September i, 1891.] 
TMF TROPICAL A0RI0ULTURI8T, 
173 
THE APHLICATIOX OF MANURES. 
Mr. Pringle, on lliia ooonaion (see his 
paper below), deals with a practical eubjeot of 
great interest to pisntera ; ar.d although 
hia remarks apply primarily to coffee culture, 
the principles enunciated are equally appli- 
cable to the tea planters’ pursuit. Mr. Pringle 
sotma to have fixed on 4 owt. (one-fifth of a 
ton) of artificial maunra aa the appropriate quantity 
for an acre (calculated to operate, wo euppoce, for 
the othodox period of three years) ; but ho recom- 
menda that the arlifloial manure should be 
" diluted " by a larger quantity of cattle manure, 
or with at least its own bulk of burnt clay. 
The merits of this lattereubstanec,espeoialIyila power 
of absorbing nitrogen, have been long acknow- 
ledged ; and we sunpose the reaeon why it is not 
more largely used is the expense of preparing it, 
especially where fuel is scarce. The necessary 
attention to a moss of brushwood and logs, which, 
under a covering of lumps of earth, must bo kept 
smouldering for three weeks or a month, must in 
many oases act as a deterrent. But where clay is 
prepared as recommended and applied, especially 
to stiff, wst soils, the results will well repay 
all the trouble and expense. In the early days 
of out oonnecticn with the Obserer, " Burnt 
Olay ” was the familiar signature to a aeries of 
letters by old Mr. Hawke, who came to Ceylon 
Item Mauritius with the Chermonts and others 
m “ the forties." As an absorbent of ammoniaanl 
matter in horse stables, cattle ehods, pigsties 
and poultry houses, its value can soarooly 
be over-rated. Mr. Pringle advises manuring 
only at the termination of the monsoon rains ; 
he denounces mammoty digging ; recommends the 
use of the alvanga instead ; and advises the surface 
and broadcast application of manure after a slight 
forking, which will do tho smallest possible 
injury to the feeding rootlets. Wo suppose 
thinks of applying manure in the 
heavy and almost constant rains of tho mon- 
soons; but we Buspoot that, in view of the 
generally raininess of our climate and tho 
steepness of our gradients, few will venture to 
exchange the system of shallow trenches for tho 
broadcoast surface prosesa rccammended by Mr. 
Fringlo. lleadors who are planters and who 
manure their fields will, however, judge for 
themselves. The kinds of artificial manure which 
Mr. Pnnglo favours have been already mentioned, 
but there are lew if any better than the old 
Ueylon favourites : finely ground" bones and white 
oastor oako. If some fish can bo added so much 
the better, especially if “ dilution " with burnt 
«lay is resorted to. 
application of manures. 
Bi William Pringle, m. b. 0. i., 
LITE AORIOCLTCBAL CHEMIST To MESSRS. MATHESON & CO. 
IS COORQ. 
r glider special arrangement for pnblkation in th, 
Ceylon Observer" and “ Tropical Agriculturist.") * 
'I*" manure or manures intended for 
iw ii^'® i’* >'»»' to apply it so 
that the maximum resulta may be produced at tho 
uilaiiuutn oost. 
diw"‘ ' equable distribution it is necessary to 
uiiuto such concentrateri*manurea as bones, fish, hiodey* 
burnt°‘.‘®f. cattle mannre or 
URAd is procurable it may be 
at the r ate of two or more bandy loads mixed 
No doubt the loeal name for some oll-eakc.-Rlih, l’> d. 
Natural. 
Original Matter and Combined Water* 7 572 
Oxides of Iron and Alumina 
... 10'3G9 
Bimo 
... -253 
Magnesia 
•181 
Potash 
... ’070 
Soda ... 
... 'O.'e 
Phoaphorio Acid 
... •159 
Sulphuric Acid 
•023 
Insoluble Silicates (sand &c.) 
... 81367 
with tho artificials, per acre. Where there is not 
sufficient, burnt earth will be found most useful. 
The following analysis shows the chonge produced 
by burning a soil:— 
Parts per 100. 
A B 
•623 
1316 
400 
196 
"389 
•090 
•2a9 
•069 
100000 100.000 
• Containing nitrogen -ISO -005 
The burning has practically destroyed all the organic 
matter and nitrogen, (it is rather over bmnt), but 
has rendered some of the insoluble siliostes soluble; 
the increase cf potash as shown by analysis B is 
partly due to that and partly to the wood used in 
burmiig. At least 1 cubic yard of burnt earth or I 
ton of cattle manure tdioald be mixed with every 4 
owt. of artifioials (the quantity of bones &o. necessary 
for one aero). 
To prepare the burnt earth select good yellow clay, 
or poaty swump soil, cut it into six to nine inch cubic 
clods, dry them in tho tun. About six cubic yards 
should bo out for every ton of manure that is to be 
mixed. 
Tho olods when dry are built up into a heap with 
layers of brushwood (coffee pnmings and shade lop- 
pings will do) : n little heavier wood should be used 
at the bottom to start the fires. 
It is a mistake to use too much wood, or to allow 
the heap to born too rapidly; instead of actually 
burning, it should smonlder gently. A h»ap ten yards 
long by two high and five broad should tska about 
three weeks or a month to burn. 
The earth should not be red when burnt, but just 
in part beginning to turn red ; if of a nice warm 
brown color when finished it is excellent If tho 
fires are going too fast plaster the outside with mud. 
It IS rather pod than otherwise to have a fair per. 
centage of charcoal left in the heap, especially if the 
manure is intended for poor sandy soils. When the 
heap has cooled down break up all the olods and 
pass them through a screen with four meslies per 
linear inch ; better results will be got if a 16 mesh 
screen is nstd, hut the ocst ot puivtriz ng will be 
considerably increased. It is now ready for mixing with 
tho maunte and tho following plan will geneially bo 
found best. •' 
Upon a clean dry floor or barbaone spread a layer 
of two inches of the prepared earth (or dry pulvtrixed 
cattle msiiure); upon it spread J an inch ol bone meal 
or olher manure or manures, over this burnt earth 
and so on earth, manure, earth, finishing with the 
latter. When the heap is about 12 to 16 inches thick 
turn the whoie over ; first from one end then fr. ra the 
other, then from one side, then from tho other; fliiallv 
simultaneously from.tho four cocners throw tho stuff 
up into a heap in the centre, and caretuby luiu it over 
twice. Then pass it tlirongh (ho screen, and again turn 
it over. This is necessary* to ensure an equal propor- 
tion of manure throughout the mass. 
It is now ready to oart out to pits, which 
should bo out one for every five acres; a conveuiuut 
size is 4J fact deep, G feot wide and TJ feet long. 
When these are filled with the mixed manure they 
sUould bo covered with nhont a foot of earth and 
thatched over, a gutter being out round to run off 
the monsoon rain. 
If raw bones are used it is sometimes advisable to 
sprinkle water over the manure as it is put tmo the 
pit to facilitate fermentation; just damp it Having 
the manures in pits obviates the necessity tor cartage 
when tho roads are soft. The manure can be pie- 
pared and catted ont in the dr/ weather. ^ ' 
