334 
LIQUID MANURES, AND THEIR USES. 
ordinary dunghill, where it could do no harm. 
In another establishment sheep's dung was 
used, at the rate of a peck to a barrel of water. 
This was put in one day, and stirred up four 
or five times ; and the next day, when used, 
it was stirred again. This was being used 
with success to large Camellias and Orange- 
trees while they were making growth, and with 
considerable advantage, and also to some beds 
of layers newly planted out, without any 
watering between at all; but as it was explained 
to us, the soil might have been covered all 
over an inch or two thick, and then left 
to wash in by rain and artificial watering, 
without doing any injury; and certainly, if 
the appearance of things were a criterion, 
there could be no doubt of it. We have seen 
cow-dung used, when decomposed, in rather 
large proportions ; and here the precaution of 
using boiling water Avas taken, on account, as 
it was said, of the great disposition of cow- 
dung to breed the maggot or small grubs of 
some kind. The proportion was a spadeful 
to half a barrel, and stirred well several times 
before the water cooled. The liquid was used 
the next day to Carnations and Piccotees, in 
pots, j ust coming into bloom, and it was said 
to give them a good colour, and add to their 
strength. Again, we have seen the new 
cow-dung used to a bed of Ranunculuses, which 
were literally destroyed by the black maggot, 
and scarcely a healthy root taken up : the 
smell of the cow-dung evidently drawing or 
attracting some fly, which blowed and bred 
there, for there was nothing to be seen but 
myriads of them about the soil when it was 
stirred a little. Here the mixture was cold 
water, and the proportion about a spadeful to 
half a barrel, but the waterings with this were 
repeated without intermission. Since this I 
have actually seen a recommendation of Dr. 
Horner's, to form a Ranunculus bed with 
liquid manure and the soil together ; the 
former to be saturated with the latter, as thick 
as cream. This must be pure theory ; because, 
wherever there is green cow-dung used, there 
will the cow-dung-bob (as the fishermen call 
it) and other nasty maggots, breed by millions, 
if the fly be in the neighbourhood at all, and 
we never knew a place where cows were kept or 
grazed in the neighbourhood, that was not 
infested with it. Another liquid manure, which 
we have seen tried, side by side with guano, 
was common night-soil. It was offensive, it 
is true ; for it had not been disinfected by any 
process. Two pounds weight of each were tried 
in twenty gallons of water ; the former was at 
first very troublesome to hold in solution in 
water. It was only done at last by mixing it 
with something like an equal weight of pow- 
dered lime, and, wdien well amalgamated and 
thinned with boiling water, it was stirred and 
allowed to cool. The guano was, unlike manure, 
pounded and bruised, and dissolved with its 
w eight of lime. These two fertilizers were tried 
on alternate half rods of onions; the night-soil 
was exceedingly efficacious, the guano not 
nearly so much; indeed, not much better, if any, 
than a half rod left to the common watering-pot. 
But here it may be mentioned, that the guano was 
not subject to analysis, and therefore nothing 
can be said as to guano in general from this 
experiment, although it may be safely taken 
as something like evidence in behalf of night- 
soil. It must now strike any one that to order 
liquid manure to be applied to anything, 
without stating how it is to be made, is the 
most vague and uncertain thing in the world. 
In a farm not far from the metropolis, the 
drainings of a cow-house, that is, the pure 
wet, without any of the manure, were used 
with the greatest advantage, Avith its equal 
quantity of Avater, and applied by a contriv- 
ance similar to a water-cart, though more 
clumsily made, all over a pasture field twice 
during the spring, and, as compared with the. 
other pasture of the same character adjoining, 
the crop Avas much heavier. The same stuff, 
Avith three times its quantity of water, was 
used to saturate the piece of ground previous 
to sowing Cabbage, Brocoli, and other seeds 
of that nature, and the first crop came up, 
turned yellow, and died; on raking it Avell over, 
and sowing again, the seedlings came fine, 
strong, and healthy, and made good plants. 
Liquid manure for Dahlias, Avhen the ground 
is not prepared before-hand, has been made of 
cow-dung, Avell decomposed, at the rate of a 
pint to a pail of water, and did Avonders, 
Avhich was rendered evident by leaving some 
to plain Avater only, and observing the great 
difference in the growth and size of flo\A r ers, 
foliage, and plants, altogether. Here Avas a 
very large proportion of coAV-dung; and, as the 
mixture Avas stirred and used directly, before 
the dung, or any of the particles, could settle, 
the earth was, after a few waterings, covered 
with the fibres and Avaste, as it were, of the 
dung, AA'hich, perhaps, Avith the Avashing of the 
rain, found nourishment still, Avhen Avatering 
was unnecessary. Much has been said lately 
about sulphate of ammonia and Avater as a 
fertilizer, at the rate of half an ounce of sul- 
phate to a gallon of water. This Ave have 
heard affirmed to be good if used once to every 
five or six waterings, but not oftener, as the 
effect Avould be bad. Upon the Avhole, Ave do 
hope that those who talk or write of liquid 
manure, would be good enough to say of Avhat 
it is to be composed, Avhat quantities are to be 
used, and Avhen and how it is to be applied — 
not in a vague, but a positive way. It is cer- 
tain that, after pots have been Avashed through 
and through with plain water for months, 
