192 [Assembly 



vicinity. This black muck has been washed from the Iiigh 

 lands during all time, and is highly valuable after proper treat- 

 ment, both for supplying organic matter to the soil and as the 

 recipient of the fluid manures of the stables, pig pens, &c., &c. 

 Even the salt marsh, by being ditched, and thus improved, will 

 furnish a suitable material. 



This or any other organic matter may be rendered pulverulent 

 and suitable for use by the following process, viz : 



To make chloride of lime and carbonate of soda. — To three bushels 

 of lime, (shell lime, if you can get it,) fresh from the kiln, add 

 one bushel of common salt, dissolved in water. This will slake 

 the lime — and it may be found difficult to cause the lime to re- 

 ceive all the salt water the first day; but by turning over the 

 mass each day, the whole of the pickle may be added. This 

 mixture should be turned once each day for a fortnight, so as 

 frequently to expose all its parts to the action of the atmosphere. 

 After this time a chemical change will have taken place, and the 

 salt and lime will have changed to the chloride of lime and car- 

 bonate of soda. 



Common salt is composed of chlorine and soda, and after its 

 intimate admixture with all the /me, this last substance will 

 combine with the chlorine, and thus form chloride of lime; 

 while the soda, being set free, will take carbonic acid from the 

 atmosphere, and become carbonate of soda. Commencing, then, 

 with lime and salt, you will have resultant chloride of lime and 

 carbonate of soda, which I will call, for the future, decomposing 

 powders. 



The muck should be dug some time before it is required for 

 use, and thus it will have time to drain itself of excess of mois- 

 ture, and be lighter to cart. If dug in the fall, or during the 

 milder parts of winter, the frequent freezings and thawings will 

 leave it in a fine pulverulent condition by spring. 



Prepared Muck. To each cord of this muck add four bushels 

 of the decomposing powders, and in 60 days in summer or 90 days 

 in winter, it will decompose all the roots, &c., and leave the 

 mass light and powdery. 



