178 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
to most artificial manures. He observes as follows, (p. 
92:) 
“ The principal advantages that farmyard dung pos¬ 
sesses over artificial manures have already been stated, 
namely, that it contains all the elements of plants; is 
more attractive of moisture, and by its decomposition 
in the soil, produces an increase of temperature. To 
these may be added its more permanent effect: artificial 
manures, though they are less perfect and generally 
more transient, are more forcing in the early stages of 
the growth of plants. These qualities may be united 
with excellent effect, by using both with the same crop, 
and especially with the turnep crop.” 
With respect to inorganic or saline substances em¬ 
ployed as manure, the author says, (p. 124:) 
“ From the foregoing considerations, and what we 
have previously said upon this important subject, it must 
be evident that it is trilling with land, and calculated to 
produce frequent disappointment and loss, to apply any 
one salt as a substitute for manure.” 
From these extracts we may form some idea of the 
value of The Farmer’s Manual, which contains many 
sensible and practical remarks. The extract from page 
69, about the management of manure, and waste by ex¬ 
cessive fermentation, accords with the practice of some 
farmers in the southern part of the state of New- 
York. 
Although the author tells us how a heap of manure 
is injured by fermentation, he omits to inform us how 
the loss by gaseous exhalation may be arrested. In 
some cases we require well rotted manure; in other 
eases it is necessary to give it to the land before fermen¬ 
tation has proceeded too far, exactly as he describes and 
we practice here. But when we w^ant manure well rotted 
by complete fermentation, the gases which cause the 
waste, if suffered to rise into the atmosphere, are princi- 
cipally ammonia and carbonic acid, and may be preserved 
and retained in the fermenting manure heap, by plaster 
(gypsum) and caustic potash. The ammonia will decom¬ 
pose the plaster, and the potash will attract the carbonic 
acid, and all the materials will be retained. Such we be¬ 
lieve would be the effect, if when making a manure heap, 
ground plaster and caustic potash were sprinkled between 
the layers, as the manure was hauled but or heaped in 
the barnyard. The author of the Manual (taking it from 
Liebig,) recommends the sprinkling of plaster in sta¬ 
bles. This we have tried and found effectual in render¬ 
ing horse stables as sweet as a house, and also in de¬ 
priving hog manure of its offensive smell, as well as 
correcting the effluvia from privies. 
In the extract from page 92, Mr. Faulkner gives the 
preference to farm yard dung over artificial manures, as 
containing all the elements of plants. This will be the 
case when his muck is composed of the droppings of 
horses, hogs and cattle, mingled with soil or peat, &c. 
But in this country and in this part of it, the contents of 
most farmers’ barnyards do not contain the materials to 
supply all the elements. We know of some that do, but 
they are not numerous. There is Mr. S., who buys no 
manure, makes abundance, and clears out his barnyard 
twice a year, for his spring and autumnal crops. In the 
fall of the year, when his jmrds are clean, he first makes 
a layer of seaweed, then of black mud or muck from a 
peat bog. Over these his cattle run, and their droppings 
add to the mass. Once a week, his stable, containing 
several horses, is cleaned out, and its contents spread 
over the yards. The hay, the straw and the cornstalks, 
dropped and wasted during the winter in foddering his 
cattle, increase the contents of the farm }'ard. Add to 
these the cleanings of the hog pens, and there is formed 
a mass of mixen, muck or barnyard manure, containing 
all the elements I’equired by plants. This mass is heap¬ 
ed in the spring, partially fermented, and applied to the 
corn and potatoe crops. The yards are again littered in 
the same manner, and a large and valuable compost is 
made and ready for the crops of winter grain. 
The author of The Farmer’s Manual is correct in his 
opinion of the fallacy of trusting to any one salt as a 
substitute for manure, such as lime, saltpetre, soda, 
common salt, &c. A soil, to be improved, requires ani¬ 
mal and vegetable subsiances to be decomi)Osed beneath 
the surface to form humus, and inorganic substances su- 
peradded, sometimes lime or potash, or gypsum, &c. 
We did not intend to extend our remarks to such a 
length, and we therefore close by recommending to all 
concerned and interested in the matter to read “ The 
Farmer’s Manual,” as we have done, with satisfaction 
and profit. A Practical Farmer. 
Staten Island, August 19, 1843. 
MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker— I wish to make knovvn 
through the columns of your Cultivator, a few experi¬ 
ments on transferring and managing' bees. I commenced 
last spring, with two small old box hives; one had a 
swarm of two years old, the other a double swarm of 
the preceding year. The first gave a swarm the last da,y 
of May, weighing 6-| lbs., which was hived in the sub¬ 
tended hive, (patented by J. M. Weeks, Vt.) In the fall 
I took from them 20 lbs. of surplus honey, leaving 36 
lbs. in the two lower sections for their own consumption. 
