PT:7iTILIZt:RS. 75 



to four of phosphoric uciJ, often produce marvelous eflfects; the mass dis- 

 appears, and the clover and similar plants take its place. 



M. KLnipeau, at Schlaustedt, Saxony, and Prince William, at Schaum- 

 bourg, have been occupied w-ith the influence of potash on the production of 

 HUgar in beets. After the bedding was cleaned in the morning, the boards 

 -iTore stre%yn with one cwt. of kainite and one-half cwt. of gj-psum, per two 

 tons of soiled bedding; the latter, on being removed, was allowed to steep in 

 putrid wine, and in time applied at the rate of eleven tons per acre, to a 

 inarly soil. The manure, enriched with kainite, produced a slight augmen- 

 tation in yield of roots, over the gypsum combination. The salient fact 

 elucidated by Prince William on his estate in Bohemia is, that chloride of 

 potassium exercises no essential action in humid years, while in dry seasons 

 one and a half cwt. per acre secures an increase of three tons of roots per 

 acre; that the salt of potash acts less by furnishing that element to vegeta- 

 tion, than by its absorbing and retaining humidity for the plant. 



Ashes In tlio Coiiipop*t.__When ashes are used in combination with 

 stable manure, the latter is decomposed too rapidly, but if immediately ap- 

 plied to the land there is no waste, or if covered with loam, the component 

 parts are rendered more soluble and the manure acts with greater rapidity. 

 If the liquid excrement from the *pws is mixed with the manure, sufficient 

 soluble matter is thereby supplied for a first crop, and while the crop is 

 growing and maturing, the soUd manure has been decomposing and prepar- 

 ing for another crop; or, it may be said, the liquid manure will give the 

 young plant a quick start, while afterwards the solid part will aid in tinishing 

 the crop. Ashes do not act so quickly on hen manure as on stable manure, 

 since the former is much dryer; consequentlj' decomposition does not take 

 place immediately. If applied soon after composting, the compound will 

 give good results, but if allowed to remain too long after composting, the 

 ammonia will be lost to some extent. If the comixist be covered with fresh 

 loam, there will be no loss, since the loam will absorb the ammonia. 



How to Keep and Spread 3Ianure'i. — It seems to be conclusively 

 settled in Europe that by far the best way to keep manure is to let it remain 

 under the animals all winter, accumulating to a depth of several feet under 

 them, and absorbing all the uriue. When thus tramped down firmly it 

 never heats, and is fully one-fourth stronger than when piled out doors ex- 

 posed to the sun and rain, both of which injure it greatly. The animals are 

 kept clean by abundant applications of leaves, loose straw, etc., for beds. 



Mr. Gregory, the great Marblehead seedsman, pronounces night soil or 

 pri\'y manure to be fully fifty per cent, stronger than that of animals. It is 

 too strong to apply separately and requires to be decomposed Arith stable 

 manure to get the best results. In China, Japan and East, all human manure 

 is carefully saved. There it is carried about in buckets, and is very highly 

 prized as a valuable article. In this country it is recklessly thrown away 

 and wasted, being treated as a nuisance. In no possible manner can the fer- 

 tility of lands be so kept up as by saving all the excrement from men and 

 animals, voided after eating their food, and returning it to the soil from 

 which it came. 



Value or Home-9Iade 3Iannre — Of manlires, that of the cow is the 

 poorest, that of the horse being double in value, and that of the hog five 

 times that of the horse. Hen manure, mixed with two or three times its own 

 bulk of muck, or even loam, is as good as most guano kept for sale. Ashesi 



