104 ECONOMICAL GEOLOGY. 



venient; the whole should be covered with the muck. 

 This is allowed to heat moderately, and ferment together, 

 and turned over once or twice in the course of the season. 

 In this way, the whole mass is thought to become as valu- 

 able as an equal weight of farm-yard manure. 



It is recommended, where sea-weed is convenient, to use 

 that substance, mixing the muck with from a sixth to a 

 quarter of its bulk of fresh sea-weed ; the rapid decay of 

 this last will gradually reduce the entire heap into a ferti- 

 lizing mass. 



Where barn-yard manure is not to be had conveniently, 

 the muck may be composted with lime, using from one to 

 five bushels of lime to a cord of muck. The action in this 

 case seems to be reciprocal ; the muck is made valuable, 

 and the lime is in a better form for applying to the soil, 

 than when in its caustic and pure state. Johnson says, 

 " such a compost is especially adapted to the lightest and 

 driest soils, and to such as are poorest in vegetable matter. 

 In this form, lime has imparted an unexpected fertility, 

 even to the white and barren sands of the Landes, in 

 Prance ; and upon the dry hills of Derbyshire, it has pro- 

 duced an almost equal benefit." 



In one or two localities, it was noticed that the muck 

 was charged with sulphate of iron (copperas) sufficient to 

 give it a decidedly inky taste. For such kinds of muck, 

 lime is absolutely necessary; or else they will be injurious 

 to the soil, if used in any considerable quantity.* 



§ No reference has been made in the preceding para- 

 graphs to the immense deposits of cedar swamp- earth, 



* I have met with no formations of peat, such as is formed in wet and mossy meadows. 



