40 



TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



Ibs. 



These contain: 



Dry substance faeces, 



Mineral matter 



Carbon 



Nitrogen 



Phosphoric acid 



Potash . . , 



One hundred pounds of the dry substance of the faeces 

 contain five pounds of nitrogen and five and one- 

 half pounds of phosphates. One hundred pounds of 

 the dry matter of urine contains twenty-seven pounds of 

 nitrogen, and ten and three-fourths pounds of phos- 

 phates. City night-soil should be promptly incorporated 

 with stable manure upon its arrival, and that of the 

 farm should be mixed with dry, fine muck, woods-earth, 

 or garden soil, by which the ammonia will be absorbed 

 and its offensiveness avoided. This muck, or earth, 

 when dried, may be repeatedly used for the same purpose. 

 Should the quantity be deficient, a little plaster might be 

 added. 



In the earth closets, the dry earth, before using, con- 

 tained in five tons, sixteen and seven-tenths pounds of 

 nitrogen; after being used 



Once 5 tons of dry 



Twice 5 



Three times 5 

 Four times.. 5 

 Five times.. 5 

 Six times 5 



earth contained 24.0 Ibs. nitrogen 

 36.3 

 44.6 

 54.0 

 61.4 

 71.6 



Owing to its great solubility, night-soil is especially 

 adapted to growing early vegetables. The commercial 

 fertilizer, poudrette, is night-soil, which has been dried in 

 pans, and mixed with charred earth, peat, charcoal, or 

 ground peat and plaster. It is variable in quality in pro- 

 portion to the care with which the escape of ammonia 

 may have been prevented; the best, compared with cow- 



*Dr. Gilbert. 



