302 STRONG MANURE. 



manures : those which decompose more slowly are 

 less powerful, but more lasting in their effects. 



800. Urine, dung, and the decomposing carcases 

 of all animals are excellent manure ; they are for 

 many 'purposes considered to be too strong, and 

 means are adopted to diminish their power. These 

 manures evolve, during their rapid decay, a very 

 large quantity of ammonia, carbonic acid, &c., far 

 more, in fact, than plants require or can absorb. 

 This excess is hurtful, and must be prevented. 



801. There are two ways by which this may be 

 effected ; the one is to mix strong manure with a 

 considerable quantity of some substance far less 

 prone to decomposition, so as to dilute it, or check 

 its putrefaction ; the other, and certainly infinitely 

 the worse way, is to expose it to the air for some 

 time, and not to use it until a great part of the am- 

 monia evolved by its decomposition is dissipated, or 

 combined with acids ; what remains is then sufficient- 

 ly mild to be used with safety. 



802. In order to preserve as much as possible the 

 valuable parts of these manures, they should be 

 mixed with a certain quantity of vegetable refuse 

 manures, such as sawdust, weeds, &c. This addition 

 tends to check their too rapid decomposition, and 

 prevents the great loss which ensues when manure 

 putrefies too rapidly and becomes hot from the effects 

 of its own decomposition ; and at the same time the 

 vegetable matters added are gradually brought into 

 a state which renders them also a most valuable ad- 



