The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-03-17
From the New England Farmer.
Making Compost.
by FREDERICK HoLBROoK.
(Concluded).
nier.

OOUCuueU/.
The mould formed by a growth Of
hard wood is of much better quality and
is more in quantity, than that made bv a
growth of hemlock, pine, or spruce.
Having plenty oI the former, | have
made no use Of the latter. or the hard
woods, the walnut, maple, black birch
and ash make the best mould that from
the beech is good, but thin, and difficult
to grub up, because the roots of,he trees
run very near the surface of the ground.
Very good mould is found around but.
ternut trees, and thar around chestn u,
trees is pretty good.
1t has been nearly an annual custom
with me, for several years, TO collect from
ten to twenty cords Of this material com.
posting it variously with the excremen,s
of animals, and applying it variously for
the improvement Of the tilage fields
aud have not yet seen cause TO aban-
don the custom. True, il would not be
advisable to remove this mould ndis-
crminately from the forests; but if TAX
en- IRON the hollows and places where il
gathers in extra quantities, il probably
soon accumulaies again in sufficient
quantities for the wants ofthe trees; and
fit be taken only from these places, ,Ieav-
ing the knobs and plains undsiurbed
the injury, if any, 10 the forests, will be
more than balanced to the owner by the
benefits impaired to his tillsge fields aud
crops.
To any one who may chance 10 read
this communication, and who is desir
GUS of making good compost in large
quantities. i would say-iry the method |
have now detailed, and so ascertain
whether il will do for you or not. If
you winter say fifteen or twenty head Of
cattle, you can re-arrange your stable
floor and construct a trench in it at an
expense Of about twenty dollars and
this well done will answer the purpose
for years. Then gather materials TO put
in the trench for compost. 1.-THE leaves
and mould of woodlands are convenient.
ly accessible heap them up in November,
and draw the heap TO the barn, a few
loads at time. in the winter, or if there
is spare room in shed near the stable,
pile it all there. 1t will not freeze much
in the pile. If swanp.muck is most
convenient, dig it in August, or earlier,
and provide dry warm place for it, in
or about the barn if you choose, though
| should pile ii under the shed and let it
freeze /; for the frost will improve The
muck, and with a sharp pickaxe. one
can easily cleave it from the pile from
day to day. as wanted.
IL neither vegetable mould and leaves
from The woods, nor muck, can be con-
yenienily procured for the trench. then
turf dug and piled in season to rot be.
fore being used. rich loan from the road
side. head-lands about The fence, or the
wash centering in rich holluws, may be
provided /; and in case such materials
can be used, they should be piled in
place pretty much free from frost; for
frozen muck. the latter is spongy, and
easily operated on the former is almost
as hard aud unyelding as stone. Which,
ever material is used, il will be well 10
put straw, swamp hay. brakes. or other
refuse litter under the cattle, for he'd.
ding, thereby promoting their comfort
and swelling the manure heap. II
swamp-muck is put into the trench, these
light bulky vegetable substances used for
bedding the cattle, and daily thrown out
with the contents OF the trench, wall |
cause the heap to lie up lightly. will
promote its fermentation. thus expelling
Ihe acids Of the muck, aud preparing il
for immediate use.
II ii is imconvenient or imprac,icable
10 provide oneself with barn-cellar, the
compost will work well thrown out at
he stable windows, only lie, there be
'ooi over the heaps,ta cheap one will do,) |
% protect them from sun and storms.
Even with cellar. il would still be well
o mix Me compost in the trench, tha, |