The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-02-01
Tho Muck Mines on tho Farm.

Tho Muck Mines on tho Farm.
No farmer need seek for richer placer
who has muck mine upon his premises. ii,
has triple advantage in the work of enrich
ing his land over those who have not beer
thus favored. For muck is not only fertil
izcr Of itself, but it possesses tho power ol
enhancing the value of other manurcs-the
process OF fermentation, by which they suffer
some loss, giving, in admixture with muck
greater value to three or four times the ma.
terial, than could otherwise be secured. A
an illustrative proof, we might quote the
statement of the late Elias Phinny, Of Massa.
chusetts, who, by the mixture Iof twice the
amount dry muck with the manure from
his stables, secured fertilizer which he us.
sured the editors of the New England Far.
mer was of higher value than the droppngs
alone, load for load. His operations
says the Farmer. " were extensive, and con.
Quoted in u systematic manner, and the con-
clusiOns to which ho arrived iu relation to
them have been abundantly sustained by
other cxperimentalists, and by careful anal.
ysis OF scientific men," According to Prof.
5. w. Johnson" the excretion OF any ami
nal, mixed with muck. is rendered more val.
liable, from the fact that tho muck absorbs
and saves the ammonia, "a volatile gas which
would otherwise be dissipatcd TO consider.
able extent by fermentation. The value ol
the muck compost is greater also, from being
better proportIoned to the wants of plants
Sill, manure alone, If properly taken care o.
is too rich for, according to the same au
thority," plants oyer-stimulated with am
monia, produce much foliage and few seeds. y
Our present purpose, however, is to oilcl
few hints on " working the mines, or SO
curing supply of muck for future use. The
best deposits are usually too full of water foi
digging in fall or winter, and can only be
drawn upon during the dry weather in Mid
summer. The same scasOn--thc time be
tween the early and the later harycst-usual.
ly presents some leisure for the work. Be-
sides, when comparatively dry, there is less
weight to move, and the material is in bet.
ter state to use. 1t will lie more lightly in
the heaps, and thus gain greater exposure to
the air while seasoning. When muck is dug
out and piled ON dry land, the air and rains
gradually dissipate the acid which mos,
specimens contain, and which must be dis
PEELED or neutralized before il is available
nourishment for plants. Ii also needs dry.
ing to become available for use az an absorb
ent Of the liquids OF the stable-a use oI
much importance in increasing the stock o.
manure. Muck readily becoming friable un
der the action OF the elements, is q valuable
fertilizer for loamy and sandy soils alone
Ii it contains much acid this should b
neutralized by fermentation-mOst readily
brought about by mixing with animal drop
pings, as spoken of above.
Speaking Of the quantity of muck which
may be used in season, the Homestead re
marks that it be,rs some proportion to th
number Of animals kept upon the farm, AM
puts II ut from fifteen to twenty-five loads fo
each COW, OK, or horse, and ten loads to eacl
yearling swine. At least half load to ev
cry sheep, We think, may be spread Owe
their yards, which should be kept Uttered
with straw while occupied in the winter
Early in spring let the whole be drawn out
(mixing the strawy and mucky portions to
gcther while handling,) and placed in heap
and it will prove very valuable for the fai
wheat, or indeed, any crop on the farm. A
few loads should be placed where the wasl
and slops Of the house can be poured ovcl
them Il will soon become valuable manure
and should be drawn away, and replaced
with new supply.
When the muck beds are distant from the
barn, and the material is wanted for appli
cation to lands near by, there is no need o
carting the muck to the barn and back a'
large expense. Get out the muck now
and heap il on the fields where needed
When the stock comes to the stables in tht
fall, draw the manure ut once to these fields
and as long us allowed by the frost, mix thu
two together, one load OF manure to two o.
muck, and 1t will only require one turning
and few weeks OF warm weather. to ft i
for corn or other crops. Or il may be com
posted In the spring with lime, ashvs. guano
bone dust or other alkaline or nitrogeneoui
material, dccomposing in short time, ant
furnishing manure equal in value TO tha
from the barnyard itself.
The conceded value of muck for increasing
the quantity and quality Of available home
mannres, renders IL worthy the attention o.
every farmer within whose reach II lies
Thousands Of swamps are now accessible
and there are few places where muck, eithel
from their frequent largo deposits, or from
the beds of sluggish streams, the margins o
ponds, the hollows Of wooded Hills, and lil,
situations. cannot be procured to any desira
bic extent by the crterprising farmer. Ye
we are surprised, upon inquiry, to find &c
few who avail themselves Of the resource, II
comparison to those who might do so. BuI
those who have once given il lair trial new
cr cease to pursue the practice, IL proves toC
profitable in wheat and corn, in meadow and
orchard-in the improved character OF every
product Of the farm. to be neglected oy any
who have ever tested its value. IL is mine
of gold to every cultivator Of the soil-giyins
golden graiu-goldcn dairy products-gold
en- fruit-gold in the pocket.
~ The laboring classes Of New York have
in the savings banks Of that city four millions