OF WHAT VALUE IS IT? 27 



Some mucks ferment of themselves when 

 thrown into heaps, and such kinds serve well 

 as manures without weathering, fermenta- 

 tion, or any kind of preparation. But the 

 kinds most common are well nigh useless as 

 manures unless they have been rotted or 

 fermented. In view of these deficiencies, it 

 is not strange that farmers frequently deem 

 mere exposure of muck to the air to be a 

 sufficient preparation of this material. While 

 this is the case with some mucks, the safest 

 and surest way of obtaining good results is 

 to ferment artificially in the compost heap. 



Experience teaches that in many situa- 

 tions a large proportion of the useful ingre- 

 dients of dung and urine can be saved by 

 composting with muck. It is equally certain 

 through such composting the unavailable 

 plant food of the muck is made available. 

 The ferments are present in such amounts in 

 farm manures that, left to themselves, they 

 suffer by the fermentation; and most mucks 

 are so deficient in ferments that, by them- 

 selves, the fermentation necessary to render 

 their inert organic matter available will not 

 take place. Addition of the two would, 

 therefore, be valuable to both. 



