32 THE CULTIVATOR. 
Original from CContributoro. 
MANAGEMENT And APPLICATION of MANURES. 
The first great requisite to successful farming, is ma¬ 
nure. In its manufacture and proper management, most 
of our farmers have yet to take the first step. Were 
these well understood and acted upon, the result would 
soon be an increase in the value of the farm products of 
this country of many hundred millions of dollars. Does 
this startle any one ? Then let us make a brief calcula¬ 
tion. 
It must be familiar to most farmers, that our average 
products per acre, taking the country through, are not 
more than 15 bushels for wheat, 25 bushels for corn, 30 
for oats, and 20 for barley. But agricultural societies 
and periodicals have sufficiently established the fact that 
these crops may be increased at least three fold. Wheat 
has often been produced here at from 40 to 50 bushels 
per acre; and three counties under the immediate influ¬ 
ence of the Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, 
have averaged 51 bushels per acre on land where but lit¬ 
tle was formerly grown. Corn is often raised at the rate 
of 100 to 130 bushels an acre; and with some cultivators, 
the annual product has for several years exceeded 100 
bushels. These facts are established on undisputable tes¬ 
timony, and similar results have fallen under the direct 
observation of the writer and many others. Other crops 
have been increased at nearly equal rates. The chief 
cause of success in all these instances, is the fertility of 
the land, made so by manure. Now, the estimates found¬ 
ed on the census, make the amount of grain crops (ex¬ 
cluding hay and roots,) in the United States, no less 
than 640,000,000 bushels; which at an average price of 
40 cents a bushel, would amount to $250,000,000. If 
this amount were tripled, as it well might be by manure, 
it would be $750,000,000. But the real profit -would be 
more than tripled, as large crops generally yield a much 
greater nett profit than small ones. The increase in stock 
and manufactured articles, inevitably resulting from this 
improvement, is not taken into the account. 
This subject naturally divides itself into three parts. 
The first includes the materials for manure; the second, 
the best modes of using them in making manure; and the 
third, the best mode of application to the land. 
Of MATEHiALS, One of the most abundant and universal 
is the excretions of animals. Straw, peat or marsh muck, 
pond mud, earth, sawdust and leaves, and lime, ashes, 
and plaster, are mixed with it, and serve to retain its 
volatile and liquid parts. Other substances exist in 
smaller quantities, but may sometimes be obtained in 
abundance, as bone dust, horn shavings, woolen rags, 
dead animals and other animal substances, all of which 
are of great value as manure. 
A great loss occurs in common practice in not retain¬ 
ing the volatile and escaping parts of dung; a large por¬ 
tion is suffered to wash and run away; and a still larger 
part escapes in vapor or gas. By employing muck or 
peat in large quantities in admixture, this is mostly pre¬ 
vented; at the same time, a part of the materials of the 
dung convert the peat itself into powerful manure.* E. 
Phinney of Lexington, Mass., and others, have found 
that two cords of peat and one of cow dung, mixed to¬ 
gether, produce a compound as fertilizing as cow dung 
alone. Hence the greatly increased amount of manure 
which every farmer could make by large layers of muck 
or peat in his barn-yard, is obvious. But the successful 
use of peat does not always require dung. Ashes, leached 
or fresh, in sufficient quantity, will produce as good an 
effect. Sixteen bushels of good ashes are found to con¬ 
vert a cord of peat into excellent manure. The materi¬ 
als should of course be well intermixed, when they may 
be applied to the land in a few days. G. Robbins, of 
Watertown, Mass., an extensive soap manufacturer, has 
a very productive farm, which he keeps in a high state 
of fertility, without the use of a particle of barn-yard 
dung. He keeps 11 horses, 4 cows, and 100 sheep; the 
manure from which is all carefully saved and sold; 
while the refuse or spent ashes from his establishment, 
mixed with peat, constitutes the sole enriching material 
for his land. The peat is dug in the fall, and the ashes, 
one-third the bulk of the peat, is applied in the spring 
and well dug over; and the whole applied to his fields. 
