474 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



Oct. 



MUCK AND ITS USES, 



UKixG August and September 

 there is generally a time when 

 peat, or -what is commonly 

 called muck, may be more con- 

 veniently and cheaply collected 

 than at any other portion of the 

 year. In August the streams are 

 comparatively low, and, of course, 

 meadows and swamps have less water on or in 

 them, and may be travelled over by teams 

 with safety. All favorable opportunities, 

 therefore, for collecting muck should be im- 

 proved by those who believe in its efficacy as 

 a manurial agent. 



Where muck abounds on lands which are 

 usually overflowed by autumnal rains, it is 

 good policy to throw it up in heaps to be 

 hauled off at a later season, or at any time 

 during the winter. Another advantage in this 

 process is, that the water becomes drained 

 away from the muck, and thus reduces the 

 weight to be carted from one-third to one- 

 half, at least. Good muck, thrown out in 

 August, and overhauled once or twice, will be 

 fitted for use in the cattle stalls, or yards dur- 

 ing the winter, or for composting in the barn 

 cellar. When this is thoroughly done, one 

 cord of muck and two cords of droppings from 

 the cattle leanto, will be worth as much as 

 three cords of the latter alone. We have no 

 doubt of this, after a long use of one-third 

 muck mingled with barn manures and a care- 

 ful observation of results. 



The common opinion seems to be that muck 

 is valuable only upon sandy land. This is, we 

 think, an error. It may be more valuable on 

 such land than on heavier soils, but its use 

 will increase the amount of crops on any soil, 

 — even on the very meadows from which it 

 was taken. Dig it out, dry it, and spread it 

 over the surface of the same meadow from 

 which it was taken, and a perceptible differ- 

 ence will be seen in future crops. In order 

 that the experiment may be a fair one, spread 

 it where the meadow has not been affected by 

 draining off" the water in taking out the muck 

 which is used. 



Clay loams, or even compact clays, may be 

 greatly benefited by an admixture of good 

 muck. It will not only supply needed veget- 

 able matter, but exert a mechanical influence, 

 so that, combined, trhey give a new power to 



the soil to produce crops. And this power 

 will not be merely a temporary one, but will 

 be likely to be more permanent in its influence 

 than half as many cords of common manure 

 would be. 



On what are called granite soils, that is, the 

 usual uplands of New England, good muck 

 will have a quick, lasting and excellent influ- 

 ence, giving to the land a darker color and a 

 more mellow condition. If used in the garden 

 and well mingled with the soil, the growth of 

 all plants within its reach will be greatly pro- 

 moted. On their roots reaching it, they will 

 soon assume a darker color, and grow vig- 

 orously, frequently outstripping other plants 

 in their immediate vicinity that are not fa- 

 vored with muck. 



There is evidence which substantiates be- 

 yond all doubt the correctness of these state- 

 ments. A volume might be filled with it. 

 At present we will refer to only one authority. 



Prof. S. W. Johnson, chemist of the Con- 

 necticut Agricultural Society, gives an analy- 

 sis of air-dried peat, and one of well-rotted 

 manure, moist from the heap. The first ob- 

 servation he makes upon these analyses, is, 

 that the peat contains five times as much or- 

 ganic matter, and four times as much poten- 

 tial ammonia as the yard manure. 2d. It con- 

 tains more lime, magnesia and sulphuric acid 

 than yard manure. 3d. It is deficient in pot- 

 ash and phosphoric acid. We see thus that 

 peat and yard manure are excellently adapted 

 to go together ; each supplies the deficiency 

 of the other. 



HOHSEB IN FLY-TIME. 



"A Merciful Man is merciful to his beast " 

 Every exertion a horse makes costs money 

 to the owner. If he travels ten or fifteen 

 miles a day, regularly, it will cost nearly 

 double to feed him, that it would to feed one 

 who is taken out for a little exercise only. 



So it is with him in the stable. If it is 

 light, and the air is confined, flies, in any 

 number, will find him and become his tormen- 

 tors during nearly all the time of daylight 

 hours. There is no rest for the poor animal. 

 He cannot get away from his tormentors. He 

 pounds the floor incessantly to beat them off", 

 breaks the planks that he stands on, and 

 fatigues himself with constant exertion in try- 

 ing to protect himself. 

 The horse does not reason as Esop's fox 



