Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-04-12
DAN A'S
PRIZE ESSAY ON MANURE.
SECTION NINTH.
fCnntinued

SECTION NINTH.
(Continued.)
Much has been said about tanks, and watts,
and urinepls, and many plans devised for pre-
preventing the escape of volatile ammonia.
But when once the action of ammonia upon
is understood, as we have already pointed it
out, am persuaded, reader, that these tanks,
and vas, and urine carts, will appear to you
not only expensive and cumbersome, bn,
useless. Your first point is, TO save your
ammonia, your second is, never to use urine
in its causlc or burning state. Ii you do,
yon will as assuredly burn your crop, as the
puddle formed by COW burns the grass up
ON which she entities her Watering pot
Here the urine forming causlic ammonia
acts as would caustic potash, or lump of
stone lime, left to Stake upon the g'ass.-
You want to change this burning or caus,c
ammonia into mild ammonia, or to combine
it with some substance Which has not only
that effect, but also keeps it from flying
away. Unless you understand, then, the
principles of these actions, and apply them
too, your labor is all vanity, when you al
tempt to save your own or caltle'S urine.
These princi pies are, in number, two
FIRST, the principle which changes caustic to
mild ammonia, is carbpnic acid derived from
air, or decomposIng mould. Second, the
principles which render ammonia less VIOLA
tile, or wholly fixed, are certain acids formed
in mould, as sour mould, or certain salts
which give up their acid to the ammonia
Plaster Of Paris does this, by changing its
lime for ammonia. Now let us 90 INTO the
& In ,,l
derstand it. Very slowly and supposing
moisture present, the oil ofvitriol of the pas.
ter quits its lime and unies TO the ammonia
and so changes volatile into fixed SALT
Now this is change which has been of late
much insisted on, and the practice recon-
mended of s,lcwing the stable and barn cell
lars, and even the privics, with plaster, to
save the ammonia which escapes in these
places. But il is doubtful whether the sa.
wing is as great as is usually supposed, fol
the ammonia arising from the urine is caus.
tic, it flies Of as canstic ammonia, that ha.
no effect upon plaster To produce th
mutual effect of ammonia and plaster, the
causlic ammonia must previously have beer
made mild. However, this plan is appli
cable only on small scale. Copperas, alum
common salt, pot-ashes, and wood ashes, al
act to fix the volatile ammonia, and have al
been recommended for this purpose. But
is easily seen, that, in employing some o
these substances, is to buy ammonia almos
at apothecary's price. These practices vii
be followed, therefore, only by those win
place the crop and its value upon ammonia
This is limited and narrow view. Th
true and farmer-like, as well as the mo,
scientific and natural mode of preserving tn
ammonia Of urine, is to ill your yards an
barn cellars with plenty of mould by wLic
l mean truly decayed and decaying vegela
BILE matter, as well as loan. There is n
mode more eilectual, no mode more econo
mical. Consider now for moment no,
mould formed and forming, and ammoni
act. Have not said again and again, III;
ammonia hastens decay? makes mould MOI
easily dissolved2 and cooks the food
plants! That action having occurred d,
ring its progress, ACIDS we're formed. Til
ammonia uniies with them, loses IFS burnin
properties, and becomes fixed. The acic
having been satisfied, the ammonia is act,
ally imbibed and retained by mould.
1t does not drink it in like sponge, b
the mould forms peculiar chemical con
pound with ammonia. This peculiar con
pound, while it does not render the mould i
easily dissolved matter, yet holds ammon
by so feeble a force that it easily yields
the power of growing plants. 1t gives ,
the stored ammonia at the place where, al
the time when, it is most wanted. Ify,
= remember these actions of mould and an
monia, it will he as plain as dav, that wi,
we have said of the inexpedency and e
pense of watts and tanks, and urine carr
must not only be true, but is confirmed
the experience of a host of hard-workin
thinking, practical men. In connection wi
urine, the dung of birds, for instance,
mestic fowls of all kinds, and pigeons, M
ba here mentioned. These animals d
charge their solids and what we may ter
their liquids together. There urea com
out combined with or forming part of III,
dung. Now rejecting a moment on the n
ture of their food, strongly heterogeneous, b
ing seeds. grains, &C., or animals, bus
grasshoppers, &C., we can understand W
their droppings are peculiarly rich in al
~ monia and salts. The strongest of all m