Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-07-25
AGRICULTURAL.
fFrom The Southern Piaaisr.J

4
BoMMER'S MANURE. -ss.,
We know of no invention that has excited more Gu
riosity than Dlr. Bommers new process oil making ma
We have had hundreds of applications upon The
subject, and we have returned but one answer 10 oil
| the applicants, viz: awe have personal knowledge
upon the subject but have put the matter in the
hands Of gentleman in this neghborhood 10 be tho
roughly tested by him, and his report whether for
good or for evil will be published in the July number
of the Planter This report which are hnppy 10
md IS OF the most satisfactory character, n contained
IN the letter below from Mr. Woodfn. II is unneces
sary for US to say any thing this community OF the
standing and responsibility Of this gentleman 10 those
TO whom he is unknown will sny that we selected
him as one Of those individuals whose testimony would
go as tar rs any bodys MIR. Woodhn is also known 10
most of the readers Of agricultural papers for his skill
and science in agricultural chemistry which, of late
years, he has devoted much of his attention.
tFor the Southern Pianer)
MR. CHARLES It. BoTTs:-Dear Sir: Having been
requested by you to give candid statement of my
opinion of Bommer's patent method of making ma.
nure, for publication in your July number Of the Plant
er, will now, with much pleasure, proceed TO say all
know about it,
On the 18th of May, ct night. | finished the prepa-
ration OF heap, according 10 bis method, composed
chiefly Of dry wheat straw, TO which | added small
quantity OF coarse nnfermented stable litter, which
also, mostly, wheat straw and proceeded it
cording TO the directions laid down in his pamphlet
On the 18th day after the heap constructed it
opened IN the presence OF nuNloer OF farmers, and
other gentlemen feeling interest in the matter. II
found not 10 be entirely decomposed but in high
state of ermeniation which gave evidence that entire
decomposition Of the materials would very be the
result in order TO facilitate it, however, gave it ano-
Their watering with the lees, which has effected the
complete decomposition of the whole Accord
ing 10 Mr. Bommers method, entire decomposition
should have been effected in fifteen days and have
no doubt such would have been the result, if it had
been conducted with more skill; up to The tenth day.
had succeeded in producing very high degree OF
heat; that day, gave it very copoUs watering,
thereby adul,erang the lees TOO much which caused
the fermentation TO subsde in Ii the third
watering had been properly made, with the lees in suf
fcent strength have doubt the result would have
been satisfactory. As it is have succeeded in
thirty days, in accomplishing that which could not,
by any method known 10 me- have accomplished in six
months. have never used any of this manure this
being the only heap have made; cannot, therefore,
speak of lis effect vege,aon; from It's appearance,
however, and my knowledge of the materials used in
manufacture, should consider of far greater
lue than the hes. stable manure, made in the usual
way; | would not exchange mine, load for load
for the best ever saw
This method, as Mr. BONNER justly observes, has
The advantage gil others, by enabling the farmer
TO have his manure when and where he wants il. ]
shall make another heap in few days, mostly of green
wreds, grass roots, &c, &c, when, if you desire it,
will give you the result
To make manure by this method is not costly, but
some vhat troublesome; but what good thing be OBJ
tanned without trouble or expense,
have thus, Sir, given you candid statement of all
know a. present about Bommer's Patent Manure,
June 10, ls43. GEO. wooDFIN.
From our conversations with Mr.. Wood6n, we
know that this report is, it should be- careful and
guarded possible. He felt the responsibility of the
task imposed on him, end determined to say nothing,
however sanguinc his antcipatons might be, that
could by possibility, induce the public to think
OF this invention than il deserved. For own part
from what have and heard of this experiment.,
We feel authorized 10 say that which never felt at
liberty to say BEFORE that are fully satisfied OF the
great value of the invention. We do not doubt that
certain degree of particularly required in following
The directions that does not belong TO men, and
which would deprive them OF the benefit of the method,
at least TO the greatest perfecton; 80 there
persons, every physician will tell you, who cannot
be induced TO administer three successive doses OF
dicine according 10 the simplest prescription But, in
the hands Of any farmer, who will strictly follow the
method, as il is explained in MIR. Bomn:er's pamphlet,
this nvention believe is worth ten times the price
at which it is TO be obtained.
Mr. Woodfn speaks OF The method as being "some.
what troublesome" We wish he had been
plcit that point. Large quantities OF waller are
used in the process, and Mr. Woodfns heap
situated to make the application OF this material Ia
borous; but nine times of len, il may be 80 ocat
ed that any quantity of water may be conducted TO
with little labor at all: do not know, but think
likely, that it is to this portion of The process that
MIR. Woodhn chiefly aludes in the expression quoted
As to the time required, exceeding that specified by
MIR. BONNER it must be remembered that this was the
first experiment in a process entirely new, where the
OPERATOR without any experience, was compelled TO
rely wholly upon the printed directions contained IN
the pamphlet Mr.. Wood6n does no, doubt, that, BY
avoiding committed in the first process, the
res ult could be effected in the time required.
If the chemical properties Of this compost are what
Mr.. Woodfn supposes them TO be, of which he is much
capable of forming opinion than we are; u u
u.s. indeed superior stable manure, is hard to esti-
mate the value Of the invention
PoUDRETTE
We have made considerable sales Of this article du-
ring the present season. and should he pleased to re-
ceve authentic and particular accounts OF the result OF
its application TO various crops we nave received
some second hand reports Of its extraordinary eihcacy
in pushing forward tobacco pants out We nave oo.a'h
ed no statement as yet reliable as TO induce US 10
publish it, Our columns a!e OF course, as open 10 &C
counts of failure success; indeed, we lnins u Is do
incumbent upon the purchaser OF new thing 10 warn
the public of It's worthlessness, when ne has been DIT,
as ia 10 herald forth its virtues, when his judgment
has been sustained by the result OF his purchase All
We ask is that making reports of this or nher mat
ters whether for good evil the author will be par
ticuar in stating every thing that could by possibility,
affect the experiment.
,urer of the Poudrette in New York, which no begs
us to urge its value top dressing to corn, applied al
The first or even second hoeing He also seems very
ANXIOUS that its action upon tobacco and cotton crops,
with which he is unacquaned, may be fully and fairly
tested.
1Bu the Editors If the Eaquirsr]
The spirit of is in motion all around our
ci,y. On Friday last on short and agreeable
excursion 10 The Agricu. raj Dining Cnb a, The farm
of MIR Shields within miles Of the Guy. The farm
was clothed with verdure-corn herds grass in purple
bloom. c!over-drainng, reclaming land, &c going
on But we were invited over TO his neighoor s.
Mr. Bridges, where We compost bed IN pre-
para,on, made according TO the prescription of Mr.
BONNER Il was composed Of green vegetables, dry
leaves gathered in heaps from the woods and matters
and things in general-watered ever and anon by foul
water containing the chemical ingredients The fer
menta,ion generation Of heat, &c, did not appear to
have commenced in the Of four weeks, it is
expected that the "charm would be complete" and
that the process would convert large mass OF
vegetable and animal matter into manure heap
which, il left ITSELF and the mutual progress OF dts
and decay, would have taken year 10 mature,
and then not half as well donenot halt as ripe iof
The purposes of agriculture, this artificial process
Rnt The results will hereafter be Only reported