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ihc one-half of the dung only bein^ required to excite fermentation, and 

 less than the one-half of the labour to turn tlie heaiis. If the fuel be 

 cut down to the clay in a regular manner, as should always be done ; 

 or if the spread-field in summer can be turned up with the plough, a 

 considerable improvement may be made, in procuring a greater mass of 

 materials, and also in exposing a larger surface to the action of the 

 atmosphere, and preparing it for future use. With such materials I 

 have found, that fermented moss-compost may not only be prepared 

 more perfectly, than by the former method, but at nearly one-half of 

 the expense. 



In respect to the second point, the exhausted stale of the dung, before 

 being applied. There is nothing more common, than to take dung for 

 this sort of compost, from the great mass, accumulated for months in 

 the farm-yard, and never stirred, excepting for the spring or fallow 

 crops. But for this purpose, dung, supposing it to be the joint produce 

 of horses and cattle equally, should be regularly carried out, and applied 

 to the compost-heaps, once a fortnight or three weeks, at the least. 

 Thus, it will be applied, before much disposition to fermentation comes 

 on ; after which, it is plain, that all animal manure becomes nearly 

 effete, and loses the greater part of its value. In order that the fresh 

 manure may be applied with the greatest effect, sufficient masses or 

 heaps of peat-moss must always be in readiness ; and should it happen 

 to be late in the season, that is, after the month of October, it vdll be 

 necessary to cover them as soon as mixed up, with straw, rushes, shows, 

 or such other substance, as will prevent the escape of the heat. Were 

 a farmer or planter, who has the command of peat-moss at a reasonable 

 distance, diligently to proceed in this manner, it is no exaggeration to 

 say, that he would annually double, or more probably triple the amount 

 of his disposable manure. 



The preparing of moss-compost with lime in a proper manner, so as 

 really to decompose the peat, and preserve the qualities of the lime, is 

 a process which is not generally understood. The common way is to 

 mix, in nearly equal portions, lime newly calcined [Scot, lime-shells), 

 and peat-moss ; by which means, heat being disengaged, in far too great 

 proportion, and the lime suddenly slacked by the moisture of the moss, 

 the heat becomes so violent as to reduce the peat to charcoal ; to dissi- 

 pate in a gaseous state all its component parts, excepting only the ashes, 

 part of the carbonaceous matter, and the fixed air absorbed by the lime. 

 Thus, the lime is rendered nearly powerless, as mentioned in the text, 

 and brought back to the state of mere chalk, instead of forming such a 



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