FERTILIZERS. 109 



monia and phosphoric acid, while in a thickly wooded 

 region there must be plenty of ashes to supply potash, 

 and almost in their midst lie the great phosphate beds of 

 North and South Carolina and Georgia. We of the North, 

 with our coarser materials, such as night-soil, fish-waste, 

 sea manure, and the like, make composts, but not nearly 

 so rich, or approaching so near in character to the commer- 

 cial fertilizers in the market. Professor Dabney submits 

 four valuable compost formulas, which I here present : 



FORMULA No. 1. 



Lbs. 



Stable manure . 800 



Cotton-seed 750 



Dissolved bone 450 



2,000 



He advises in substance as follows : Have barn manure 

 two inches deep, next the bone two inches, and then 

 cotton-seed four inches. Wet the mass well with urine if 

 possible, otherwise with water. Continue to repeat in 

 same order until all the material is used. Cover the heap 

 with dry earth or plaster. In from three to seven weeks 

 the fermentation will have killed the cotton-seed. When 

 using, pitch over, and mix thoroughly. 



FOR COTTON. For cotton, use 300 pounds per acre, 

 half in the furrow, and half with the seed. On poor soil, 

 use 400 to 500 pounds, 150 pounds with the seed. 



FOR CORN. Use one pint to the hill. If the land is 

 in pretty good condition, use less. On sandy pine lands 

 or old fields, add 75 pounds per acre of muriate of potash. 

 When ashes are plenty, substitute these, about 10 

 bushels unleached hard-wood. 



FOR WINTER WHEAT. Use 400 to 500 pounds per acre, 

 adding 50 pounds sulphate of potash dissolved in water. 

 If the season is backward, add in the spring 100 pounds 

 nitrate of soda. 



