Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-03-19
From The (N. l..) PLor.
What Is In.,Urc -!

ANY substance which restores the elements oi
fertility TO the soil may be termed manure, and
in The language Of Professor Norton, may be d
vidcd into two claSses-orSaulc anI Inorganic
organic, when derived from the remains Of organ
ised bsings, as plants and animals: inorganic
when produced from tile mineral kingdom Negc
table differs much in its action from animal king
dom. Green vegetables when deprived of va-
f., rapidly decay; their great succulency pro-
moieS this when assisted Ly air. facilitated no
doubt by the ozotiSed matters Of tn" sap, which
imparl the putrefacve tendency, reducing the IL
brouS organ snl TO carbonic acid, water, and am
lnona; AT the same time liberaing its earthly and
saline ingredients. Dry vegetables decay slowly
the sap being dried up is less inclined 10 putre-
f.: uu. how soou it commences when moistened
or mixed with animal matters, as when straw Is
employed as litter Peat is a vegetable manure
III whih decomposition is checked, not only by
antseptic matters, but chiefly by excessive nlols-
ture, and the consequent exclusion OF AIR. fet
when dried, and mixed with animal manures or
cauSlic lime how speedily it mouders down. The
principal supply OF vegetables i"r manure IS de-
rived from the leaves, and stems OF grain crops.
grasses, the collection of weeds, the consumption
of green crops and, in some cases, Of the seeds Of
plants. Seeds of plants are not directly used as
manures, being too valuable as an article OF food
Seeds contain the richest clements for iertlIlsaion
the phosphatcs and mitrogenous products hence
the rich manure obtained from cattle fed on OIL
cake or Lnseed grain The refuse OF some seeds
is used for manure, as bran, rape-cakc, mai-dus
&c" Green vegetables are sometimes used as
cheap method of terlili$ng the sol either upon
which they grow, or by removing them to another
field. In this country, the principal green crop
used for manure is clover The waste Of sub
stance which would form valuable manure, II sa-
we'd and composted, upon many farms and by sa-
wing, economical farmers, too, would make them
open their ewes with astonishment II they could
ONLY see the truth We have known many care
fiji. yea slngy New England farmer, who has all
his iif, time snulfed the tainted air OF the prvy,
which has ditfused its tertizing grasses abroad
upon the air, instead of applying its substance as
manure upon his growing crops.
How mony Of you, my readers, al TINS moment
are complaining OF short crops and yet have piles
of stable manure lying exposed TO tho bleaching
effects of winter rain, or under the evaporaung
power OF a scorching sun? How many otyou
have barrel of ground plaster standing IN your
stable, with which you daily sprinkle the floor,
and thus absorb the ammonia which Is so often.
sve, and would otherwise escape and be lost -
That old greasy coat, hat. and boots, which saw
last week disguring the landscape near your
house, where they have danged as scare-rrow
ever since last spring, would make more corn than
they saved, if you had used them as a manure.
For the same purpose, we beg OF you 10 save the
blood and bristles of your butcherlnG-it is
valuable manure.
Finally. bear in mind that almost every organic
substance is capable of being converted into ma
nurp, and increasing The productions OF the earth
for the benefit ofthe whole human family.