It is asserted that the animal matter of a dead horse, is 
sufficient to convert 20 tons of peat into more powerful 
and lasting manure than stable dung. Dr. Jackson states 
that one barrel of fish will convert a load of peat into 
very powerful manure. The value of one cord of peat 
or swamp muck, is considered equal to the dung of one 
cow for three months. Yet there are thousands of our 
farmers whose lands contain almost inexhaustible beds 
of this precious material, which is indeed worth a hun¬ 
dred fold more than all the southern gold mines; but 
which lies year after year untouched, while meagre and 
diminished crops tell the poverty of the adjacent fields. 
In a very large part of our country, peat may be ob¬ 
tained for most farms, within the distance of a few miles 
at farthest; and may be drawn in winter on snow. If 
the distance is considerable, it would be a matter of eco¬ 
nomy to get it out early in autumn in heaps to dry, after 
which it becomes so light that large masses can be drawn 
at a single load. Freshly dug peat contains more than 
five-sixths water; but even then is no heavier than sta- 
*The limits of this essay preclude the chemical explanation 
of these various operations; and facts only are given which 
have been well established by experience. 
ble manure. Where peat swamps cannot be drained, it 
will be necessary in nearly all cases to dig it out in the 
dry part of autumn. But where draining can be perform¬ 
ed, this may be done any time during winter. From a 
good locality it may be shoveled out with great rapidity; 
a man will fill a cart in a very few minutes. The pre¬ 
sence of muck in swamps is readily determined by thrust¬ 
ing down a sharp pole, which will enter common soil 
only a few inches, but will penetrate muck many feet. 
Where peat cannot be obtained, there are substitutes. 
Pond mud has been applied to land, and has doubled the 
products. It would certainly be not less efficacious when 
mixed with barn-yard manure. The application of rich 
soil or even common earth, would greatly assist in aug¬ 
menting the quantity. Straw, abundantly used, is not a 
bad substitute for peat; although greater time is requir¬ 
ed for the reduction of the fibrous parts. Saw dust can 
be procured in many places in large quantities, and forms 
an excellent material for the absorption of the richer 
parts of stable dung. 
The application of lime, ashes and plaster, is generally 
made separately to land. Both lime and ashes have pro¬ 
duced astonishing effects when applied to soils whose 
sterility results from sourness, which quality is generally 
indicated by the growth of sorrel and broom-grass. 
Lands in the southern parts, of New-York, not yielding 
two dollars per acre a year, have by the use of 30 or 40 
bushels of ashes to the acre, yielded the second year a 
nett profit of more than fifteen dollars. Dr. Jackson 
states that blowing sand, or a pine barren, scarcely produ¬ 
cing 10 bushels of corn to the acre, by a judicious appli¬ 
cation of ashes, has produced 40 to 50 bushels. Simi¬ 
lar effects have been produced by dressings of lime, and 
shell marl on the worn out and almost totally barren 
lands of Virginia. The use of lime on fertile lands, is 
in most cases highly beneficial, but not so striking, as a 
considerable increase in a crop already large, is not at 
once perceived. This has induced some to suppose that 
lime is of little or no use on rich soils; where the ex¬ 
periment has not been submitted to the test of accurate 
measuring. The quantity of lime per acre, may vary 
from 50 to .500 bushels. If hot or magnesian lime, such 
as is generally used in the vicinity of Philadelphia, 
where lime has been extensively used to great profit, it 
should not exceed lOO bushels an acre. But land is not 
injured by common lime, applied much more copiously. 
The writer has known instances where it has been ad¬ 
ministered at the rate of 400 bushels to rich soils with 
decided benefit. 
But in all eases, lime and other manures of its class, 
need thorough intermixture with the soil. Different ex¬ 
perimenters state that its full effect is not produced until 
the third or fourth, or even the seventh year; which is 
doubtless owing to the fact that thorough intermixture 
has not taken place sooner. Failure often attends inat¬ 
tention to this particular, both in the use of lime and ash¬ 
es. To facilitate the spreading of lime, it is generally 
covered with earth in small heaps until pulverized by 
slacking. It is not less efficacious when slacked, as it is 
obvious that a thin coating on the ground would in any 
case be very speedily saturated with carbonic acid. 