The double hive gave a small swarm June 15th, which 
was also put in the subtended hive. The bees from the 
old hive I transferred to an empty hive, following the 
directions of Mr. Kelsey. He says: “ As the queen lays 
all the nits or eggs, which hatch in twenty-two days, ex¬ 
cepting the drones, which hatch in twenty-four days, and 
the old and only queen comes out with the first swarm, 
leaving the hive destitute of a queen about seven days; 
and the first young queens that do hatch, come out with 
the second and third swarms; but if they should not, it 
is about two weeks before a young queen comes to ma¬ 
turity so as to lay nits, during which time all the young 
bees in the hive hatch. So reason and experience has 
taught me to drive them out on the 23d or 24th day after 
the first swarm, when there is no loss of young bees in 
the combs.” 
I also transferred several for my neighbors with the 
same result. The old hive was nearly filled with bee 
bread, having only 5 lbs. honey. In three weeks after, 
they had the new hive filled with combs, and gave me 
14 lbs. surplus honey in the fall. Finding the other hive, 
(double swarm,) harrassed with moth, and by all appear¬ 
ances becoming weaker, I concluded to transfer them to 
save their lives. With this colony I took Mr. Weeks’ 
directions: “ Immediately before, or forthwith after the 
second swarm has left the hive.” With this hive I ope¬ 
rated the day previous to second swarming. Finding 
many brood combs filled with young bees, I set the hive 
away in a warm place, where it stood two weeks, before 
I removed the contents. 
I found about a pint of bees hatched while standing 
there. I also discovered a queen cell which had been 
evacuated. I endeavored to transfer the bees to a draw¬ 
er, but without success, until I discovered a bunch of 
bees on the fioor, in which I found a young queen. I 
escorted her majesty to her intended habitation. Forth¬ 
with her subjects seemed to convey the news from one 
to the other, and in a few minutes they became recon¬ 
ciled to their home. I placed them before a knot hole 
fifteen feet from the ground, where they went to work 
and filled the box about one-third full. 
Sometime in August, they sallied forth out of the hive 
a few minutes, and then returned, which they did for se¬ 
veral days. On examining the box, I found the moth 
had destroyed nearly all the combs. I then took the 
queen from them, and left them to their fate; but they 
soon united with the other bees. I kept her three weeks 
for the examination of myself and neighbors, and I wish 
Mr. Palmer had had an opportunity of seeing her. In 
the fall I united the double swarm with her own again. 
I then went to my nearest neighbor and got a sufficient 
number of bees, (of those he intended to murder,) to 
make a good colony; and put them in the hive I took 
the bees from, and fed them a few pounds of honey, to 
make 25 lbs. for their winter store. 1 would recommend 
transferring all bees after the combs are two or three 
years old, in preference to pruning the combs, seeing it 
can be done without the loss of any young bees. For an 
easy plan to get the bees out of their hives, I would re¬ 
commend any who wish to try it, to Francis Kelsey’s 
Treatise on Bees, page 14. Yours, 
Ulster, N. Y., 1843. J. Wells. 
VERY IMPORTANT TO FARMERS. 
A new edition, improved and greatly enlarged, of the Bom- 
mer Manure Method, secured by United States letters 
patent. 
Agriculturists, although you have favorably re¬ 
ceived the first edition of my method, and though, as 
it appears from numerous testimonials in the agricultural 
papers, it has given satisfactory results, I have never¬ 
theless seen that this first edition was too incomplete, 
and that from the numerous questions which have been 
addressed to me by my subscribers, I have, like them, 
felt the want of a commentary upon the instructions, and 
clear and precise explanations upon various points of 
the application of the system, so that it may be better 
comprehended and more easily put into practice. 
I have written a new work which is more complete, 
and which, I hope, will meet with their approbation. 
It does not become me to judge of the merits of this 
new edition; nevertheless, I think that I can give the 
assurance that, in this work, the system is so improved, 
and its application rendered so easy, that the least intel¬ 
ligent farmer, in faithfully confoj-niing to the prescrip¬ 
tions and instructions therein contained, cannot fail of 
success in his operations. 
This work resting upon facts and practical results, 
which are conscientiously reported, is presented to you 
with confidence. Try and judge. 
The work is divided into two parts. The first con¬ 
tains the method in all its simplicity. 
The second contains explanations and analytical deve¬ 
lopments of the system; instructions upon its applica¬ 
tion; some new processes; solution of manure ques¬ 
tions of high importance; and lastly, supplementary ar¬ 
ticles consequent upon the system. 
To give you an idea of the new edition, I will cite 
part of its contents. The first part of the method con¬ 
tains, 
1st. Tw'o different processes, by means of which any 
one can cause, in a few days, the decomposition of all 
straw and green or dry vegetables, and their conversion 
into a rich, unctuous and durable manure. 
