540 



FARMERS' REGISTER— NEW MINERAL MANURE. 



inflamnable substances, I have been induced by the 

 similarity of the properties of these matters with 

 those of rich and bituminous coal to make it one- 

 fourth part in the composition of my manure, and 

 the etTects have answered my expectations. 



Such are the substances which enter inlT) the 

 composition of my manure. Besides its fertilizin<; 

 properties, this manure by its frequent application 

 modifies the constitution of soils, disposing them 

 by degrees to a greater fertility. This modifica- 

 tion results from the mattei's of which this manure 

 is composed, (with the exception of the salt which 

 is dissolved, the bituminous oil Avhich is dissipated, 

 and some other elementary principles which are 

 assimilated to the plants,) becoming intimately 

 combined with the earth of the improved soils and 

 changing their nature by the mixture. 



Experience having shown that no good cultiva- 

 tion can be based on any sort of land of a silicious, 

 calcareous, or argillaceous nature, if it is not 

 modified by others of opposite nature, and that the 

 best soil is that which ofiFers the greatest variety 

 of mixtures; it follows hence, that every agricul- 

 turist possessing soils of the nature of those men- 

 tioned, has an interest to improve them by this 

 manure, composed of several substances, having 

 the property of modifying soils at the same time, 

 Chat it augments their products. It is thus, that 

 sterile soils may be enriched ; and I have no doubt, 

 that if this manure were spread in abumlance for 

 some years, on certain uncultivated (racts of Ar- 

 denne, we should soon see them clothed in a rich 

 and verdant robe, and offering to the astonished 

 eye, a spectacle as gay, as it is now monotonous. 



It is plain, that to improve sods and multiply 

 their products, is at the same time to increase the 

 number of cattle, and the quantity of natural ma- 

 nures, to add to the jierfection of men and beasts, 

 to augment the market value of the landj its rent, 

 and the revenue of the state; finally to enrich ag- 

 riculture, the most certain source oi" national pros- 

 perity. 



Such are, gentlemen, the advantages which will 

 result from the repeated and continuetl use of this 

 manure, which is much less costly in price, than 

 the ashes of Holland. The quantity to be applied, 

 is the same from 1,000 to 1,500 kilogrammes per 

 hectare [or from 9-50 to 1400 lbs. the English acre.] 

 The agriculturist ought not, how^ever, to deceive 

 himself with regard to the immediate effects of 

 this manure; they can only be the consequence of 

 its Vepeated application. It ought to suffice him, 

 that he will be more than indemnified for his ex- 

 penses each time he applies it by the increase of 

 his crops, an indemnity which is augmented the. 

 oftener he repeats the use of this manure, and by 

 the constaiitly increasing melioration of the soil, 

 which it modifies and fits for a greater degree of 



fertility. 



# # # * * 



To extend the use of this manure, I would wil- 

 lingly grant, on favorable terms, to such persons 

 as should desire it, the right to manufacture the 

 article, and I dare to hope that you, gentlemen, will 

 be disposed to exert your influence to attain this 

 object, which, being accomplished, would save an- 

 nually to Belgium, a million of florins employed 

 in the purchase of about four millions of cuvelles* 



* The cuvelle, according to Sinclair's account of the 

 use of Dutch Ashes in INo. 6, (p. 376) of Farmer's 



of ashes brought from Holland. Although all the 

 advantages which result from the use of this ma- 

 nure are not yet demonstrated by experience, I do 

 not the less hope, gentlemen, that from a know- 

 ledge of the substances of which it is composed, 

 you will be convinced that this native production 

 may advantageously substitute the ashes of Hol- 

 land, and that you will represent it favorably to 

 the government. 



Persuaded that the good efTects of this manure 

 will not escape your observation, and that agricul- 

 ture, the imperishable source of wealth for our 

 fine country, will always be with you, gentlemen, 

 an object of especial solicitude, I shall await with 

 confidence the issue of your deliberations on this 

 subject, and the consequences which should thence 

 result for the public good. 



ON MANURES FKOM COAL, AND DUTCH ASHES. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



University of Virginia, 7 

 2Qth Nov, 1833. 5 



In answer to your questions, I have the honor ta 

 state, that houilh is a name generally given, by 

 the inhabitants of French Flanders, Hainault,an(I 

 in the neijjhborhood of Lie^e, to the substance 

 called. cA«roo?! rfe terre in other parts of France, 

 which you know answers to our pit coal. HouHIr 

 grasse is that coal which contains most bitumen, 

 (charbon de terre hitumineusc.) Terre de houille, 

 or terre houille, or terres houilles, is a very black 

 earth, probably in a state of transition between 

 peat and pit coal : it is found of various qualities, 

 according to the presence or absence of more or 

 less sulphur and bitumen. It takes sometimes a 

 considerable heat to kindle it, but lasts long in 

 burning; it produces neither flame nor much 

 smoke, but it emits sulphureous effluvia of such a 

 suffocating nature as to render it unfit to be used 



in dwelling houses for firing . I think, sir, 



that this would be answering, to the full, the ques- 

 tions put to me; but considering the quarter front 

 which they come, I feel it somehow incumbent on 

 me to say a few words more on this subject. 



The Dutch have for years made use of the ashes 

 of a kind of peat highly bituminous, found in dif- 

 ferent parts of Holland, as an efficacious irranure^ 

 These ashes, under the name of ce-ndres demer-, 

 have long formed an article of commerce between 

 Holland and Flanders. Agriculturists from the 

 latter country, as well as others from Brabant, 

 Hainault, and even Picardy, have purchased these 

 ashes for the purpose of using them as a manure,, 

 the efficacy of which was known and acknowl- 

 edged a good time ago. But the article being ex- 

 pensive, several persons tried to discover peat in 

 their neighborhood, and some were so far success- 

 ful in their search, as to find near Amiens a kind of 

 peat (tourbc,) the ashes of which were used as a 

 manure like the cendres de mer, but with less effi- 

 cacy. At last a fortunate chance brought to 

 light a matter even more useful yet to agriculture 

 than the fc/idres d!e mer of Holland. This matter 

 was found in the year 1753, at the depth of twenty 

 to forty feetatBeauvainsnearNoyon, whilst boring 

 for coal. It was also found near Laon, on the lands 

 of Suzy, Fauconcourt andLessieres in 1756, whilst 



bus 



;ister, appears to be rather more than two English 



liels. 



