tfOftfiST LEAVES AS MANURE*—MANAGEMENT 0E STABLES.—TOOLS FOR BOVS. 
39 
Institute, we can not give a cut of it. Shares may¬ 
be multiplied to any number, so as to clear out 
furrows from four feet, to as much greater width 
as desirable. 
FOREST LEAVES AS MANURE. 
It is Well known that the leaves of trees make 
a most valuable manure; but they are so light of 
weight that it is rather troublesome gathering 
them. Mr. Cadmus, of Long Island, has given 
us his method of collecting them, which we think 
is the best we have yet heard of. He takes a 
common dung-fork, and striking it lightly into the 
surface soil, when not frozen, which the leaves 
©over, it will easily peel from the subsoil from one 
to three inches deep. As it is loosened in this 
way roll it over on the leaves, and as soon as a 
good fork full is obtained, throw it into the wagon. 
The leaves and top soil are thus taken up quite 
rapidly, and the latter weight for weight, for many 
purposes, is scarcely less valuable than the former. 
They make one of the very best manures for nur¬ 
series, orchards, and gardens. Along their sides, 
and particularly in the comers of fences, large 
quantities of decayed leaves and rich soil may be 
found; and we know of nothing more valuable to 
be mixed with manure in the barnyard, or to make 
a compost of with lime, ashes, charcoal-dust, and 
other substances. 
MANAGEMENT OF STABLES. 
At a late meeting of the Royal Agricultural So¬ 
ciety of England, Mr. Reece submitted a paper, 
detailing several experiments in the disinfection of 
stables, by the absorption of ammonia generated 
in them, which we briefly copy. 
The stables were, in the first instance, strewn 
with gypsum, (crystallized sulphate of lime,) 
coarsely powdered; but though the ammonia was 
evolved from the wetted straw, no trace of it was 
visible after two days’ exposure when examined 
with slaked lime. The stables were then strewn 
with the gypsum moistened with sulphuric acid, 
and when examined next morning, every portion 
was found to have absorbed sufficient ammonia to 
emit its peculiar pungent odor when brought into 
contact with slaked lime. The stables had lost 
their close, unhealthy smell, and, to use the words 
of the grooms, appeared to be quite sweetened. 
As it was evident the gypsum acted merely me¬ 
chanically, affording a convenient absorbent sur¬ 
face for the acid, some further experiments were 
made, substituting sawdust for gypsum, which 
were attended by still more favorable results. 
The prepared mixture should be laid upon trays, 
as the acid is considered likely to injure the horses’ 
feet. One part of sawdust will readily absorb 
three times its weight of acid solution, which 
would be mixed in the proportion, by measures, of 
one part of sulphuric acid to fifteen of distilled 
water. The ammoniacal salt makes an excellent 
manure, but it should not be mixed with the straw 
until after removed from the stable. >\ 
Now we must be allowed to doubt the efficacy 
of these experiments in the fulness with which 
they would seem to be commended to us. That 
some of the ammonia is absorbed by the sulphuric 
acid is not questioned; but that it takes place to 
anything like the absorption of all, or nearly all 
the ammonia generated, may well be doubted. 
We would like to see the experiment, however, 
by some of our citizens who would send us the 
results. The ammonia is very injurious to the 
eyes of the horse, and the groom, and frequently 
is the cause of severe inflammation. 
Sulphuric acid diluted with about 50 parts of 
water, and sprinkled on the straw, where it would 
come directly in contact with the ammonia, would 
be much more likely to seize upon and combine 
with it ; and weakened to the extent suggested, it 
would not probably injure the feet of the horses. 
But we think charcoal strewed in and around the 
stables would absorb it equally, or even more ef¬ 
fectually at a cheaper rate, and with greater ad¬ 
vantage to the manure. 
TOOLS FOR BOYS. 
Has your father a carpenter or blacksmith’s shop 
upon his farm ? If not, get him to build one of 
each immediately; and whenever he hires a car¬ 
penter or blacksmith to come and do his odd jobs, 
be sure you go in and look on and help until you 
get the use of every tool in each shop. You will 
be several years in doing this, so don’t be discour¬ 
aged if you can’t do all your little work to please 
yourself at first; your hand-sleds, your steers’-sleds, 
and steers’-yokes. Martin-boxes and hen-cqqps 
you ought to make yourselves, together with many 
other things; and then there are the farming tools 
—ail ought to be of a size suited to your age, and 
of the best quality. Some fathers turn off their 
boys with old wornout tools; this is wrong, you 
ought to have a little scythe and a little axe 
both very sharp, and then you ought to be taught 
how to keep them so; and also how to use all 
your tools skilfully. Never slight any kind of 
wbrk, but do it well, and if you can not keep up 
with older persons laboring at the same thing, 
they ought to help you rather than let you lag be¬ 
hind. Never indulge a lazy spirit; your father or 
guardian will see that you are not over-worked, 
and will always give you sufficient time to rest 