Hence old refuse lime from kilns, if not mixed with 
stones nor too much clotted to spread, and shell marl, 
are as good as any. 
Ashes, applied to grass lands, in most cases greatly in¬ 
crease the crops, and is one of the safest and most cer¬ 
tain ways to apply it unmixed. 
But although lime, plaster and ashes are generally ap¬ 
plied separately, a decided improvement consists in using 
them in mixture with barn-yard manure. They not on¬ 
ly assist in retaining the valuable parts of the latter, both 
before and after spreading on the soil; but the thorough 
previous intermixture prevents those uncertainties which 
often result when they are applied alone. Bone dust, 
and other animal manures, are also most economically 
and safely applied to the dung heap. It is here that a 
great improvement in the use of these powerful substan¬ 
ces is to be made. 
Nearly all animal substances form very active com¬ 
ponent parts of manures. Hence fish, and all dead ani¬ 
mals, animal matters from slaughter houses, hair, &c., 
should never be suffered to waste. Covered with peat 
or earth, and a portion of lime or plaster, the volatile 
parts will be absorbed, little or no offensive odor will 
pass off, and manure of great power will be produced, 
when the decomposition is complete. It is stated that 
sixteen thousand dead horses are thus yearly converted 
into manure in Paris and its vicinity. 
A most important material for manure, but generally en¬ 
tirely neglected, is night soil. Poudrette manufactured in 
the cities, consisting chiefly of night soil with peat, plas¬ 
ter, and lime dried, is of such efficacy, that one bushel is 
equal to a load of stable dung. The experiments of the 
writer fully corroborate this; and the mode he adopts is 
the following: A plank trough is placed under the pri¬ 
vy, and frequent applications made of plaster, lime and 
ashes, (an addition of peat would be still better,) and 
when needed, it is drawn off, and applied either directly 
to the land or to the dung heap in the barn-yard. 
The PROPER USE and mixture of these materials 
forms a most important part of the business. Stable dung 
is the chief material used by farmers; and the best mode 
of saving and using it, is one of the first requisites in 
good farming. The proper construction of barn-yards, 
hence becomes a matter of great consequence. A con¬ 
venient plan for common use, is the following: A de¬ 
pression is made in the center of the barn-yard, two or 
three feet deep, and from two to three rods in diameter; 
the adjoining stables being conveniently situated, so that 
all their contents may be daily wheeled and thrown into 
it. This depression should be water-tight, which will 
be the case if made of compact clayey soil. It would be 
better if paved with stones, the interstices being filled 
with clay; or still better if they could be covered with a 
coat of water lime mortar. In the latter case, they would 
need to be kept covered in winter with manure, to pre¬ 
vent the mortar freezing and cracking. This basin serves 
to prevent the escape of all the liquid parts. 
On the bottom of this, should be spread a layer of peat 
from six inches to one foot thick, if it can be obtained; 
and if not, pond mud, rich earth from muckey places, or 
common soil; or even a thick layer of old straw. On 
this, the cleanings of the adjoining stables, where litter 
should be freely used, is daily carried and thrown by a 
large boxed wheelbarrow, and the frequent treading of 
cattle’s feet intermixes it well. Successive layers of peat 
or soil should be applied during the season. Peat, if pi¬ 
led in a large heap, will not freeze so much as to pre¬ 
vent frequent application in winter. Into this heap also, 
all refuse animal matter should be thrown, the contents 
of privies be drawn, and occasional thin layers of ashes, 
lime and plaster, be spread, so as not to become accumu¬ 
lated in'masses, but evenly mixed through. If this ba¬ 
sin beeomes too wet for cattle to walk across it, more 
straw and peat must be used to absorb the liquid. Plas¬ 
ter should also be daily strewed in the stables, and it 
will prevent the escape of much volatile manure. 
