G44 Abstract Report of Agricultural Discussions. 
Let me add, that care sliould bo taken by purcliasers of bonc-diist 
to obtain a genuine article ; for bone-dust, particularly of the finer 
kind, is frequently mixed ■nith cheap materials. Bone-filings, the 
refuse of button-manufacturers and bone-turners, has of late yeai'S 
become very much deteriorated in quality by the admixture of vege- 
table ivory, now very largely used, as well as bone, for the turning of 
buttons ; the combination is so complete that it is very difficult to 
distingiiish the bone-filings from the vegetable ivory dust, a sub- 
stance ■\^hich has no more manuring value than common sawdust, 
being of the same nature. Boiled bones, the refuse of the glue- 
manufacturers, when obtained in a dry condition, are extremely vahi- 
able. They have then been deprived of all ; their fat, and of about 
haK their nitrogenous matter. It is sui-prising that they should 
still contain one-half the quantity of nitrogen which is to be 
found in fresh bones. Therefore glue-makers' refuse, when dry, is 
very useful in improving the pastures of dairy districts like those of 
Cheshire. 
The next question which we have briefly to consider, is. What are we 
to do with cold wet land, on which farmyard manm-e and artificial 
maniires make no great impression '? Doubtless it is not easy to improve 
such pastiu'es. Some of the dairy farmers, when blamed for not im- 
proving their pastm'es, will tell you that they have tried faiinyard 
manure very largely, and also various artificial manures, but have not 
succeeded in getting a return for theii* outlay of money. It would 
seem that on grass-land of this description, which rests on a subsoil, 
wet, imdrained, and difficult to drain, the maniu'e passes away, some- 
how or other, without producing much effect. In such instances, imtil 
the question of di-ainage has been solved, the application of manm-es 
would but lead to waste ; that, however, is a point for the con- 
sideration of the engineer. Let us now suppose the worst case — 
that experience has jjointed out to us that the laud is not grateful 
for draining, and therefore cannot be much imjiroved by the addition 
of manure, and also that it cannot be broken up. The question of the 
desirableness or otherwise of breaking up such land is one far too 
wide to be discussed here ; and tlicrefore I will not touch upon it ; 
there may be good reasons for cither alternative. In this, the worst 
of all cases, I would recommend, from my own experience, the addition 
to the smfacc of bulky manures. I would scrape together whatever I 
could of what is commonly considered valueless material ; I woitld 
collect the sweepings of the yard ; I would scrape the roads well, and 
collect the scrapings : I would cmjjloy a man to collect the droppings 
of the gi-azing stock by means of a donkey-cart, and I would keej) him 
constantly at work in raking up the droppings, mixing them with the 
road-scrapings, and adding a little lime to this material, if the land is 
deficient in lime. It is astonishing what a quantity of manure may 
be collected in this way ; and by api)lying such an earth-compost just 
at the gromng season of the yeiu-, \\lien the grasses are making a 
start, we can often im2)rove them very materially, if we have tho 
compost ready. Such compost for grass land ought to be kept for at 
least six months, and bo tui'ncd over once or twice before it is put on 
