194 OF MANURE. 



China is the birthplace of the experimental art ; 

 the incessant striving after experiments has con- 

 sewers, are much used. The plaster of old kitchens, which in China 

 have no chimneys but an opening at the top, is much valued; so that 

 they will sometimes put a new plaster on a kitchen for the sake of the 

 old." The ammonia contained in the fuel forms nitrate of lime with 

 the lime in the mortar. '* All sorts of hair are used as a manure, and 

 barbers' shavings are carefully appropriated to that purpose. The 

 annual produce must be considerable in a country where some hundred 

 millions of heads are kept constantly shaved. Dung of all animals, but 

 more especially night-soil, is esteemed above all others. Being some- 

 times formed into cakes, it is dried in the sun, and in this state becomes 

 an object of sale to farmers, who dilute it previous to use. They con- 

 struct large cisterns or pits, lined with lime plaster, as well as earthen 

 tubs, sunk into the ground, with straw over them to prevent evapora- 

 tion, in which all kinds of vegetables and animal refuse are collected. 

 These being diluted with a sufficient quantity of liquid, are left to under- 

 go the putrefactive fermentation, and then applied to the land. In the 

 case of every thing except rice, the Chinese seem to manure the plant 

 itself rather than the soil, supplying it copiously with their liquid 

 preparation." 



" The Chinese husbandman," observes Sir G. Staunton, (Embassy, 

 Vol. II.,) " always steeps the seeds he intends to sow in liquid manure, 

 until they swell, and germination begins to appear, which experience 

 has taught him will have the effect of hastening the growth of plants, 

 as well as of defending them against the insects hidden in the ground 

 in which the seeds are sown. To the roots of plants and fruit-trees, 

 the Chinese farmer applies liquid manure likewise."* 



Lastly, we extract the following from a communication to Professor 

 Webster, of Harvard College, United States . — " Human urine, is, if 

 possible, more husbanded by the Chinese than night-soil for manure ; 

 every farm, or patch of land for cultivation, has a tank, where all sub- 

 stances convertible into manure are carefully deposited, the whole 

 made liquid by adding urine in the proportion required, and invariably 

 applied in that state." This is exactly the process followed in the 

 Netherlands : see Outlines of Flemish Husbandry, page 22. 



" The lousiness of collecting urine and night-soil employs an im- 

 mense number of persons, who deposit tubs in every house in the cities 

 for the reception of the urine of the inmates, which vessels are re- 

 moved daily, with as much care as our farmers remove their honey from 

 the hives." 



When we consider the immense value of night-soil as a manure, it is 

 quite astounding that so little attention is paid to preserve it. The 

 quantity is immense which is carried down by the drains in London to 

 the River Thames, serving no other purpose than to pollute its waters. 

 It has been shown, by a very simple calculation, that the value of 

 the manure thus lost amounts annually to several millions of pounds 

 sterling. A substance, which by its putrefaction generates miasmata, 

 may, by artificial means, be rendered totally inoffensive, inodorous, and 

 transportable, and yet prejudice prevents these means being resorted 

 to. — Ed. 



* These statements are confirmed by others, which have been kindly com- 

 municated to me by a gentleman whose opportunities for observation during 

 a residence in China of several years, were ample, and whose liberality and 

 devotion to agriculture and horticulture have already conferred upon the 

 community results of great interest and value. — See Appendix. 



