will : while the 

 prepared stuffs lie ready for all crops, all seasons, 

 and at all times. 



The solid matter in the urine of the cow is esti- 

 mated by very high authority, to be equal in value 

 to its weight of South American guano. 



I beg my fellow farmers clearly to understand, that 

 I make no pretentions to this plan of applying liquid 

 manure, being a new discovery. It is merely a mod- 

 ification of your old and tried plan of bottoming your 

 dung-hills with peat ; but by charring, the peat ia 

 freed of its antiseptic qualities, and thus becomes of 

 Itself a much better and speedier manure, and an ad- 

 mirable filter. But even peat, thoroughly dried, and 

 perfectly pulverized, I have no doubt might answer 

 the end indiflerently well. — Inverness Courier. — • 

 England. 



Agricultural School. — At a late meeting at 

 Pleasant Hill, Ohio, about eight miles from Cincin- 

 nati, a company was organized for the purpose -^f es- 

 tablishing an institution to be called the " Farmers' 

 Collegiate Hall of Hamilton County." Already $3, 

 000 are subscribed towards the erection of a building 

 which is to be commenced immediately. A board of 

 directors was appointed, who were directed to apply 

 to the next Legislature for a charter for the institu- 

 tion, which is expected to be under the charge of the 

 Rev. Dr. Bishop, late President of the Miami Uni- 

 versity at OxfordJ Ohio. Prof. Scott, who is favor- 

 ably and extensively known as a gentleman of ex- 

 tensive scientific attainments, and great practical 

 knowledge, is expected to be connected with it. We 

 trust that this noble example will be followed by oth- 

 er counties in Ohio, and elsewhere. — Dollar Far. 



(t5^The author of a pamphlet recently published 

 in England, states that the soil of that country which 

 in the year 1775 belonged to about 'J40,000 proprie- 

 tors, in 1815 was owned by about 30,000, and that 

 there is every reason to believe that this process of 

 accumulation in the hands of a few has been going on 

 with equal rapidity from 1815 to the present time. 



