ESSEX SOCIETY. 33 



Experiments on Manures. 



No claims for the premiums offered under this head, have been 

 made; the terms of the offer being for "an exact and satisfac- 

 tory experiment in the application, as well as the preparation of 

 manures." The only communication received is from Mr. Da- 

 vid Wood, of Newbury, who, desirous of subserving the inter- 

 ests of agriculture, has favored the committee with a detailed 

 statement of the materials used, and the manner in which he 

 caused them to be mixed, in his compost heap. Manure is the 

 essential element in New England farming, and the question, 

 How can I obtain the greatest quantity at the least expense 1 

 should interest every farmer. The cattle ordinarily kept on the 

 farms in this vicinity will not afford a sufficient supply of this 

 essential requisite of good crops. How can this deficiency be 

 supplied with the least outlay of money and labor 1 What ma- 

 terials are best adapted for compost, and how shall they be com- 

 pounded 1 Mr. Wood's communication answers these questions, 

 by giving the manner in which he prepared a large quantity of 

 excellent compost. The subject of composting manure should 

 be kept constantly before the minds of farmers ; and, regarding 

 Mr. Wood's suggestions as highly worthy of attention, we re- 

 commend that his letter be published in the Society's Transac- 

 tions. 



For the Committee, 



J. H. DUNCAN. 



David Wood's Statement. 



At the request of several practical agriculturists, I am in- 

 duced to call your attention to a compost of manure, prepared 

 on my farm during the present year. 



The heap is composed of materials as at foot, and placed in 

 layers of from six inches to a foot, according to the nature of 

 the materials. The heap has been saturated from time to time, 

 with ten hogsheads of soap boiler's lye, and two hogsheads of 

 urine from my stable tank. The heap was commenced in Au- 

 gust, 1844, and increased, from time to time, as the materials re- 



