ON COMPOST MANURE. 93 



ON COMPOST MANURE. 



The Committee on Compost Manure Report : 



There is no one subject more interesting to the prac- 

 tical farmer than that of compost or artificial manure. 

 How can I make or obtain the greatest quantity of the 

 best qualitylat the cheapest rate, is a question which 

 every one ^uld ask himself, as he surveys his farm, 

 and considers its situation, its soil, its wants, and its 

 capabilities. On this subject he should seek informa- 

 tion wherever it can be found and receive every new 

 truth which science or experience may proclaim or 

 demonstrate as a boon of great value. Considering the 

 great importance of the subject, the Trustees of the 

 Essex Agricultural Society oflered three liberal premi- 

 ums, of thirty, twenty, and ten dollars, " for the largest 

 quantity of valuable compost manure, collected and 

 brought into condition for use, on any farm within the 

 County, the materials and ability of the claimant being 

 taken into consideration, and a statement in detail to 

 be given." 



The claimants for these premiums, were Joseph How, 

 of Methuen, Allen Putnam, of Hamilton, Justin Carter 

 and John Chase, of Andover, and Charles B. Lander, of 

 IJanvers. The committee, after visiting the farms of 

 these gentlemen, examining their statements, and ob- 

 taining all the information they could to enable them to 

 decide justly and according to the spirit ol their com- 

 mission, agreed that no one was entitled to the first 

 premium, of thirty dollars; that the second premium of 

 twenty dollars, be given to Joseph How, of Methuen; 

 the third do. of ten dollars to John, Chase, of Andover; 

 and a gratuity, of ten dollars, to Justin Carter, of An- 

 dover. 



In examining the statements of these gentlemen, it 

 may be observed that the chief merit of Mr. How's meth- 

 od and management consists in saving all the urine and 

 the volatile parts of the droppings of his cattle and 

 swine, by mixing them with muck, an article which 



