138 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



■will be the most rich, next on turnips, carrots, &c., next hay, and the 

 poorest of all on straw. 



When the excrementitions matters from privies is made use of in the 

 compost heap, large quantities of muck, for the ammonia and volatile 

 alkalis to exert themselves upon, should be used. 



The results of experiments carefully made with these matters in the 

 compost heap, convince me that inconceivable loss is often incurred by the 

 inconsiderate practice of the generality of farmers, who permit the fluid 

 parts to escape from the bottom of the heap and run away. When, if 

 properly husbanded and applied to the field, it would produce forage capar 

 ble of fattening the largest sized cattle in much loss time than any other:. 



It will be found that the excrement of those animals which feed on the 

 food that constitutes the diet of man, is the most effectual in promoting 

 vegetation, when applied to the ground. Hence it follows that the manure 

 of dogs, swine, carnivorous birds, pigeons, turkeys, and other poultry, 

 produce powerful effects. When these matters are placed in the compost 

 heap putrefaction immediately commences, and the carbon contained in 

 them is changed into carbonic acid gas, and their water is decompf)6ed as 

 is evinced by the strong smell of hydrogen, this process makes them capa- 

 ble of being taken up by the TOots of plants. 



The substances of the vegetable kind that may be converted into 

 manure, are so exceedingly numerous that it would require pages to de- 

 scribe the whole of them. All known green vegetable productions, river, 

 lake, pond and ditch weed, the refuse of garden vegetables, haulm of po- 

 tatoes, buckwlieat, rye, wheat and barle3'- straw, &c. All the weeds on a 

 farm may be cut down in their juicy state, just before the blossoms appear, 

 when they are in the best possible condition to become immediately putrid, 

 and at the same time the injury that might be sustained, if they were per^ 

 mitted, as they generally are, to go to seed. 



Imm^'diately as these several matters are collected in a heap, blend 

 quick lime with them, and cover with mould, in order that the matters 

 afforded by the dissolution of the weed, may have something to act upon, 

 thus enriching the compost heap, and rendering its effects more permanent 

 when spread upon the land. 



The refuse from tanning establishments in the shape of fine bark from 

 the hemlock tree, may be employed as a manure, composted thus : collect 

 it when fresh, first into moderate sized heaps, in a place protected from ex- 

 posure to wind and the suns' rays, mingle with it quick lime in the propoi^ 

 tion of one bushel to ten, and moisten it slightly with water, then mix 

 with it sea weed, if you can get it, the mud from the bottoms of ponds, rivers 

 and stagnant places. Turn the heaps twice, and then form them into 

 large heaps, and continue turning once a week until the whole is reduced 

 to a considerable degree of fineness. Then add a few loads of rotten horse- 

 dimg to promote and render the decay of the mass complete. In using manures 

 thus prepared as top dressing for grass land, they should not be spread on 

 too thickly, or in too large portions at one application, as sometimes injury 

 is done to the succeeding crop, the grass not being able to tiller. 



A rich and admirable manure may be composted as dressing for 

 orchards thus : take two tons of saw dust, and incorporate with it tbj 



