Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-09
Agricultural.
From the Albany Cultivator.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
| We are indebted to Hon. John w Proctor. of DAN
yers Mass, for copy of an essay on Top Dressing
Grass-Lands written by Mr.. Charles L. Flint, for
the Transactions Of the Essex County Ag Society
The length of the paper precludes the possibility of
our publishing it entire, and we therefore give the
following extract, which contains many useful sug
gestons
from the barn to lie exposed for months the winds
and rains of summer and winter. Many farmers
have no arrangement by which the liquid and most
valuable part of stable manure is saved. and yet
der all these disadvantages they to apt to
graduate themselves on having somany loads Of ma
nure They do not consider that it is the quality
and not the quantity which adds richness to the soil
The practice of digging cellar under the barn. is
becoming more common among enterprlslng farm
ers and it may be said that the increased value and
quantity of the manure, is enough 10 pay far more
than the interest of the extra expense. Sheltered
manure is far valuable but in case where this
has not and cannot well be done, much of the real
value may be saved by forming the yard that no.
thing may escape. Let peat mud and loan be thrown
in to absorb what would otherwise be lost. Plaster
occasionally thrown into the yard is like money!
will not say in the savings bank, but rather put to
compound interest.
In Flanders. where the greatest economy is prac-
ticed, the liquid of single animal is estimated at
from ten to fifteen dollars year. This, applied as
top dressing, has a surprising effect. No should
neglect to form a compost heap; it may be so made
as to form extremely valuable article for top
dressing. quantity of meadow mud, should be dug
out in the autumn for this special purpose. That
this is Indispensable will be from the fact that
two cords of peat mud added to one cord of good
stable manure, will make compound of three cords
as valuable clear barn manure* This has been
tried repeatedly and is constantly done by those who
are ambitious to excel in farming. To this COM
post should be added from time to time all the ami
NAL and vegetable matter adapted to enrich the SOIL
woolen the remains of fish the blood nd flesh
of animals, the hair of animals-all these make
exceedingly rich manure. A most intelligent gen
tleman connected with wool factory, informs US
that cord of matter collected at the establishment,
is worth at least five six cords of the best stable
manure for a top-dressing. This we cannot doubt,
for here the blood the wool, pieces of the skin
of the animal, and many other substances all col
ected together. fermentation takes place by which
the richest gases formed. Such compost heap,
with addition of loan and mud, would be invalu-
able for top-dressing But though, in most cases,
all these substances cannot be procured many of
them and should be saved by every one who is
DESTROYS of improving his lands Those who are
the sea, or near the market, can procure an album
dance of fish to add to the compost. Nothing is bet
ter for soils than this Ashes should also be added,
and when additions of manure made, they should
be covered with mud or loan to prevent waste.
We need not enter infinitely into the details
of forming the compost heap it is sufficient to say.
in word that everything capable of fermentation
loan or mud. Nothing is more common among far
mers the death of horse any other animal,
than to throw the body away 1t is estimated by
some that the body of a single horse, when divided
and mixed with peat, mud and loam will make
compost worth fifteen twenty cords fthe best and
richest manure. This is perhaps too high esti-
mate but animal substances ferment rapidly,
rather they may be said to purify without ferment-
ing, quick is their decomposition. Leaves grasses,
moss straw and other substances of like nature may
no hoo,o
should be thrown over; and if it is made long and
as to expose the greater surface to the air.
it will be better. Whenever such compost has been
used as topdressing, it has produced the most as
that this is the best way of using such compost
In the fertile county of Hertford in England, it is
seldom used in any other way. 1t cannot be too
highly recommended
Animals fed on rich food make the most valuable
manure. This will serve to show why the manure
from the pig-sy is fertilizing. Swine are fed
d great variety of rich food The actual profit of
raising them in places, arise mainly from the
amount of substance they will mix together and
make into Let the sty be supplied at inter-
walls with mud, loan, and other vegetable matter,
and farmers will not complain of the cost of these
animals
Liquid manures are highly useful to grasses. Care
should be taken to apply them, Also to the compost
heap. The richness of manure from the sly, is
ing mostly to the great quantity of liquid matter;
hence the Importance OF adding great variety OF
vegetable substances, loam and mud. In a word it
may be said that all liquid manures contain large
amount of nitrogen. which is important ingredi-
ent of ammonia. The Importance saving the liquid
of stables either with the compost to be applied
by ITSELF may be seen, ALSO in the fact that the
ceedng richness of guano and the ordure ofal fowls
and birds is due to the union of liquids and solids
Spent ley from the soap boiler, is also powerful
liquid application. 1t shows its good effects for years.
when properly applied.
After fermentation has taken place in animal
manures, in the compost heap or elsewhere. they
may be spread without much loss by evaporation :
and hence it matters not whether the topdressng is
applied in the autumn in the spring Plaster IS
better spread IN the spring. when the moisture of the
earth makes it Immediately available. Not so with
our manures. Some prefer the autumn for spreading
these while others prefer the spring just before the
thick grass surrounds and protects them from the
sun and wind. The soil in autumn is not injured
by the loaded cart, it is apt to be in spring 9th
ers still apply them after the first moving, and be-
fore the summer rains. The new crop preserves the
manures from drying up and wasting. This how
ever, is ordinarily too busy season to attend to it
with convenience.
*Peat varies much in ils value Some may
be worth what it is here estimated at; but think it put
too high to be received general rue.-Eds
Gardening.