128 Moi)cy-vnh(e of Nifjht-Soil and other Manures. 
" Lot me alone to know liow much I can make of a ton of straw 
manure, and tell me what you think this new fancy article is 
worth, supposing' I can make (say) 8s. per ton of the old stuff 
when it lies handy for use." 
But, whether this view of the course of events be correct or 
not, it surely never can be right or expedient to regulate our 
prices by that of a material which is the subject of a monopoly, 
and can therefore be raised or lowered by an arbitrary fiat at any 
moment ; nor is it at all necessary to do so when equivalent sup- 
plies can be obtained from so many other quarters by various 
agencies. 
My first objection to the standard adopted is, that it is gene- 
rally too high. 
To establish this point, I shall first cite as a Avitness Dr. 
Voelcker, who, in his Lecture on Sewage (see vol. xxiii. page 
466), has told us that the calculated value of a ton of rotten dung 
is 13s. Bt?., or of fresh dung 13s. ; "at the same time that 3s., or, 
at the most, 5s. per ton, is the price generally given for farmyard 
manure." To account for this discrepancy, the chemist can only 
allege the cost of carting the more bulky substance ; but straw 
manure is generally disposed of within such a range that each 
cart carries at least two loads per day, and a leisure season or a 
wet day is selected for doing the work, so that 2s. or 3s. per ton is 
generally the utmost cost of delivery. When delivered on the field, 
this manure supplies fertilizers in the very best shape for plants ; 
neither too dilute nor too concentrated, too slow nor too quick 
in operation. For stiff soils the bulky straw is mechanically of 
use ; for light sands, where some artificials are too stimulating, 
its power of retaining moisture, and the supply it affords of alka- 
lies, are specially serviceable ; so that when delivered, its form is 
unimpeachable, and it cannot on that account be subjected to an 
abatement. By what plea, then, can this great divarication 
between theory and practice be justified ? 
My own estimate of the worth of farmyard-manure has prac- 
tically been reduced into the following shape : — 
Being able to procure good London manure at a neighbouring 
railroad-station for 8s. 6f/. per ton, I gladly avail myself of this 
sup{)ly when there is a prospect of wheat making 7s. per bushid, 
and when my field is almost ;is accessible' from the station as 
from the homestead, but otherwise 1 am indifferent about it.* 
* This view may be rouglily verified, as follows: — Say that the addition of 12 
tons of manure to afield raises the crop from IG to .'!2 Imsliels per acre, tliu manure 
at 8ii. (td. per ton will cost a little over 5i., i.e., the value of 2 quarters of wheat at 
SOu. Tlie increase of straw will pay for extra lahour in harvesting and marketing ; 
and the virtue still left in the field for the succeeding crop must bo looked to for 
a profit. 
