182 THE COMPLETE FARMER 



ces of the richness, quantity, or weather have occasioned too 

 much fermentation, or this is suspected, scatter every now 

 and then a quantity of the same earth over the surface, with 

 which the yard was bedded. This may be so proportioned 

 as to keep the mass from too much fermentation.' 



It is remarked by the author of Letters of Agricola, that 

 ' Earth is a powerful absorber of all the gases which arise 

 from putrc'faction. The earth possesses not only the proper- 

 ty of retaining the putrid steams which are formed from 

 the dung of decomposing bodies within itself, but alcD of 

 attracting the effluvia when floating in the air. The salu- 

 brity of a country depends on this latter quality ; as the 

 practice of burying the dung in the earth is founded on the 

 former. The stench proceeding from the dissolution of 

 organized matter never rises through the ground to assail 

 the nostrils, although it is sufficiently offensive from bodies 

 corrupting in air or water. A stroixgly dunged field, after 

 being ploughed, sown, and harrowed, sends forth a healthful 

 and refreshing smell ; a proof that all the putrid vapors, 

 which otherwise would annoy us, are absorbed and retained 

 for the nutrition of the crop. It is on this accoimt that the 

 poorest earth can be enriched in a very high degree by mere 

 exposure to the gases of putrefaction. Put a layer of com- 

 mon soil along the top of a fermenting dunghill, from twelve 

 to eighteen inches thick, and allow it to remain there while 

 the process is carrying on with activity, and afterwards 

 separate it carefully from the heap, and it will have been 

 impregnated with the most fertilizing virtues. The com- 

 posts, which of late have attracted such universal attention, 

 and occupied so large a place in all agricultural publications, 

 originated in the discovery of this absorbing power of the 

 earth, and in the application of it to the most beneficial of 

 purposes. A skilful agriculturist would no more think of 

 allowing a violent fermentation to be going on in his dunghill, 

 unmixed with earth or other matter to fix and secure the 

 gaseous elements, than the distiller would suffer his appara- 

 tus to be set at work Avithout surmounting his still with the 

 worm to cool and condense the rarefied spirit which ascends 

 to evaporation. In both the most precious matter is that 

 which assumes the seriform state ; and to behold it escaping 

 with unconcerned indifference, is a demonstration of the 

 most profound ignorance.' 



Liquid Mamcre. Water in its purest state, when it has 

 been distilled or filtered through sand, still retains somewhat 



