3Q(5 IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL. 



peat muck, either ammonia or any substance which will pro- 

 duce the same effect, we may convert it into cow dung, 

 cord for cord. This may be done in the compost heap m the 



following ways. , c u v^ 



1 Compost of peat tvith alkalies. The action of alkalies 



upon vegetable matter, to induce decay, has been frequently 



referred to. The action of all are alike in this respect ; but 



the products are not all the same, and it becomes a question 



of areat practical importance what alkali to use, and what 



quantity to employ, in order to produce the best effect with 



the least expense. 



The alkalies employed to decompose the peat, and convert 

 it into cow dung, are soda, ammonia and potash. 



Ammonia is generally too expensive an article for h.s 

 purpose. In other respects it would be the best, as all that 

 would be needed would be to add about 2 lbs. of the carbonate 

 or sulphate to every 100 lbs. of peat. As there are other al- 

 kalies in the peat, 1 lb. in practice has been found to answer 

 the purpose. Potash and soda are almost the only alkalies 

 which can be obtained in sufficient quantities, and at a pnce 

 sufficiently moderate to answer the wants of agriculture. 



In order to determine the relative quantit.es of the above- 

 named substances, it will be necessary to resort to their equiv- 

 alents ; 1 part of ammonia is equal to 2 of soda, and 2 parts of 

 soda to 3 of potash; or their equivalents are nearly as the 

 numbers 1,2,3. But these alkalies are found m the state ot 

 salts; that is, combined generally with carbonic acid, car- 

 bonate of ammonia and soda or wkitc ash These are about 

 equal in their effects, while pot and pearl ash, which are car- 

 bonates of potassa, produce but about two-thirds the effect^ 

 Hence, as cow dung contains 2 per cent, of ammonia, if we add 

 to fresh dry peat 2 per cent, of carbonate of ammonia, 2 of soda 

 ash, or 3 per cent, of potash, they will, in each case, convert 

 it imo that substance. By this estimate, as eac^i cord, when 

 dry weighs 3216 lbs., it would require 84 lbs. of ammonia or 



