36 The Ottawa Naturalist. 



suits. We have ample testimony that on many of our heavy 

 and light soils this treatment has been eminently satisfactory. 



NATURALLY-OCCURRING FERTILIZERS. 



Closely relating to the question of soil plant food is that of 

 fertilizers. In many parts of the Dominion are to be found vast 

 deposits of material rich in the elements nessary for plant growth. 

 These accumulations of swamp muck, peat, marl, gypsum, moss, 

 river and tidal muds, seaweed, etc., etc., are all most valuable. 

 Their composition should be better known and their methods of 

 application more universally understood. Analyses made 

 in our laboratories have e.stablished the fact that swamp mucks 

 are nitrogenous fertilizers of a high order. In an air-dried con- 

 dition they will average per ton between 30 lbs. and 40 lbs. of 

 nitrogen which element by suitable fermentation may be con- 

 verted into assimilable forms for crop use. Moreover, we have 

 ascertained that this material (air-dried) is an excellent absorbent 

 so that it can be used to advantage in and about our farm 

 buildings and indeed everywhere where there is liquid manure 

 to absorb. By its use in this way not only is the most valuable 

 portion of the manure saved from loss but the buildings, the farm 

 and the yard well kept clean. The fermentation that subsequently 

 ensues in the manure pile results in the production of a rich and 

 quick acting fertilizer. These deductions are drawn from over 

 one hundred analyses made by us of muck collected in the 

 various provinces of the Dominion. 



A word or two about moss litter. During the past year an 

 investigation was made in our laboratories of samples of peat 

 moss from New Brunswick. The results obtained established a 

 high value for this substance as a bedding material. Its absorp- 

 tive capacity is high, the air-dried moss holding as much as 16 

 and 18 times its own weight of liquid. Not only is it useful in 

 keeping stables dry, but also preserves them free from odour, for 

 it has the property of absorbing ammonia and other gases 

 Moss litter (principally species of Sphagnum) contains about 

 half of onepercentof nitrogen, as well as notable quantities of othe 