2d. Two processes, one by high fermentation, and 
the other by moderated fermentation, by means of which 
any one can reduce all kinds of turfy or swampy matter 
into a rich vegetable compost or mold. 
3d. A process, without fermentation, to reduce all 
kinds of swampy matter, pond mud, slime from rivers 
or the sea shore, street mud, black earth from the woods, 
&c., into a superior mineral compost. 
4th. Two processes for preparing compost wdth earth. 
5th. The means to augment and ameliorate manure 
heaps. 
6th. The means to prepare “ purin,” a fertilizing li¬ 
quid for irrigation. 
7th. The employment of dregs or lees, and residues 
of manufactories. 
8th. A process for reviving the heat under garden 
beds, without changing the litter. 
These various operations are represented by nine de¬ 
signs, each occupying its respective place in the work. 
Second part, first section. 
1st. Vegetable compared with animal manure. 
2d. Four principal advantages of the Bommer manure 
over that of cattle. 
3d. A dissertation upon fermentation, the gravest ques¬ 
tion upon the subject of manure. 
4th. Opinion of authors upon the question, “ Should 
manures be fermented or not?” 
6th. My opinion upon the question. 
6th. Appropriation of my manure to different earths. 
7th. Appropriation of my manure to various plants. 
8th. Solution of the problem put by Payen, the cele¬ 
brated chemist. He says “ that the art of manures 
consists in the avoidance of the too great solubility of 
materials which decompose too easily, and to render 
soluble those which decompose with too much difficul¬ 
ty.” 
9th. The nourishment of plants, and of what they are 
composed. 
10th. Vegetable metempsychosis, or transmutation of 
a dead into a living vegetable. 
11th. Economy—how to cause it. 
Second section. 
1st. Four different qualities of saturated water. 
2d. The disposal of the place of operations in differ¬ 
ent ways. 
3d. Ley ingredients: means of procuring them with¬ 
out expense; their fertilizing value. 
4th. Retrenchment of three ingredients which are not 
absolutely necessary in the ley. 
5th. Employment of ground bones, horn shavings, 
saw dust, ground charcoal, blood and other residues of 
butcheries and salting establishments. 
6th. Table for the reduction or augmentation of the 
ley ingredients, so as to appropriate the manure to the 
soil and plants. 
7th. Variation of the quantity of the ley ingredients, 
according to the size of the heap. 
8th. The least and greatest quantity of materials 
which can be employed in the fabrication of Bommer 
manure. 
9th. Virtue of the ley—wnat it is. 
10th. A simple process to render manure as short as 
you wish. 
11th. How to reduce leaves to manure. 
12th. Reasons why the heap ought to be covered 
with stray or hay, and not with solid or compost mate¬ 
rials. 
Section 111. 
1st. Proportions to observe in the mixture of turfy or 
swampy materials with vegetables, and why. 
2d. The most favorable season for the preparation of 
composts after this method. 
3d. Is it advantageous to use composts in a fresh 
slate? 
4th. Regulations to observe in the manufacture of 
composts. 
5th. European composts or molds compared with 
mine. 
6th. Poudrette compared with my composts. 
7th. Means considerably to augment the manures of a 
farm. 
Sth. Immense advantages of the employment of hu¬ 
man excrements and animal dejections. 
9th. Effect of watering with “purin” or manure li¬ 
quor, urinous, putrified water, compared to that of my 
mineral or earth composts. 
19th. Liquid manures compared with my composts. 
11th. Enumeration of 24 principal advantages of this 
method. 
Section IV.—Supplementary Articles. 
1st. Analyses of earths; simple means to detect the 
nature of earths without the aid of chemistry. 
2d. Advantage resulting from this analysis. 
3d. Interest which every one has in knowing the na- 
i-e of his lands. 
4th. Means to detect marl. 
5th. Division of maniu’es, and its advantages. 
6th. Preservation-of manures; mode in use compared 
ith that which I propose. 
7th. This method is already in use on a great many 
rms; results which have been obtained from it. 
The matter of the new edition occupies about 100 
igcs; it will be henceforth furnished to subscribers in- 
sad of the abridged method, which contained but 20 
iges. The price of the patent right is definitively 
ted as follows: 
Farm with garder 
(C a 
Cl cc 
Cl ‘c 
cc cc 
Over 400 acres in any one ... „ 
The method cannot be talcen for only a portion o a 
rm, and every subscriber is required to declare the 
hole extent of his arable land. 
By the necessary documents recorded in the Patent 
ffice, the right for the southern and western states is 
eld by Abbett & Co. of Baltimore, and for the north- 
•n and eastern states, viz: New-England, New-York, 
ew-Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, by Georg 
)t over 20 acres,. 
_ $6 
(( 
100 “ . 
. 10 
ec 
200 “ .. 
. 16 
a 
300 “ . 
a 
400 “ .. 
. 20 
' one 
