442 
Mr.  Hannam  on  Waste  Manures. 
ammonia  will  be  very  slight.  When,  however,  we  require  the  manure  in 
the  couch  to  undergo  very  quick  and  active  fermentation,  and  are  com- 
pelled to  throw  the  manure  lightly  together,  and  to  drain  away  unnecessary 
moisture,  our  best  method  of  preventing  gaseous  escape  is  to  cover  the  heap 
lightly  over  with  ashes,  sawdust,  peat,  charcoal,  or  other  absorbent,  and 
to  keep  this  coating  well  saturated  with  sulphuric  acid  and  water,  say  a 
weak  mixture  of  ten  gallons  of  water  to  one  of  acid 
“ To  combine  the  various  waste  matters  with  our  ordinary  compost, 
the  system  affords  us  every  facility.  Thus,  the  liqidd  from  all  the  buildings 
flowing  into  the  tank,  we  have  nothing  more  to  do  than  to  lead  our  manure 
from  tiie  yard  upon  one  of  the  beds  of  the  couch,  where  we  can,  by  taking 
out  the  plug  from  the  spout  over  the  portion  we  wish  to  saturate,  pump 
upon  it,  if  we  think  proper,  the  whole  contents  of  the  tank.  With  this 
compost  we  can  also  mix  the  ivaste  vegetable  and  other  refuse,  which  have 
been  collected  in  the  other  section  of  the  couch,  or  can,  by  opening  the 
spout  from  the  pump,  make  a compost  of  it,  with  the  liquid  from  the  tank 
only.  The  gaseous  matters  are  in  this  or  other  cases  preserved  and  com- 
bined with  the  bulk  of  the  compost  by  the  means  before  detailed. 
“ To  make  and  preserve  our  compost  manure  in  whatever  condition  we  may 
wish  it  to  be  for  any  length  of  time,  is  another  of  the  advantages  which  we 
have  said  the  system  gives  us,  and  it  is  thus  secured.  In  the  farmyard,  by 
opening  the  spouts  and  stopping  the  drain  leading  to  the  tank,  or  vice 
versa,  we  can  retard  or  accelerate  the  decomposition  of  any  vegetable 
matter  ; and,  when  we  think  fit,  can  lead  it  out  into  the  couch,  where  we 
prepare  it,  and  preserve  it  in  any  condition  we  may  think  proper.  Thus  say 
we  have  one  portion  which  we  wish  to  keep  fresh  for  a length  of  time  ; we 
have  nothing  more  to  do  than  to  saturate  it.  well  with  the  liquid  from  the 
pump,  and  to  keep  it  pressed  down  and  thoroughly  wet,  and  covered  with 
earth  or  vegetable  refuse,  so  that  the  atmosphere  cannot  have  access  to  it, 
when  our  object  will  be  effected.  Another  portion,  which  we  may  wish 
to  decompose  thoroughly,  we  can  place  in  the  other  section  of  the  couch, 
throwing  it  lightly  together,  and  frequently  applying  the  liquid  from  the 
tank.  In  this  case  the  drain  from  the  couch  should  be  open,  in  order  that 
it  may  return  all  the  liquid  that  the  compost  does  not  absorb,  and  thus 
keep  the  manure  from  being  too  wet.  Again,  to  make  our  compost  in  as 
good  a condition  as  it  can  be  for  use,  we  can  saturate  it  thoroughly  with 
the  liquid  from  the  tank,  and  apply  it  in  as  wet  a condition  as  possible. 
By  this  means  we  excite  a fresh  action  in  the  manure,  which  is  of  imme- 
diate benefit  to  the  young  crop  (especially  to  turnips  and  green  crops), 
and  convey  a stock  of  liquid  food  with  scarcely  any  extra  carriage.  My 
own  experiments  (p.  49),  those  of  the  late  Arthur  Young  (p.  48),  and  the 
practice  of  the  Flemings  (who  moisten  the  small  heaps  of  compost  laid  out 
at  regular  distances  in  the  field,  and  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  heat  plough 
them  in),*  are  proofs  of  the  beneficial  effects  of  this  process. 
“ In  executing  these  various  processes,  the  means  which  have  been  laid 
down  for  the  prevention  of  gaseous  waste  maybe  employed.  And,  lastly, 
after  having  preserved  all  waste ; — concentrated  as  far  as  possible  the  fertil- 
izing matters  of  the  farm  in  our  manure  heaps ; — preserved  them  as  long  as  we 
think  proper ; — and  applied  them  in  the  condition  best  adapted  to  promote 
vegetation,  our  tank  supplies  us  with  the  means  of  applying  a liquid  dress- 
ing to  any  light  sandy  soil,  or  to  any  crop  which  we  think  requires  it,  or 
whenever  our  solid  matters  for  making  compost  are  exhausted.” 
* Agriculture  of  the  Netherlands,  Royal  Journal,  vol.  ii.  p.  57. 
