70 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



Manures. 



The committee on manures report that no entries for pre- 

 mium on that subject have been made the present year. Your 

 committee regret that so important a subject should not have 

 been brought to their notice by those who have made experi- 

 ments on manures, so that others of less experience might 

 have the benefit of their knowledge. 



But lest the subject should pass without note or comment, I 

 will give my own method of increasing my compost heap, 

 though I do not expect to advance any new views. 



In the first place, I cover my barnyard and cellar with peat 

 mud and soil, to the depth of six or eight inches, and yard my 

 cattle through the summer and fall, upon it. Late in the fall 

 I give it another coating of mud, about the same thickness as 

 at first, where it remains till spring. By thus managing, the 

 liquors are all absorbed, and the droppings from the cattle be- 

 come pretty well incorporated with the mud during the winter. 

 It is true, by the above practice, I find it a little inconvenient 

 getting about the yard at some seasons of the year ; but when 

 the yard becomes too wet and soft, I obtain, if possible, a few 

 loads of coarse manure from the stables, and spread over it, so 

 that the cattle may tread it into the mud. 



In the spring, I have it thrown into large heaps under the 

 sheds in the yard, (which are made almost expressly for this 

 purpose,) and barn cellar, — where it remains a few weeks, 

 when it is forked over, breaking the lumps fine, and making it 

 fit for use. 



I also keep a quantity of soil at a convenient distance from 

 the sink-room, to receive the soap suds and waste water from 

 the house. This I replenish several times during the year, and 

 it makes a valuable manure for top dressing grass lands. By 

 this management, I make a much larger quantity of manure 

 than I can obtain in any other way, for the same cost. 



From the little experience I have had with manure com- 

 posted as above, I am confident that I get as good crops as I 

 did when I used green manure altogether. 



Lewis Allen, Chairman. 

 Danvers, Nov. 25, 1852. 



