ORIGIN OF MUCK. 227 



minable discussions so proverbial among those who attempt to 

 write or talk upon agricultural topics. 



^he muck question is a good illustration. One gentleman 

 here declares he has grown rich simply by the liberal application 

 of muck to his farm, and thinks he could not afford to cart 

 stable manure from the city near which he resides. Another 

 asserts that he has tried muck on his land and found it perfectly 

 worthless ; while a third says with much feeling that he has 

 nearly ruined his farm by its use, and wished what he has dug 

 was all back in the swamp. 



Now these different and contradictory views of the value of 

 muck are at once harmonized by the light of science. If 

 we consider the origin of the substance we cannot wonder that 

 its effects are so variable. In one case it may have originated 

 from the decay of a mass of forest leaves only, and must of 

 course be very rich. In another case it may have been formed 

 from the decomposition of mosses and sedges, and contain much 

 less valuable elements, or it may consist largely of sand, and 

 so be comparatively worthless, or it may be impregnated with 

 protoxide of iron, which is a deadly poison to vegetation. 



In this connection, it occurs to me that Dr. Nichols publishes 

 a monthly paper called the " Journal of Chemistry," which is 

 remarkable among our periodicals for the correctness of its state- 

 ments in regard to all matters of the application of science to 

 the common arts. 



The subject of aqueduct pipes has recently been discussed in 

 the " Journal " in a most admirable manner. It has long been 

 known that lead pipes were unsafe, and within a few years gal- 

 vanized iron has been largely introduced in its stead. This, 

 however, is shown by Dr. Nichols to be even more injurious than 

 lead, and ought never to be used If any one wishes to poison 

 himself or his stock, let him employ at once a dose of white 

 vitriol, and he will attain the same result with some saving of 

 time. 



The best pipe for water to flow through under pressure is 

 wrought or cast iron pipe lined with common hydraulic cement. 

 If the pressure be small and the water abundant, cement pipe 

 without any iron may be adopted. 



In the case of pumps connected with wells, the best pipe to 

 stand in the water is block tin, and, in the ground, lead pipe 



