64 THE FARM. 



the worse. In composting, for instance, such raw substances as swamp 

 muck, leaves, tannery wastes, with manure, or in mixing various manures, 

 as from the horse stable, cow sheds, pig pens, and poultiy house, valuable 

 results may be obtained; while in mixing lime or wood ashes with manure, 

 and especially in mixing the common fertilizer with poultx'y manure and 

 wood ashes, harm may be done and valiiable fertilizing matter may be 

 wasted. In the one case the more actively fermenting horse or pig manure 

 will serve to decompose more readily the colder cow manure, and to pro- 

 duce decomposition in the abundant litter or raw matter that may have been 

 used. Besides, when the whole manure heap has been reduced to an even 

 and homogeneous condition and quality, it is made more valuable for use in 

 the field, and neither unduly or wastefiilly enriches one portion of it while 

 inadequately fertilizing another portion. It is, therefore, a judicious and 

 useful practice to mix these manures or these substances in the heap, cither 

 in the yard or the field, and so add considerably to the value of a part with- 

 out detracting from the value other portions. But in the other case much 

 harm may be done by mixing any substances in the heap which may exert 

 an injurious action upon the others. This may happen when lime or wood 

 ashes are mixed with the manure or with the poultry manure; and the more 

 harm is done, the richer in ammonia the manure may be. Luno and potash 

 are alkalies, and when fresh are in a caustic condition. That is, they are 

 free from carbonic acid, which, when combined with an alkali, renders it 

 neutral, or mild and inert. When Jfraeh lime or wood ashes are mixed with 

 manure they at once seek to combine -with carbonic acid, from whatever 

 source they can procure it. Ammonia is an alkali, and in manure is gener- 

 ally in combination with carbonic acid as carbonate of ammonia. The Ume 

 or wood ashes take the carbonic acid from the carbonate of ammonia, and 

 the ammonia escapes as gas into the air, and so far as the owner of the ma- 

 nure is concerned this ammonia is lost, and as ammonia is the most valuable 

 and costly fertilizing element in existence, the loss is very serious. It is 

 easy, however, to avoid this loss by using the lime or the ashes by them- 

 selves on the soil, and not with the manure directly, in which way they will 

 do as much good. 



But sometimes it is advisable to mix hme or wood ashes in a compost 

 heap, and this may be done safely when the special behavior of these three 

 indispensable substances are understood. If the manure is quite fresh 

 there is very little ammonia in it, and if there is more, a large proportion of 

 absorbent matter, as swamp muck in the heap will absorb and hold it, and 

 carbonic acid will be produced by its decomposition in sufficient quantity to 

 saturate the alkaU of the lime or ashes or to take up the ammonia as fast as 

 it is formed or set free. In fact, a farmer who understands the chemical de- 

 compositions and combinations wliich go on in a heap of decaj-ing manure or 

 compost may use Ume and wood ashes with safety and with advantage. 

 With regard to the common mixture of ashes, hen manure, and plaster, too, 

 this may be safely and beneficially made at the time it is to be used, but not 

 if it is to remain mixed for any considerable time previously. 



S»lt as a Manure. — Since soda, if essential in plant growth, is only re- 

 quired in small amounts, and chlorine, though essential for most plants, is 

 still required in only small amounts, and common salt is found in minute 

 quantity in most soda, chemists have asked why salt should bo of any benefit 

 as a manure, and from theoretical grounds have been disposed to deny that 

 salt has any value as a manure. Yet practical farmei-s, not having the fear 



