Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-02-25

family of wood are not so rich in line or ptsls.s as
the two hard wood ones the analyses of wslse ash
es are given yet that they are richer in pot:lsf
and soda combined, and that the mean per eentnge
of magnesia in the ashes of Beech and Oak is less
than that found in those Of Pitch Pine. Now then,
as both Potash and Soda very active solfenfs,
the ashes made from pitch pine are highly valua-
bic agents in any compost heap, not only account
of these substances, but, because they also com
parativey richin Lime and Magnesia, both of which
arc good solvents. AS a whole, Pine Wood Ashes
will be found excellent ingredient in every c0ID
post heap, where the object aimed at is the deeOn
position of the rough inert material which maY
form the base of the compost heap. But we woulS.
here observe. that. be the solvent Used what nx
each compost heap should be literally treated 81
plaster as means of preventing the loss Il & athe
volatile portions of the materials for in all bodies
usually embodied in the compost heap there M
more or less nitrOgenous natter which is OF the
great leavenng principles of vegetable productions
If the peat, marsh mud, or river mud, be- not from
formations subj ect to the overflow of salt wat We
would combine two bushels of salt, with whatever
quantity of plaster might put upon the quantity
of compost intended for an acre.
We shall now direct the attention of our CORES
pondent and all other readers, to the following
essay, which we wrote con Gmore, in January, 1881
and had inserted in the american Atsan. published
In New York, with the view that it might meet the
eyes of the gentleman for whose benefit it was par
ticularly written The directions therein given as
to the methods of composing peat, are just as APP
pcable to swamp mud, r1rer, creek mud. tcoodS
mould and leareS, Wocds-moud and pine skaters, and
all kindred substances, as they are to the former
substance; while the quantities of the dpcomposers
will be found to act with more efficiency with more
promptness-on the latter matters.
ssFor the American Artisan
CONVERSION OF PEAT INTO MANURE,
AS along the whole range of the coasts of the
Atlantic Sdtes we'll as upon the margins of those
rivers, bays, creeks and estuaries, which abound
therein, and find Ultimate outlets in the ocean, there
to be found vast deposites of Peat, and kindred
vegetable bodies the utilization of these substances
manures, becomes object of the very last i'm
pOrance, and the so, as, from long csntinued
course of mprovident culture, most of the arabic
lands in those states have become greatly exhausted
and the ordinary sources Of manure have failed,
thus far to arrest the of deterioration to
which they have been subjected"
g Peat as we know, is composed of vegetable mat
ter, the accumulation of centuries in certain Local
tions there deposited under circumstances which
but slightly favor decomposition and may be said
to consist Of decomposed partially decomposed and
undecomposed vegetable matters which may be
very readily presumed to be somewhat variant in
their constituent elements, and which according as
they may have been or less excluded from the
influence of atmospheric air, by superincumbent
water, to have undergone greater less degree of
decay. But as Peat was once possessed of life its
power of reproducing life in living bodies, can, by
the application of proper agents, be restored and
restored so etectually too as to make every pound
of it equally good for the fertilization of the SOIL
would be equal weight of barn-yard or stable
manure. The means by which this desirable end
be brought about is the object of the writer Of
this essay whose purpose shall be to state them in
so plain and practical way, as to place the moduS
operandi within the comprehension of all"
"Peat operated upon by local circumstances.
may vary, to some extent, in composition, but the
difference is too trifing to effect it's value as ma
nure, will be made manifest by the following
facts:
The of 20 analyses of Peots of Rhode Is
land by DR.. Jackson, gave the following results: