POUDRETTE.—TO AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
103 
Mr. L. F. Allen of Black Rock, this state. They 
are from the celebrated herd of George Patterson, 
Esq., of Sykesville, near Baltimore. For a fall de¬ 
scription of this herd we would refer to our April 
No., p. 19. 
To unusual size and fine points, these Devons add 
good milking qualities, and it was from the same 
herd as these, that Mr. Bloomfield, a tenant of the 
Earl of Leicester at Holkham, challenged all Eng¬ 
land to milk with him. 
POUDRETTE. 
The use of this valuable manure is every year 
becoming more general. The highly concentrated 
vegetable nutrition contained in it, and the large 
and rapid growth it affords when properly applied, 
is fast acquiring for it a high rank among modern 
manures. There is no addition made to the value 
of the original material from which it is made, by 
the manufacturer; and it is therefore in the power 
of any farmer or gardener to apply what is within 
his reach, without adding to it the expense of 
transportation, packages, and the profit of prepa¬ 
ring it. By adding dry peat, refuse tanner’s bark, 
or even turf, with charcoal or ground gypsum, all 
the offensive effluvia is prevented, and the article 
can be removed without annoyance. 
An excellent plan for effecting this, is given by Mr. 
Wood fire in the Southern Planter. He says: “I 
collect the stercoracious matters separately in large 
vessels. After the urine has become putrid, which 
will require but 2 or 3 days in warm weather, and 
10 or 15 in cold, add sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) 
slowly to the urine. If the urine is putrid, a pow¬ 
erful effervescence will immediately take place. 
The acid must be added till effervescence ceases. 
By this process the carbonic acid is driven off, and 
the sulphate of ammonia is formed, which has no 
volatility, except at a high temperature. Thus 
is secured the ammonia formed by putrefaction, 
which would otherwise escape. I then add the 
liquid to the solid excrement, incorporating them 
well together, until a very thin batter is formed. 
Into this mass I stir my finely-pulverised char¬ 
coal, according to my judgment, without regard to 
any precise quantity, which is then spread on tight 
boards in the open air. Stir frequently till the 
whole is dried, then pulverise and put it up in bar¬ 
rels for crops.” 
Now, here is the whole story of preparing it 
nicely, for sale. The oil of vitriol is a cheap arti¬ 
cle, and within any one’s reach; but the same ob¬ 
ject is attained by using gypsum, which is a com¬ 
bination s>f sulphuric acid and lime. When this 
is used, a double salt is formed. The acid of the 
gypsum leaves the lime to unite with the ammonia 
of the urine, and the carbonic acid of the manure 
unites with the lime, making a double compound, 
sulphate of ammonia and carbonate of lime, or 
common lime, and the object is accomplished at 
less expense. Dry pulverised peat is a substitute 
for charcoal, even if it is desired to put up in pack¬ 
ages ; and, being with many a cheaper material, 
may be properly substituted for it. Or if required 
for use on the premises, waste, tan, or common 
turf, well filled with decayed vegetable matter 
may be used. 
TO AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
At the meetings of the various Agricultural So¬ 
cieties in this and the adjoining states last year, 
our publication not having completed its first vol¬ 
ume, and we being little known, but few copies ot 
it were voted for distribution for premiums, while 
hundreds of our contemporaries were taken for this 
purpose. We do not complain of any partiality in 
these proceedings, for under the circumstances of 
the case, none other could be expected; but now 
that the American Agriculturist is fairly establish¬ 
ed, and the first volume bound, forming a conveni¬ 
ent, handsome, and most useful book for the Farm¬ 
er, Stock-breeder, and Horticulturist, and the sec¬ 
ond volume is coming promptly out on the first of 
each month in its regular numbers, we trust that 
a fair share of the patronage of our own State So¬ 
cieties, at least, will be extended to us. 
As to the editorial department of this work, we 
say nothing; but our correspondence we feel proud 
of, and we challenge any journal to show one of 
greater ability or variety; and for convenience of 
form, beauty of type, paper, and embellishments, 
we are neither equalled in this country nor in Eu¬ 
rope—and for price, it is among the cheapest. The 
paper is also established on a firm basis—its pub¬ 
lishers are both able and willing, and have set 
apart a sufficiency of funds, if necessary, to sustain 
it in any event. But of this, we are happy to say, 
there is no necessity; for we have already a larger 
list of subscribers to the present volume in the first 
three months of its existence than we numbered 
on the last in twelve months, and this list is daily 
and rapidly augmenting. There were more added 
the past month than any one yet since the starting 
of the paper, and we shall promptly commence 
Volume Third on the 1st of January, 1844, and so 
continue to issue double numbers each month till 
Volume Second is completed, unless we should de¬ 
cide upon finishing it in double numbers previously* 
