APPENDIX 



In mixing compost, peat or charcoal should be used. They 

 are both powerful absorbents, taking- up large quantities of am- 

 moniacal gas, and thus preventing the evil efiects of too high 

 a fermentation. 



Charcoal has been used at the rate of fifty bushels an acre, 

 and has produced an enormous crop. It can be advantageously 

 used at the rate of one hundred bushels to the acre, and should 

 be well pulverized. 



The use of charcoal is, firstly, to supply carbon to plants, in 

 the carbonic acid absorbed fi-om the atmosphere ; and secondly, 

 to condense ammoniacal gas in its pores — which gas is easily 

 appropriated by plants to their use, when the ground is moist. 



The value of decayed leaves and leaf soil to be found in our 

 woods is immense. It is a capital nutriment for wheat in com- 

 bination with other matters. How much of it is used 1 



The following compost is recommended by the American 

 Farmer for an acre of wheat. Take forty bushels of leaf 

 mould (from the woods,) five bushels of ashes, leached or un- 

 leached, five bushels of bone dust, one bushel of plaster. In- 

 corporate the whole by shovelling over, and then moisten the 

 heap thoroughly by thirty gallons of human urine. Then 

 shovel it over again. Practically, we know nothing of its 

 value in proportion to its cost. Theoretically, it is worthy, and 

 should be valuable. 



A general rule in the application of manures is to try the 

 proportions recommended in the book, with such increase or 

 reduction, as your knowledge of your soil dictates. If you are 

 unaware of the chemical constituents of your soil, apply in the 

 proportions recommended. The second season you can in- 

 crease, if you like, and compare the result, 



B 2 C203) 



