No 7. 



Bommer'' s Method of making Manure. 



205 



Bommer's Method of Making Manure. 



We invite attention to the annexed re- 

 port of Dr. Beck, on Bommer's method of 

 preparing Manure. From a careful exami 

 nation of the specifications and directions 

 furnished us by Mr. Bommer, as well as from 

 a personal examination of the process, from 

 the forming of the heap to its opening, we 

 are convinced that the method must prove 

 valuable, and the manure so prepared, of the 

 best quality. There are many farms on 

 which immense quantities of coarse grass, 

 thistles, sedge, flags, and other weeds, are 

 annually grown, of which no use can be pro- 

 fitably made — all these, and with them the 

 large piles of straw which are heaped round 

 many barns to cause them to decay, may by 

 this method be expeditiously and cheaply 

 converted into the best of manure — the cost 

 of the materials which the farmer will have 

 to purchase, being only from fifteen to twen- 

 ty cents per cord, and the labor only such as 

 is necessary to form a compost heap of any 

 kind. 



Report on Hommer's process of making 

 Vegetable Manure by Fermentation. 



At the request of Mr. Bommer, the under- 

 signed were present on the 14th of Septem- 

 ber, at the preparation of the materials used 

 by him for making the above manure. As 

 Mr. Bommer's process is patented, it will of 

 course not be expected that the committee 

 can go into details further than what he him- 

 self makes public. They have, however, no 

 hesitation in stating, that the materials men- 

 tioned in his specification were all used; that 

 the experiment was in every respect fairly 

 made ; and that the whole is evidently con- 

 ducted on the most approved chemical prin- 

 ciples. 



Two heaps were prepared; the first 

 made of dry materials, principally straw of 

 various grains, and probably weighing about 

 1000 lbs. ; the second was composed of lig- 

 neous vegetables, dry and green — such as 

 cornstalks, potatoe stems, thistles and various 

 other weeds. This weighed probably about 

 450 lbs., and was propped against the first 

 heap. 



The following table was kept at the re- 

 quest of the committee. It exhibits the de- 

 gree of heat developed during the process of 

 fermentation, ascertained daily by immersing 

 the bulb of a thermometer in the centre of 

 each heap. 



First heap — Dry Straw. 



Degrees. 



Sept. 15, at 6 o'clock P. M. 76 



« 16, at 7 o'clock A. M. 87 



The fermentation was discontinued Sept. 

 28, when the heaps were opened for exhibi- 

 tion. The committee examined them on the 

 8th of October, and are quite satisfied that 

 the result is a satisfactory one. The heap 

 formed of 1000 lbs. dry straw, was found to 

 contain by measurement 225 solid feet, or 

 one cord and three quarters, estimated to 

 weigh 4000 lbs. The material furnished 

 must prove a valuable manure ; and the 

 more so, as it employs many articles now 

 worthless or deleterious. In all matters of 

 this nature, experience is of course worth 

 more than mere theory; but it will be a mat- 

 ter of great disappointment, if a process com- 

 bining as this does, an application of the 

 most correct chemical principles, with the 

 employment of the most efficient agents, 

 does not in due time, become a favorite with 

 the farmer. T. R. Beck, Chairman. 



Mr. Bommer states in his prospectus, that 

 the merit of his method essentially consists 

 in the four following important points: 



1. In being able to reduce in a short time, 

 all kinds of straw and ligneous weeds to a 

 rich, unctuous and durable manure, such as 



