172 AMERICAN MANURES. 



dollars for each, which is a low estimate, the 

 reader can readily see the immense value of what 

 is yearly wasted. 



Swamp Muck is a deposit of vegetable matter 

 in low swampy places; it is in fact partially 

 formed peat. It is usually formed of mosses, 

 grasses, leaves, and branches of trees, partially 

 decomposed, and in a very condensed form. 

 As the most of these deposits have been accumu- 

 lating for centuries, they have become valuable 

 stores of the fertilizing elements often much 

 more valuable than stable manure. Professor 

 Johnson gives the average potential ammonia in 

 33 samples, in the dry state, examined by him, 

 as 3*14 per cent. This alone w r ould make the 

 dried muck worth $6.34 per ton. He did not 

 determine the valuable inorganic matters, such 

 as phosphoric acid, potash, etc. ; but it should 

 contain a large amount of them. 



As many farmers have deposits of this kind 

 on their farms, they will see the importance of 

 utilizing them. Every opportunity should be 

 taken to procure and dry as much of this sub- 

 stance as possible. When in a dry state, the 

 absorbent properties of dried muck is remarkable. 

 The most putrid and offensive liquids may be 

 filtered through it, and the water will come 

 through perfectly pure and tasteless, the muck 

 absorbing all the soluble salts and volatile gases. 



