The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-07-03
q GRlG u 4 r u nAA o
ON MANURE FURNISHING FOOD FOR PLANTS.

ON MANURE FURNISHING FOOD FOR PLANTS.
We have said that plants contain four
organic and ten inorganic constituents, aud
that the laws Of nature demand that, from
the soil and atmosphere, each one Of Mrse
should be available, in order to secure per
feet crops, and a full supply Of cacl., to Sc
cure abundant crops. Perfect cars of corn
can be raised on a soil lightly manured,
from hills four feet apart, ,and one stalk in a
hill, one ear to a stalk, even if the ground
is Plowcd only six inches deep, provided tho
soil is not too wet or too dry. But quite =,
different culture and munuriny is required
to grow twice the number Of hills, three
stalks in a hill, and twin cars on most
Of them. The same will apply to raising
| wheat
Waving remarks on the laws of nature,
requiring deeply and finely pu'vc,i2ed
soil for another article, we will, in this, con
slider namures as furnishing the food for
plants. From repeated experiments it is
, ascertancd that the stale Of animals cen
tains great amount Of nutrimcnt, or food
Tor plants; that similar effects are produced
oy applying the droppings Of poultry (ga-
ano) animal manure, (b'ood and otial of
slau;h,cr-yar'ls, &c, &c. Muc! Of Tic WI; c
OF these is liable TO lie lost ty putr,faction
and evaporation. BY chemistry wo ascer-
tain what this is anJ how to retain it. IT.,
well known that in cleaning horse s,:.Ji..s,
especially under the floor, there is Il very
punsent smell. The same is true in open.
ing heap Of stable manure, that has been
thrown up and heated. This smell is pro-
'luccd by the escape Of ammonia, which is
the cssen:c and value Of the MANURE
The Loss is greater from privics, because
their contents arc still richer, and more
highly charged with fer,iIizing gases. How
to retain these and to fix them in Il state
III which they will remain ill used by the
growing plants, is question Of high inror-
tance, which 4 scientific knowledge of these
elements alone can answer. An English
writer says Before you begin to clear
your stables, dissolve two pounds of com.
mon salt in bucket Of water, and pour
through the nose Of n waterpot, over the
stable floor, an hour before you begin to
move the manure, and the volatile salts OF
ammonia vii! become fixed salts, from I.av.
ing united with the muriatic acid of the
salt; and the soda thus liberated from tie
salt will quickly absorb carbonic acid, form
ing carbonate Of soda. Thus you will re-
tain with your manure the ammonia, which
would otherwise lave flown away, and YOU
will have new and important agent thus
introduced, carbonate Of soda" This pow
ertul solvent will be valuable agent in
preparing tho manure for tho reception Of
plants after it is applied to the soil. Night
soil is rendered inodorous, by mixing it with
charcoal dust. (carhon.) Dry pu!verizcd
clay, and plaster Of Paris, aud ten times it's
weight of peat muck or turf nay &c added,
or any other carhonaceous matter, with
good effect. In heaping up manure, por.
ton Of these mixed with it, will, in n great
measure, prevent the escape of ammonia,
by their chemical action, as above described.
have long praciised sp'ink!ing pulverized
charcoal or plaster daily in my stables, and
also in healing up my manure with free
use Of salt. The result has been most sat
isfactory. This gives it double the value
when kept under shelter. When mixed
with alternate layers Of meadow mud, tr-
pie the quantity may be Obtained Watcl-
man d. Reflector.