NEW ENGLAND FARiVIER. 



Feb. 



THE COMPOST HEAP. 

 Can specific additions he made to it, to adapt it to par- 

 ticular soils and crops ? 



OMPOST heaps consist essen- 

 tially of carbonaceous mat- 

 ters and animal manures. 

 These last act as a ferment, and 

 produce fermentation and decom- 

 position, and reduce the whole 

 mass to a uniform consistence. 

 Compost heaps also contain more 

 or less salts and minerals, which modify the 

 chemical actions which take place in the mass. 

 Where the heap contains a sufficient quantity 

 of animal manure it may be said to be fitted to 

 all soils requiring manure, and to all crops. 

 But the making of a compost heap supposes 

 that we have not a sufficient supply of animal 

 manures, and that we are attempting to sup- 

 plement the want by preparing other material 

 to take their place. 



Composts are sometimes prepared by com- 

 bining salts and minerals with peat and muck ; 

 but on most soils this is a failure. The house- 

 wife may mix the materials for a good loaf of 

 bread, but if she omits the yeast she will not 

 have good bread. So if the animal manure is 

 left out of the compost heap, the result will be 

 a very imperfect compost. The fermentation 

 necessary to produce decomposition and uni- 

 formity will not take place. 



Some soils contain an abundant supply of 

 certain elements of fertility and are deficient 

 in other elements. So, also, some crops re- 

 quire a large supply of certain kinds of plant 

 food. Now shall we apply our compost indis- 

 criminately to all soils and all crc ps ? Will 

 this be good economy ? 



To answer this question understandingly, 

 we need a knowledge of the nature and condi- 

 tion of the soil, and of the wants of the par- 

 ticular crops we propose to raise. The sci- 

 ence of the agricultural chemist and the ex- 

 perience of the farmer are both needed to en- 

 lighten us. 



If manure is applied to the new soils of the 

 West, it is found that they produce an exu- 

 berant growth of straw and stover, and actu- 

 ally less grain than when no manure is used. 

 The soil contains all that is needed for the 

 growth of wheat and corn, in abundance. 

 After two or three crops, or more, have been 

 taken from it, lime, ashes or salt may be ap- 

 plied with advantage. But quite a number of 



crops may be taken before animal manures 

 are required. But, after a time, the humus is 

 decomposed, the nitrogen is exhausted, and the 

 crops diminish ; as they have already in Illi- 

 nois, where the crops of wheat average only 

 eleven bushels, instead of twenty-five or thirty. 

 Here experience confirms the decision of sci- 

 ence, that the elements upon which the wheat 

 feeds are exhausted in the surface soil, and 

 they must either be brought up from the sub- 

 soil, or added to the surface. Deeper plough- 

 ing and the addition of lime and potash may 

 renew the crop for a time. But soon the soil 

 will require carbon and nitrogen and minerals, 

 because decomposition and frequent cropping 

 have taken them out of the soil. 



If a soil contains a good supply of humus 

 the addition of lime and some stimulating ma- 

 nure will give good crops. If it is light and 

 sandy, it requires carbon and potash. If it is 

 cold and heavy, it wants carbonaceous and an- 

 imal manure to improve its mechanical condi- 

 tion, as well as to stimulate its fertility. 

 Grains and seeds require a good supply of 

 phosphates to produce them in perfection. 

 Grass stalks and straw require nitrogen, — as 

 night soil, Peruvian guano and other animal 

 manures, and urine. Potatoes, turnips and 

 roots, are benefited by lime, in any form, and 

 ashes. 



Now with these general facts before us, how 

 shall we manage our compost heaps so as to 

 derive the greatest advantage from them? 

 Shall we apply them to all soils and crops 

 alike, or shall we divide them into several par- 

 cels, and make such additions to each as will 

 fit it for the particular field or crop to which 

 we wish to apply it ? 



Shall we add to the compost we use as a top- 

 dressing for grass, Peruvian guano, or follow 

 it with the water cart, sprinkling the urine 

 from the tank in the cellar ? Shall we add to 

 that which is to be spread upon clover, plaster 

 or lime ? and to that which we propose to use 

 for potatoes or roots, superphosphate and 

 ashes ? Shall we add to that which we design 

 to appropriate to wfieat, lime and as much an- 

 imal manure as we can spare ? Shall we add 

 hen manure, urine or guano to the small por- 

 tion intended for our lettuce, asparagus and 

 peas ? To be sure these last will be rapidly 

 used up in the soil ; but then the crops to 

 which they are applied, will have completed 



