ON MANURES. 25 



well mixed together, their different properties are blended, 

 and a compact mass of manure is produced of equal quality. 



It should, however, be observed, that there is in every farm- 

 yard a proportion of hot and pungent dung-, produced by 

 poultry and pigeons, which should be separately kept for top- 

 dressings, for which purpose it may be found very useful : if 

 scattered over the common heap, it will, however, have the 

 effect of increasing the fermentation, and hastening its decom- 

 position. That of swine, also, when thus mixed, has the same 

 effect ; and it was proved, after repeated trials, when the tem- 

 perature of the air was 40" of Fahrenheit's thermometer, that 

 of common fann-yard dung was about 70" ; a compost of lime, 

 dung and earth, 55°; and a portion of swine and tbwl's dung, 

 85o . Care should also be taken that, if any other substances 

 tlian those commonly employed be added to the heap, they be 

 of such a nature as will render them equally susceptible of de- 

 composition ; if not, a small quantity of quicklime will have 

 that effect ; but it should be applied separately. Lime should 

 also be added to all weeds which have ripened their seeds, as 

 well as to the roots of docks and other noxious plants, which 

 long retain the power of vegetation, and spring up when laid 

 upon the land, unless they are destroyed. The better way, 

 indeed, is to place them in a spot away from the yard, and to 

 mix them mto a compost, as will be hereafter mentioned. 



On what has been said respecting the removal of dung and 

 litter from the farm-yard^ it should also be remarked, that 

 their being retained during a long time in the yard is incon- 

 sistent with the comfort of the cattle and the due preparation 

 of the manure ; for if straw be added in sufficient quantity to 

 keep the former dry, although tlie lower layers of the manure 

 may be in a good state, yet those at the top cannot. Straw, 

 flung out to the yards in considerable portions, becomes, after 

 behig compressed by the trampling of cattle, rather like a 

 well-packed stack tlian a mass of dung in a good preparatory 

 stite. Except where a considerable stock is soiled, the small 

 quantity of urine and dung made by the animals is barely suf- 

 ficient to cause a slight fermentation in the heap, which brings 

 on fire-fanging, after which its original powers can rarely be 

 restored. To prevent that injury, no measure can be so 

 successfully used as a frequent removal of tliis unmade dung, 

 especially if the weather be wet at the time ; for there is in 

 such cases so much straw that has not passed through the 

 entrails of tlie cattle, as renders it almost impossible to do 



