Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1817-09-09
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AGRICULTURAL.
ESSd Y No. 3.

Let nothing be lost" We ought TO be
diligent and careful in collecting and preserv-
ing all such matters, which together, or sepa-
rately, may operate as manures, and may in
crease the produce of the fruits Of the earth in
their seasons. Under our present manage
ment of manure, the practice is quite contra
ry of what it ought TO be we do not increase
and accumulate, but sCaste and dispense almost
every substance which can be converted into
manure and improve the soil. Prudence and
economy point out that what is easiest and
cheapest to be done, should be first done.
Making compost manure ought to be attended
to by every farmer. BY little attention
and less labour, our quantity of bamyard dung
might be more than doubled we might soon
find the means, from increased crops, to pros
ecute more expensive improvements. The
following process for making compost has been
tested by experience we recommend it TO
the consideration of DIR agricultural readers.
Let suitable place for the heap be situa-
ted in the barn yard if practicable ; other
wise in such situation as TO receive the
draining from the barn--Diga hollow place
in the earth in the form OF a wooden tray, cast
into it several loads ofclay and spread it over
the bottom, beat il until it has become very
hard and smooth, over the whole surface, in
order that the rich juices of the compost,
might not be lost by soaking into the ground.
Having made those preparations, for com
post heap, calculated, say, for hundred loads,
the following materials and their proportions
is eferable--thirty loads of earh-the same
quantity of mud from swamps or hogs; the
residue to consist ofthe dung and wash of the
hog stye, chips, cobs, leached ashes, dirt a.
bout the house upon which urine, wash-tubs,
sc. have been emitted, COW yard dung, straw,
poor hay, &c. one or two loads Of green veg
etables are to be thrown on The top Of the
heap 10 keep it from drying and promote pure-
faction. In collecting the materials for The
heap, not more than two or three loads Of any
one kind should be carted, until that is spread
over the whole surface, and then as much
more OF a different kind is TO be brought in
and spread as before, and in that manner
throughout the whole.
The proceeding operations are TO be per-
formed in Nav and June in the month Of
August, let the compost heap be turned up
from the bottom, carefully mixing the several
ingredients and pulverizing the whole as much
as can conveniently be done: BY this process
putresaction is greatly promoted. There is
undoubtedly great loss 10 the farmer, ia
making up of winter or coarse manure until il
has been put il in situation that may purely
and thus become proper manure, or food for
vegetables. We might make considerable
quantity of manure, yearly, which would he
superior in quality 10 stable dung, by digging
hollow in the hog yard, into. which might
be thrown green and tender vegetables and
other materials that soon putrefy.
Il is generally admitted that there might
be great benefits and gains derived from pay
ing little attention TO preserving and increas-
ing manures but the excuse among farmers is
that they have no time 10 spare for that bust
ness. This however, is not The real cause
why Ills important branch Of farming is SO
much neglected. Perhaps one of the most
powerful reasons which might be assigned. arr
ses from the consideration that 40 immediate
|profils can de derived from labour and cx-
pense thus expended. Hence we see many,
who are called farmers disregard the sures,
means. ty which they might become, II sot