MANURES. 97 



qut'ntly less likely to be injurious. In composts, 

 manures are liable, as has been before stated, to be- 

 come burned by the resultant heat of decomposi- 

 tion ; this process of combustion is prevented by the 

 liberal use of divisors, because, by increasing the 

 bulk, the heat, being diifused through a larger mass, 

 becomes less intense. The same principle is exhibit- 

 ed in the fact that it takes more fire to boil a caul- 

 dron of water than a tea-kettlefull. 



3d. Charcoal has much power to arrest the 

 passage of mineral matters iu solution ; so much so, 

 that compost heaps, well supplied with muck, are 

 less affected by rains than those not so supplied. 

 All composts, however, and all organic manures 

 should be kept under cover until spread upon the 

 land. 



4th. Charcoal keeps the compost moist, from the 

 ease with which it absorbs water, and its ability to 

 retain it. 



With these advantages before us, we must see the 

 importance of an understanding of the modes fqr 

 obtaining charcoal. Many farmers are so situated 

 that, they can obtain sufficient quantities of charcoal 

 dust. Others have not the same facilities. .Nearly all, 

 however, can obtain muck or leaf mould, and to this 

 we will now turn our attention. 



MUCK AND ITS TREATMENT. 



By muck, we mean the vegetable deposits of 

 swamps and rivers. It consists of decayed organic 



5 



