664 PIGEONS' DUNG— BliOOD. 



its value as a manure is to be preserved. Kitchen garden 

 crops, requiring strong manure, such as Asparagus, are those 

 to which it is most suitable. Trees, shrubs, and fruit-trees are 

 the least fit to receive its influence. 



Various deodorised preparations of tMs substance are in the market, 

 under the names of Poudrette, animalised black, Poitevin's manure, 

 Dutob. or Flemish manure, &e. ; but such preparations are frequently 

 almost inert, in consequence of unskilful management on the part of 

 the makers. No state of night-soU is so active as that ia which it is 

 mixed with fine charcoal tUl its offensive odour is destroyed. Another 

 valuable preparation consists in mixing it with twice its weight of dry 

 bog earth, and the same weight of gypsvim in fine powder ; but in this, 

 as in aU other cases, the urine belonging to it should never be allowed 

 to run to waste. 



Pigeons' Dung approaches nearly to guano in its effects. In 

 Persia dove-cotes are kept in the midst of the plains for the 

 purpose of securing this valuable dejection. The Persians use 

 it, as the Peruvians use guano, by mixing a small quantity in 

 the soil in which their Melons and other crops are planted. 

 Wherever it has been tried in this country, it has been found 

 of the greatest energy. The only danger in using it is that it 

 may be too strong and burn. The Belgians employ it as a top- 

 dressing for flax. "When fresh it contaias about 23 per cent. 

 of ammoniacal and alkaline salts, besides a considerable 

 quantity of phosphoric acid. It deteriorates by keeping. 



" A plant of Heath (Erica australis, I believe) was placed under my 

 care in the spring of 1823, with a request that I wotild treat it in any 

 way I wished. It was then about eight iuches high, and growing in 

 a small quantity of peat earth and sand ; and in that it continued to 

 grow with very little increase of size till the foUbwing spring. From 

 that period it was regularly supplied with water, which, though clear, 

 was considerably tinged with an infusion of pigeons'-dung. I was 

 apprehensive this kind of food would prove fatal to it ; but far from 

 this being the result, the plant grew with excessive health and 

 vigour, emitting very numerous branches, eight of which exceeded 

 eighteen inches each in length. It was then taken away by the owner 

 of it, and I have not since seen or heard of it, but it left me in a state 

 of luxuriant health." — Knight in Sort. Trans., vii. 183. 



The Blood of Animals, when dried, yields about 17 per cent, 

 of ammonia, but no phosphoric acid. Mr. Way suggests that 



