MANURES. 



157 



more readily assimilable form for plants than 

 the nitrogen in the garden refuse. 



If we proportion our supply of manure to the 

 waste caused by the growth and removal of 

 vegetation, we shall keep up the fertility of the 

 soil to the degree in which we found it; if we 

 give more judiciously, we gradually increase 

 the fertility. These principles should be kept 

 in view in the practical application of manures, 

 and if experience confirms their truth we shall 

 have obtained a clearer insight into the mode 

 in which different kinds of manures assist vege- 

 tation, and increase fertility in the soil we 

 cultivate. 



Soot. — This substance consists principally of 

 charcoal, but its efficiency as a manure is chiefly 

 attributable to its containing ammonia, the 

 amount of which varies in different samples 

 from 1 to 5 per cent. Dr. Voelcker found 3J 

 per cent of ammonia, 2f per cent of alkali salts, 

 1 1 per cent of carbonate of lime, and 2 per cent 

 of carbonate of magnesia in a sample of com- 

 mercial soot. 



Soot should be kept dry till required for use. 

 It is generally applied as a top-dressing; and it 

 may be scattered at the rate of 30 to 50 bushels 

 per acre; but it is best to apply it as a liquid 

 manure. When used in the latter way it may 

 be mixed in the proportion of 1 peck to 30 

 gallons of water, and should be allowed to 

 stand till the liquid is clear. It may thus be 

 given once or twice a week with great benefit 

 to growing plants, especially those in pots. As 

 a preventive to the attacks of insects, half a 

 peck of soot and a quarter of a peck of quick- 

 lime, mixed well with water and allowed to 

 stand till clear, form a useful wash. As a top- 

 dressing to pastures and lawns, soot is very 

 beneficial; if raked into the soil with Turnip 

 or Cabbage seed, it forces quickly the young 

 plants into the rough leaf, an object of great 

 importance, inasmuch as when this is the case 

 the ravages of the "fly" are in a great measure 

 prevented. This manure has likewise been 

 employed for Potatoes, and Vine borders and 

 Roses, with good results. It is also used for 

 Onions, raked in with the seed, partly as a 

 manure, but more especially for the purpose of, 

 preventing the attacks of the Onion -grub. 

 Asparagus, Peas, Beans, and a variety of other 

 vegetables are benefited by a liberal applica- 

 tion. Plants in pots, particularly Pines, when 

 watered with it assume a deep healthy green, 

 and grow strong and luxuriantly. 



Blood. — In its natural state blood contains 

 from 2 J to 5 per cent of nitrogen, and when 



dried from 6 to 14 per cent. The ash is rich 

 in alkaline phosphates, as exhibited in the fol- 

 lowing analysis, which possess high fertilizing 

 properties. 



The ash of blood contains — 



Sodium phosphate, 



... 1677 



Calcium and magnesium phosphates, 



... 419 



Oxide and phosphate of iron, 



... 8-28 



Sodium chloride (common salt), 



... 59-34 



Potassium chloride, 



... 6-12 



Calcium chloride, 



... 3-85 



Calcium sulphates — gypsum, 



... 1-45 



100-00 



Dried blood is a concentrated source of 

 nitrogen, which yields ammonia by gradual de- 

 composition in the soil; it is, however, hardly 

 sufficiently soluble for most purposes. It may 

 be used for Turnips and Potatoes, and is an 

 excellent manure for fruit-trees. When mixed 

 with earth it forms a rich compost. 



Petermann, in Belgium, has carefully tested 

 the fertilizing power of dried blood, as compared 

 with that of nitrate of soda, upon spring Wheat, 

 both on a clayey and a sandy soil. 



No manure, 



As dried blood, . . . 



As nitrate of soda, 



Clayey Soil. 



Grain. Total Crop. 



7*94 ... 26-13 ... 



19-56 ... 62-07 ... 



2014 ... 64-39 ... 



Sandy Soil. 

 Grain. Total Crop. 

 . 2-08 ... 7-34 

 . 5-05 ... 15-75 

 . 7-51 ... 27-02 



Nitrate of soda is seen to be superior to dried 

 blood, especially on light soil. In the opinion 

 of some observers, the nitrogen in blood is 

 worth twice as much per pound as that in 

 coarse bone-meal. 



Fish guanos. — These manures are by-products 

 of the large fish-curing factories. The fish re- 

 fuse is first pressed under heat to extract the 

 oil, and is then reduced to fine powder. Con- 

 taining as they do a high percentage of am- 

 monia, combined with a fair proportion of phos- 

 phates, these fish manures form very valuable 

 fertilizers. 



Dr. Yoelcker gave the following as the com- 

 position of~two samples of dried-fish manure : — 



Moisture, 



1 Organic matter and water of combination, 



2 Phosphoric acid, 

 Lime, 



Iron oxide, alumina, magnesia, &c, 

 Insoluble siliceous matter, 



100-00 100-00 



1 Containing nitrogen, 



Equal to ammonia, 

 2 Equal to tricalcium phosphate, 



Per Cent. Per Cent. 



I. S-06 ... II. 6-62 



I. 9-79 ... II. 8-04 



I. 13-21 ... II. 16*11 



