4^ 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



many experiments with sea-salt, nitre, soda, barilla, alum, &c. 

 that he never found them operate so as a proportional addition 

 of food might be expected to do, and draws the following con- 

 clusion : " Notwithstanding all that has been said to establish 

 the opinion, that sea-salt is a valuable manure, I am convincea 

 it never can, as an article of food, contribute to the increase 

 of any vegetable ; but as a chemical agent, by destroying and 

 facilitating the decomposition of animals and vegetables, or by 

 its deliquiescence, it may, in some instances, increase the fer- 

 tihty of the soil." 



Urine of most animals affords a good liquid manure, but it is 

 necessary to use it as soon as possible, as it is liable to undergo 

 the putrefactive process, and the urine of some animals putrifies 

 more rapidly than that of others. It should never be applied 

 as a simple ; and if not mixed with solid matter, it should be 

 diluted with water. When pure, it contains too large a por- 

 tion of animal matter to form a proper nom'ishing fluid for the 

 absorption of plants. 



The ashes of wood, if not too much burnt, are said to be a 

 lasting manure ; this, however, must depend on the quantity 

 of charcoal which they may contain, resulting most probably 

 from the slow and gi'adual consumption of the charcoal parts. 

 These ashes are obtained in considerable quantities from lime 

 or brick-kilns, where wood is used for burning. They are 

 generally sown among turnips, and are supposed to be of use 

 in protecting them from the fly. Charcoal-dust may be often 

 obtained, where it is made for the iron manufactories, or for 

 domestic purposes. This dust gives out its fertilizing proper- 

 ties in the most slow and gradual manner possible. 



Saw-dust, shavings, and tanners' bark, are sometimes ap- 

 plied as manure ; but as they are mere woody fibre, which is 

 the only vegetable matter that requires fermentation to render 

 it nutritive to plants, little good is to be expected from their 

 application. Either of them, however, may be used as a cor- 

 rector of strong lands, without doing any injury, if not applied 

 in an immoderate quantity. All animal substances are powerful 

 manures, and require no chemical preparation to fit them for 

 the soil. The great object is to blend them with other matters, 

 so as to prevent their too rapid decomposition. 



