The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-05-12

VI MUCK 10 OF stable manure. II will be understood
that the object Of composing muck is TO make il rot
ten, or to render soluble its nsoluble vegetable ali
ments, orgine,as chemists call it. Heat will best
effect this object liquid manures assist very much
salt also. As most farmers want for immediate u.e
ALL and more too, Of their barn yard manure il be-
comes an important question whether there is any
o'her substances that may be protably uscd instead
OIL stable manure for composing muck. Many exper
lments and various substances have been tried with
various success, and experiment has taught us how
IT may be done. Ashes fof this purpose is compara-
lively, the "lever OF A rchimides s." Leached ashoa
in the proportion to load to 8 or 4 of muck will
convert the muck into excellent manure Lime is
highly recommended for this purpose, and NEST far
mers suppose it absolutely indispensable to compost
heap OF muck, and page upon page has been written
giving the reasons and theories. But experiment that
demojisher and corrector of theories demonstrates the
utter nuty OF lime in compost heap, unless it be
uns'acked and then lis only benefit is the heat il e.
wolves during the process of sackening. Stacked
lime does no more good in compost than so much
sand. have Feen compos;s rendered entirely unfit
for agricultural purposes by The too great use of lime
The reason, probably, why almost every one suppos-
es that lime is indispensable in the compost, is that
they have been always told so and few cared about
omns IT, and run the risk they supposed Of spoil
ing the whole heap, for the sake Of experimenting
In addition TO muck for composts the farmer may
US swamp mud, river and pond mud, turfs from the
highways scraPings of streets and back yards rub
Dish Of old houses, and earth which has been under
cover, account of the nitre which it collects and
retains weeds from the the garden. brakes, thstes,
leaves, poaloe vines and every vegetable substance
including saw dust, tanners bark, and apple pumce,
together with all animal substances, as blood, o(fas
Of animals, hair, feshes aud bits of skin from the
tan yard, refuse feathers, wooden rags hoofs and
horns of cattle, and bones broken or pounded in pie
ces, the carcasses Of all animals besides ashes SCOT
charcoal, old brine Of sailed meat or fish which con-
tains besides salt blood and OIL soap suds, and
the DRAWINGS of the house sink the contents of the
privy vault and the liquids which collect in the hol-
lows of the barn yard. They all valuable some
Of them very valuable
In making up compost, the farmer m ay throw in
promiscuously either one or all Of these articles he
may possess. land If he is composing with muck and
ashes, although they very well alone, yet if
he can spare any of his stable manure to mix with
them it would be better, and he could increase the
proportion Of muck.
have treated muck in the way just described by
hauling into the yard and composing and find that the
muck thus prepared is better load for load, than my
best barn yard manure.
fishes is another very valuable substance for ma
nure. Every bushe flashes is absolutely worth 25
cents to the farmer for manure; and judcious far
mer would no sell his ashes than his stable
manure. II is the best substance save stable manure
we possess for decomposing muck. 1t benefits all
kinds of soils, but wet heavy lands the least. On
corn and grain lands it produces surprising effects -
Il may he used broad east mixed with the other
manures, OF placed in the hill; but should not be
placed in potatoe hills, as it will make the potatoe
scabby, neither should any considerable quantity be
used on potato ground, a small quantity, or light
dressing, however, benefits potatoes It is most fire.
quently used in the eached form. On account of
their alkaline properties they good cold sour
lands II improves the texture of light dry soils
Sandy lands, it is said, that have lain several years in
grass most susceptible to improvement from leach
ed ashes Sixty bushels to the aero will usually he
found abundant The extraordinary effect ofleached
ashes is, in part, owing 10 its powers OF imparng TO
the soil capacity to appreciate and assimuate more
abundantly and more rapidly the eralizng consttu-
ents of the atmosphere. had much rather have, on
most soils, bushe of ashes than busheI Of plaster
or lime. ITO be continued