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THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 25. 
j work to discover if some part of the process cannot he 
turned to profitable account; this is, therefore, done in 
: all those cases where the rubbish and other waste mate¬ 
rials are made into some such manure as to impart a 
something useful to whatever it is applied to. This 
state of things is what our great agricultural friends 
have been aiming at for years; “to husband their re¬ 
sources,” and allow nothing to be lost; and in some of 
the best tilled districts of the kingdom, the care and 
pains taken to secure all waste scrapings from the roads, 
I or ditches, all rubbish left in other quarters, and more 
especially -the liquid substances in the yards and other 
j places which of yore were considered only nuisances, 
these matters have now taken such a turn that they are 
no longer called “ smalland, although in gardening 
affairs it would be unjust to give it so important a 
feature as it assumes on the farm, yet it deserves more 
attention than it often receives. 
To make the case bettor understood we must de¬ 
scend into particulars, and shall begin by supposing 
the heap on which all kinds of cast away-materials 
are deposited is in some out-of-the-way corner. Now 
the first thing to consider is, what more auxiliary 
matter can be got together at the cheapest rate. 
If the situation be a stiff loam, or a clayey one, it 
affords of itself one of the most useful elements of suc¬ 
cessful culture for the woody matter, with, probably, the 
addition of some that could be obtained for the purpose, 
will furnish a sort of fuel sufficient to burn this obsti¬ 
nate compound into one of the most friable and useful 
ingredients that can be applied to stiff ground. The 
way this is obtained requires some little care and time; 
but the process is simple. A situation having been 
selected for the fire, let the bottom be made smooth, and 
let two small ditches about four inches wide and as 
much deep, be cut intersecting each other in the manner 
of a cross, and let these be covered over with bricks or 
flat stones, but not tight-jointed, and at the centre, 
where they cross each other, raise a heap of stones or 
brickbats, say a couple of barrow loads, and on this 
pile some rough, dry wood, &c., which, being lighted, 
coarser pieces may be added, and amongst these 
some rough pieces of clay or loam may bo placed, 
observing to apply it at first by hand, so that none of 
the finer particles be likely to exterminate the fire; rough, 
woody roots, or other combustible materials, may be 
added alternately with the clay, taking care that at the 
first start the proportion of clay ought not to be large; 
by-and-liy, however, it may increase, for the process 
may be carried on for weeks, taking care to supply it 
occasionally with loose wood and clay, but on no account 
to disturb any part of the burning mass until you be 
satisfied with the quantity that is done. This process 
is called clay-burning, and is successfully practised 
in some places; in others it is not attended to, but the 
merits of the article for heavy land are, doubtless, of the 
first order. 
It is necessary, now, to look to the other portion of 
the heap, which, in addition to the roots and stalks 
consumed as above, contains, doubtless, the decayed 
weeds and flowering-stems of the flower-garden, with a 
i tolerable proportion of stones, as the case may be. This 
; is likewise a useful adjunct to stiff, clayey lands, and 
1 cannot, therefore, be better employed than by being 
; well mixed up until all parts of it be decomposed, and 
I then carried out on the tillage lands. And as there are 
few things, stone excepted, but which will either burn 
I or decay, the waste substances of the rubbish-heap may 
j again be appropriated to replace the loss the ground 
underwent by its removal. Cultivation is also much 
j benefited by an interchange of ingredients. Witness the 
advantage of trenching; the subsoil brought to the top, 
mixing with what was there, a compound is created 
; better calculated to sustain vegetable life, than, to all 
appearance, a richer soil is capable of doing alone. Rut 
there are some things to which a sort of use is put 
during their preparatory time; of this class, tree-leaves 
arc, doubtless, the most pre-eminent; but as these are so 
well known, it is needless to say moro on their head. 
Grass from the lawn, is, however, less usefully employed, 
but it may bo made to work the frame, and, doubtless, 
is an excellent adjunct to the hot dung sent there, but 
being more violent and less lasting in its heating 
powers, some care must be taken in using it. But it 
may be rendered very useful if there be any old, dry 
leaves at hand to mix it with; these, by absorbing part 
of its fermenting juices, modify and mitigate its ob¬ 
noxious qualities, and a little time taken in preparing it, 
by repeated turnings, &c., is well rewarded by the mild, 
regular heat it gives afterwards. Short grass, how¬ 
ever, to become useful, ought not to lie and heat, and 
cake into lumps first, for by so doing its best and 
most active juices are thrown off. Short grass may also 
be usefully employed in shading or protecting the 
ground from the effects of a too hot sun, and such 
things as beds of American plants, newly laid turf, newly 
planted trees or shrubs, and many other things, will be 
all benefited by a slight covering of short grass, which, 
preventing evaporation, is of great service to the crops 
to which it is applied. 
In the class of “waste materials,” many things may 
also, doubtless, be added, which have only alocal position; 
in other words, certain places or districts afford useful 
substances for improving the quality of the ground or 
crop which are not to be found everywhere. And it often 
happens that nature has been so kind as to furnish 
each district with what is best suited to its particular 
wants; some of our lightest lauds containing the richest 
marls beneath their surface, while our clay lands forming 
in themselves the materials of which drain tiles are 
made; industry is only wanted to turn their stubborn 
but not ungrateful nature to good account. This, how¬ 
ever, is stepping out of the department of the “ waste 
heap ;” but if we go back and see what useful refuse a 
brick-yard contains, and how often it is allowed to lie 
and waste, a peep into the court-yard of premises un¬ 
dergoing repair will also often show quantities of mortar 
rubhish and other substances thrown into some hole, to 
fill up a space, which a less valuable material would 
have done as well. Stones themselves are not without 
their uses on land ; and 1 have seen a piece of stiff, re¬ 
tentive clay land much improved by a good dressing of 
the waste from a sand stone quarry. Road dirt is also 
useful; for, apart from the value which the dung from 
animals gives it, the grindings of the stone is also of 
great service. Many other things might also be adduced, 
but the above is sufficient to call the attention of cottage 
gardeners to the “small matters” connected with the 
“ compost heap.” Manures of the moro prominent 
kinds it is needless here to mention, because it is ex 
pected that they are duly cared for in the proper way. 
1 might also add, that liquids ought also to be properly 
attended to, for it not unfrequeutly happens that some 
of them are allowed to waste. Perhaps, as useful a way 
to dispose of small quantities, is to pour them over the 
compost mixture, which may consist of a variety of 
materials all blended together, and which may be all 
used to advantage when the proper season comes round 
for digging the various plots; always taking care to pre¬ 
serve some of the richest and best manure for certain 
crops, as Celery, where the space only allows a small 
quantity of it at a time. J. Robson. 
ALLOTMENT FARMING.— June. 
We have now arrived at what may be termed the prime 
of the year—that period when most hearts are exulting over 
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