DRAININGS. 119 



equally to their employment to preserve the moisture 

 of yard-manure. 



On the question, whether it is more advantageous 

 to apply drainings to the soil in a fresh or in a putrid 

 state, I do not venture to express a definite opinion, 

 on account of the numerous conflicting statements 

 which I have received from practical farmers with 

 regard to their experience upon this point. Theoret- 

 ically considered, it must seem most consistent to 

 apply drainings, as also stall-manure, in a fresh 

 condition to fields and meadows, because then pu- 

 trefaction takes place in the earth, and the products 

 of putrefaction are retained beneath the ground ; 

 w^hilst by long-continued keeping in the yard, a part 

 of the manuring elements escape into the air, and 

 must therefore be lost. If, however, sulphuric acid 

 is from time to time introduced into the draining- 

 tanks, or reservoirs, the putrefaction of their contents 

 will then occur without any such loss, and the agri- 

 culturist has then in his putrid drainings a means 

 of manure, which, like all ready fermented, putrefied, 

 or decayed manuring substances, is distinguished by 

 a very rapid operation on the soil, resembling that 

 of dissolved guano, and less readily corrosive. The 

 most certain means of preventing the corrosive 

 action of drainings will always be that of bring- 

 ing them upon the land only when it is thor- 

 oughly sodden with moisture, or, if this cannot 

 be waited for, by diluting them previously with 

 water. 



