Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-03-13

pare the guano and the feses Of men with the
composition Of animal urine, the analysis sho VS.
RI. my book on agriculture that both are en-.
tirely defective in alkaline carbonates they con.
tain phosphaes and SUI pilates as well as chic.
ride Of sodium, but no free alkali they contain
phosphate of magnesia in short their elements
are in quality identical with the important min.
eral elements Of the seeds Of wheat, peas, deans,
(rf. the analyss.) The urine Of swine is IN its
composition intermediate between the urine OF
man and horses.
Analysis Of the urine Of swine.
Carbonate of potash ....l2l)
| Phosphate OF soda ......l90
SulphAc of SODA. ...... 10
| Chloride of sodlum.... 53l The solid excre
of potassium Sments of swine con-
Of magnesia. s.s l phs,es , Of line p
Traces of Iron.......
What the practical results Of a knowledge Of
the composition of those manures are clear. If
it were possible to provide our fields with the
dung of swine in sufficient quantity, we would
replace by it, in soil which contains ailica and
lime, all the remaining elements-the field
might be made fertile for all kinds OF plants.
We have in it not only alkalines, the princi pal
elements of the seeds, but also alkaline car.
Donates, which are required by the leaves,
stalks and ROOFS. This purpose cannot be at.
tanned, however, by manuring With guano or
human excremen,s alone, but perfectly so by
stable manure, from i,s containing alkaline car
Donates. II have said that manure contains
the mineral elements Of the nurture of the plants
exactly in state and condition in which they
are furnished by nature--that field MANFRED
by it resembles the primitive state Of America
and Hungary, this assertion will not be found
exaggerated. 1t is certain that stable dung
contains no alkaline phasphates, but nature does
not furnish to the plants these elements even in
the most fertile soil, although we find them
in lage quantity in all the seeds Of wild plants.
1t is obvious notwithstanding their absence
from the soil, that the phos pilates are formed in
tho organization Of the plants, and that they
originate from the phosphate of lime and mag.
, nesIa and the supplied alkalies, by an exchange
of the elements of both. The Alkalies are ne
. cessary for forming alkaline phosphates, which
cannot originate in tho phosphate OF lime
alone. Both together are present in stable dung
In human eycremens, and in guano, the aka
,, line carbona,es are entirely wanting. The
practice OF the farmer, in some places Of supply
ing TO tho field not pure guano, but mixture
Of 1t with gypsum, shows clearly that the phos
pilates Of alkaline bases are really formed il
the organism Of the plants from the phosphate
OF lime and magnesis, because this mixture
potash or soda than the guano itself or, in Ger
tain proportions of gypsum, no alkaline phos
pilates at all the soluble phosphates in the gu
ano decomposing the gypsum into phosphate q
lime and magnesia, and into su phae OF potash
am far from asserting that we should not pro
, vide the field with alkaline phosphates the ex
, cellent effects Of the guano, and Of the human
4 excrements, is to well known to question it,
;. and we perceive, from this fact, that plants or
u in this respect like domestic animals, whic
Q with normal food, arc healthy and strong, bu
do not falten. On the contrary, we know tina
J. if we prepare the food Of these animals arti
caly, so as to render it more easily digesie
and assmiated, they are enabled to consume,
given time, a greater quantity Of it BY whic
all their parts materially increase in weight
The same happens with plants if we give ther
y their nourishment in state most appropriate
u for assimilation their capabity to attract tn
u other elements from the atmosphere increase
" and their development is accelerated. Ii W
recollect that the favorable effect of guano upo
}. our fields depends on its amount Of amm0niact
ia sails, Of alkaline phosphates, and the other MN
~ eral constituents Of the seeds, but that It is dc
- fec,ve IN akalies, the principal elements Of III
!" herbs, straw. and roots, il 10 easily understood
'" why the opinions Of farmers, on tho value
guano as a manure, are SO very different. On
IS soil, which 10 defective in alkalies, ito effect
s, small on soil rich in them, it increases I'll
s. produce in a remarkable degree but, as ha,
M already observed, the continued application
a. guano must gradually diminish the fertility
~ ~. our fields for a number Of plants, because III
" elements of those organs, of tho leaves, stalk
d. roots, &C., without which the plants cannot
es developed and cannot produce seeds, are take
no Oft in the harvest without any restoration
a. them. | think it, therefore, certain that Il
at stable dung can replace the guano TO a certa
n. degree, but not rice versa. A rational agricu
:. turlst, in using guano, cannot dispense wi
g stable dung.
w During my excursions in England. have 2
ny peatedly directed the attention of the agricult
oil riss, as Messrs. Pusey and Miles will. pc
he haps recoect,to the necessity Of supplying I
as alkalies,and not merely the phosphates and OF
or salts; by partial supply the equilibrium
l.. fertility is not restored. and if we supply qua
nc alone, we do not act wisely, because we CO
no sumo our capital by rich interests, and leave
Is, our children an exhausted soil
's' And now, sir, the principles above mention
IL must guide US in the manufacture Of an arti
al cal manure. II they are neglected-if the
,r. tifcial manure is defective in one or two OF
of necessary elements, the farmer in making u
nd OF it, will, in very short time, discover
-, fact, by the injury he will have sustained fr'
it.
:. In the manufacture Of an artificial manure
must be kept in view, that the aPplicat
a., Of stable dung, and Of human excreme
nd and Of guano, is attended with great loss
all consequence Of the too great solubty Of tn
in most efficacious elements, and this must be p
red vented by artificial means. This 10 evident
his we remember those countries from which g
a a no is derived. 1t is known that the colec.
nd nras atiun of tho rom MT on the
Die, Same and ,hs cos.,. Of ps,u and Ct
the densnd mon the scsrci,v of rain in those co
ell tries. The best sorts Of guano contain, in I
rul. moro than one half nj thai, ~siuht of sol,