346 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



HOME MANUFACTURE OF POUDRETTE. 



In«juiries like the following have often been made, 

 and many have desired know how they could avail 

 themselves of a valuable manure, and at the same 

 time renilei' the apartments alluded to entirely free 

 from odor. Information on the suly'ect of economy 

 and cleanliness combined which could not be obtain- 

 ed in any other way, we have no doubt will be acep- 

 table to many of our readers. 



" Will you please inform me the best and most 

 convenient mode of manufacturing: night-soil into 

 poudrette, so that it may be drawn on land and spread 

 without odor or inconvenience — my inquiry refers on- 

 ly to home use, of this powerful manure. B. G." 



The contents of privies, commonly known under 

 the name of night-soils, furnish exceedingly powerful 

 manure when properly manufactured, and under right 

 management, the process will destroy all the effluvia 

 arising from those deposits, and render the closet en- 

 tirely inoffensive. 



When a reservoir or small stream of water is at 

 command, so that a current may be made to sweep 

 through several times a day and carry off the con- 

 tents into the manure yard, or into a covered bed of 

 peat, or a compost heap, this forms perhaps the most 

 perfect mode of removal. An essential requisite, 

 however is freedom from the influence of frost, and 

 the closet should therefore be connected with the 

 dwelling where the reservoir of water may be kept 

 from freezing, and from which there should be an un- 

 derground channel of considerable size and slope. 

 We have known all this to be perfectly accomplished 

 t)y means of a lead cistern in the upper story, which 

 was kept supplied with rain water at all times from 

 the broad roof of the house, and which was sufficient 

 beside for baths, washing, and all other domestic pur- 

 poses. 



When a current of water cannot be used, the next 

 best contri\ance is to form a tight box, of matched 

 puie plank, and give it two or three coats of coal tar, 

 so as to render it durable, and proof against mois- 

 ture and warping. It is to be placed on two runners 

 like that of a sled, made of plank or scantling, to the 

 forward end of which a chain and iron hook are at- 

 tached, so that it may readily be drawn off by a horse. 

 This box must be of such a size as to fit a cavity 

 made on purpose under the building. 



The next thing is to provide a supply of some ef- 

 ficient deodorizing substance. Dry sawdust or tho- 

 roughly dried peat does tolerably well, with the oc- 

 casional addition of ashes and powdered charcoal. 

 Charcoal dust alone is much better, and if daily ap- 

 plied in small quantities will nearly destroy all smell: 

 Ijut it is absolutely essential to success that a full 

 supply of this material be kept near at hand in a 

 large box or hogshead in a shed or out house, where 

 it shall be always dry and in a condition to apply 

 eveiy day, summer and winter. Animal charcoal is 

 still more efficient than common charcoal, and may 

 be made to form a portion of a material made as fol- 

 lows: Make a pile of peat, turf, old straw and brush, 

 mix with tanner's shavings and broken bones ; let the 

 pile become dry enough to burn, and then cover it 

 with sods aud set it on fire. It should be suffered to 



burn with a slow, smothered combustion, so as to 

 char without consuming the materials. When th« 

 process is completed, the whole heap, including the 

 turf covering, should be well mix^d together and 

 broken fine, and then placed in a large box under 

 shelter, for daily use. Any portion of clay introdife- 

 ed by means of the turf, and well dried, forms a pow- 

 erful absorbent of foetid matter. As often as may 

 l)e convenient, a horse is hitched to the hook and 

 chain, and the whole is drawn off into the barn-yard, 

 when it is quickly discharged by turning the box itp- 

 side down; and after covering the bottom and sides 

 with the prepared material already described, it is re- 

 placed as before. The strong manure thus obtained, 

 will, if well mixed possess but little odor and maybe 

 used directl}-, or may be mixed with common manure 

 in the compost heap. Durable plank should be phic- 

 ed under the runners, to prevent their sinking ink) 

 the earth, and enable the hoi'se to start the box easi- 

 ly. It is said that those who are employed Jto obtain 

 the materials for the wholesale manufacture of pou- 

 drette, throw in, before commencing operations, a few 

 quarts of a strong solution of copperas, which imme- 

 diately neutralizes effluvia, and adds to the value of 

 the manure. 



Since the above was written, we have received tlw 

 following : 



" The different modes of saving as well as making 

 manure, vet-y properly engage the attention of agri- 

 culturists to a great extent. There is one mode of 

 saving manure, however, which is very much over- 

 looked. The farmers generally, in building a '-palace'' 

 for the accommodation of the household, either dig a 

 pit to a great depth, or a shallow one with a mova- 

 ble building, to be removed as often as the pit In- 

 comes filled. In the former case, there is fitted up a 

 complete nuisance (after a years existence) and a trap 

 to frighten mothers and nurses. The latter is a nui- 

 sance from the beginning, and a subject of complaint 

 almost everywhere. The plan I have adopted is 

 simple and cheap — leaving the "palace" as s»veet as 

 any chamber in the house, and productive, yearly of 

 a tank, of manure worth twenty-five dollars — a spe- 

 cies of poudrette, I venture to say more fertilizing 

 than any that can be purchased. 



I have sunk a tank or pit, ten feet square and four 

 feet deep, and lined with plank — stone or brick v,-alls 

 would perhaps be better. Upon transverse beams is 

 built the "palace"' five feet square. From the kitch- 

 en and wash house, I have under-ground sewers empty- 

 ing into this tank, through which all the slops of every 

 description pass. The seat is fixed on hinges so that 

 the whole top may be opened up, and at this open- 

 ing is deposited all the dirt accruing about the house 

 including the ashes from two fires. The dirt and 

 ashes absorb all the slops and moisture, and preveiit 

 the slightest unpleasant smell. This tank may be 

 filled once or twice a year, and each fillinfr would be 

 worth to the garden the sum before mentioned. It 

 is astonishing that this is much neglected liy persona 

 even who know the value of manures, and can ap- 

 preciate cleanliness and convenience. B. B." 

 — Country Gentleman. 



^ *-^^- 



AvAEicE often produces contrary effects. 



