COMPOSTMANUUES. 55 



may reach these parts. When the mass is properly fermented, and 

 the substances decomposed, it should be Avell wet with water, work- 

 ed over, put up in heaps, from six to eight feet high, and covered 

 with rich loam to the thickness of ten or twelve inches. After stand- 

 ing a few days, it may be carried to the fields and harrowed in with 

 the grain, or ploughed in for other crops." 



Farmers are not yet fully aware of the treasure they have in their 

 peat swamps. Dr. Dana of Lowell has done more, perhaps, than 

 any other scientific man to develop the value of these collections of 

 decayed vegetable matter. Experience and science have taught the 

 farmer how to use thcoC vegetable deposits of manurial substances. 

 To bring out the ammonia, the muck, whether peat or mud, must be 

 fermented, which may be effected, cither by the use of alkalies, or, 

 composting with fresh stable manures. Take from fifteen to twenty 

 bushels of ashes, or potash, ninety pounds, or soda, about sixty, to a 

 ton of peat. Such a compost will contain about the same amount of 

 ammonia as cow dung. Oncf of the best methods of preparing peat, 

 is, that of mixing it in the yard where cattle, sheep and hogs are 

 confined. It thus becomes impregnated Avith the urine of the ani- 

 mals, much of which would, otherwise, be lost, and this renders the 

 peat, as a fertilizer, equal to the solid excrements of these animals, 

 for, in addition to the urine, it absorbs the leachings of the solid 

 manures. Mr. Phinney of Lexington, says, that a load of green 

 dung Avill convert two loads of peat, if well mixed, and make them 

 equal in value, as a fertilizer, to itself, uncomposted, — i. e., one load 

 of green dung, mixed with two loads of peat, will make three loads 

 of compost, equal to three loads of green dung» It is said of a 

 farmer in Watertown, that he makes no use of liis green dung as a 

 fertilizer, though he keeps a large stock of cattle. He sells it, and 

 mixes the leached ashes, from his soap and candle factory, with peat, 

 in proportion to one part of such ashes, to three of peat, thus keep- 

 ing his farm in a high state of cultivation. He digs his peat in the 

 fall, and in the spring, mixes the ashes with it by shoveling it over 

 three or four times. 



It is claimed by such as have experience, that peat should be taken 

 from the swamp in the month of August or September, and suffered 

 to lie through the winter, — and in the spring, it should be opened 

 and mixed as aforesaid, one part of green dung to two of peat, — or 

 of leached ashes, one to three ; — unslacked lime may be used to accel- 

 erate fermentation. Composted thus, it will be ready for use in the 



