2?o 
any other people existing, mix their night-soil with 
one-third of its weight of a fat marie, make it into 
cakes, and dry it by exposure to the sun. These 
cakes, we are informed by the French missionaries, 
have no disagreeable smell, and form a common 
article of commerce of the empire. 
The earth, by its absorbent powers, probably 
prevents, to a certain extent, the action of moisture 
upon the dung, and likewise defends it from the 
effects of air. 
After night-soil, pigeons’ dung comes next in 
order, as to fertilizing power. I digested 100 
grains of pigeons’ dung in hot water for some hours, 
and obtained from it 23 grains of soluble matter ; 
which afforded abundance of carbonate of ammonia 
by distillation ; and left carbonaceous matter, saline 
matter principally common salt, and carbonate of 
lime as a residuum. Pigeons’ dung when moist 
readily ferments, and after fermentation contains 
less soluble matter than before : from 100 parts of 
fermented pigeons’ dung, I obtained only eight 
parts of soluble matter, which gave proportionally 
less carbonate of ammonia in distillation than recent 
pigeons’ dung. 
It is evident that this manure should be applied 
as new as possible ; and when dry, it may be em- 
ployed in the same manner as the other manures 
capable of being pulverised. 
The soil in woods where great flocks of wood- 
pigeons roost, is often highly impregnated with 
their dung, and, it cannot be doubted, would form 
a valuable manure. I have found such soil yield 
ammonia when distilled with lime. In the winter 