Thus, by a free use of these materials, but more espe¬ 
cially by a copious application of peat, muck and straw, 
it is believed that the manure manufactured bj"- most far¬ 
mers, would be increased at least ten fold. 
The great labor, will strike many as a strong objec¬ 
tion; but let them remember that this is laboring to some 
profit—far more so then scratching over barren fields 
and raising scanty crops. 
One great neglect, even in farmers who otherwise take 
good care of manure, is suffering the urine of animals to 
waste. The preceding plan will save all from those in 
the yard. Those in stables should also be attended to. 
No stables should have plank floor, unless it can be made 
water tight. In this case, the urine is to be conducted 
in troughs at one end of the stables, into pits filled with 
peat or muck. The urine of a single cow for, one win¬ 
ter, according to Dana, is sufficient to convert 20 loads 
of peat into excellent manure; and one peculiar value of 
this manure, is that it contains no more fibrous matter 
than the finest compost. It is generally best, however, 
to have earth floors, covered first with a thick layer of 
peat, and with another thick layer of straw. Sometimes 
loose floors are taken up once or twice in the year, and 
a bed of peat spread beneath. 
Application of manures. Common stable manure 
loses a large part of its value by fermentation. When it 
becomes a soft cohesive mass, one-third or one-half of 
its good qualities is gone. Hence when applied fresh to 
land and immediately plowed under, its volatile parts are 
absorbed by the soil and loss prevented. The experi¬ 
ence of many has led to a different result, who suppose 
that fermented manure is best. This is because the lat¬ 
ter admits of thorough intermixture. But fresh or long 
manure is usually spread in large lumps, which are often 
imperfectly covered, and lie in large masses instead of 
being incorporated with the soil. Stones and unburned 
bricks thrown together, would form a poor soil indeed, 
but when ground down to fine sand and clay, they consti¬ 
tute a mixture like the basis of our richest soils. Thor¬ 
ough intermixture is the great leading principle in all 
chemical operations, and it must not be neglected in this. 
The following experiment by David Thomas'of Cayuga 
County, fully corroborates this position: He says, in 
the spring of 1840, I had no ground for field beets, but a 
small lot where corn had grown for two years in succes¬ 
sion. It was unfit for such a crop without manure; and 
I had only fresh manure from the stable, which has long 
been considered most unfavorable to the beet. My ne¬ 
cessity, however, prevailed against opinion, and I took 
the responsibility. From each line where the beets 
were to grow, two fui-rows were turned so as to leave a 
wide dead furrow. Into this, manure was thrown from 
the wagon, each forkful touching the one just behind it, 
till the row was completed. It was well covered by 
turning two furrows together over it, which held it down 
while the harrow was passing four times in succession, 
breaking, pulverizing, and mixing it intimately with the 
soil. Again, two furrows were turned together over the 
row, and the harrow passed twice more, in all six times. 
By this process, the ground was reduced to a fine tilth; 
and if there were any better beets in the country, I did 
not see them.” 
Hence also, one coat of manure plowed deep, or one 
coat applied as top dressing, is only partially efficacious. 
Hence also, grass lands made rich by the culture of pre¬ 
vious crops, are better than those made so by top dress¬ 
ing alone. A recent experiment of the writer, exhibits 
this principle in a strong light. Land not fertile, was 
covered with a good coat of fine manure, and well incor¬ 
porated with about three inches of the upper surface by 
repeatedly passing a cultivator. Ruta Baga was sown on 
one part, and Norfolk turnep on the other. For the first 
six weeks they made as rapid growth as the bestturneps 
in the country; but after that, their growth almost ceas¬ 
ed, and there was not one quarter of a good crop. Hence 
when such top dressings are applied, there should be a 
sufficient quantity of manure previously turned in deeper 
to carry on what is begun; and hence also, manuring in 
hills can only be of partial advantage. 
J. J. Thomas. 
Macedon, N. F. Dec. 1842. 
