The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-11-08
M;yhe Harat.
FERTILlZERS-COMPOSTING MUCK.

In describing the qualities Of land it
is always we'll to give the charactar of
the trees growing upon the soil or
those which thrive best, or whether
hard or soft wood, whethe birch, maple,
hickory, or pine In this way you
arrive at facts. To say soils are loamy,
clayey, or sandy, gives vague idea
as to their latent qualities. Our grand
mothers, in setting up leach tub for
soap always selected hardwood ashes
to fill it, for experience had taught that
only from these could potash be obtain
ed. So, when farmer sees hickory,
maple, or oak growing here and there
on his farm, then the fact that his land
contains potash sufficient for ordinary
crops, and intelligent cultivation will
soon bring it up to high condition.
There is no general specific treatment
for soils. Instructions or advice must
be conducted on general principles, and
the successful applications depend upon
the intelligence of different parties.
The question is asked-What fertilizers
are to be used to economically obtain
the best results? How to use and
compost swamp muck?
A person who possesses a bed of
swamp muck upon his farm is apt to
believe he has a bed of ready-made
manure. He will be disappointed.
Swamp muck is much overrated and
moderated 1t is valuable, and at the
time it may not pay for carting. 1t
will pay fve-fold by proper manipula-
ton. Let US examine its composition,
and how formed Muck, or humus is
generally the deposit found at the bot
tom of ponds and lakes, or where they
have been filled up through the course
of ages by the decomposition of water
plants. All water plants are deficient
in agricultural salts. If you plant
grain upon bed of muck, you obtain
at first rank growth of straw, which
soon breaks down, or lodges" as the
farmers say, from deficiency Of the
silicate of potash, and no grain will be
formed Notwithstanding it is valua-
BILE when first carted out, it is sour
muck, and unproductive. If you take
barrel of clean sand and pour liquid
manure upon the top, it will leach
through the same; but if you place
layer of dry muck in the barrel the
liquid will come through clear, showing
the muck has absorbed the manure.
Here, then, is a valuable quality, show
ing it possesses the qualities of carbon
in the soil. Again, it imparts dark
color to soil and absorbs heat. believe
the best treatment of it for manure is
the following: Cart it out from its bed
in the Autumn or Winter to be acted
upon by the Winter frosts. The chem
istry of nature is most wonderful and
not appreciated by agriculturists. The
frost and sun sweeten the humus and
decompose it. If hard wood ashes can
be purchased up to twenty-five cents a
bushel, they are the best for composing
with muck, next lime. By mixing
ground bone with wood ashes, and wet
ting or dampening the heap, letting it
lay for few weeks, then composing
with swamp muck, you will have a
special manure for potatoes or for top
dressing for any grain or grass. Cart
out muck for your cattle to stand upon,
put it in your pig-pens, hen-coops.-
Place heap near the house where the
Stops of the house can be thrown upon
it and use it as an absorbent for liquid
manure. Economic your labor, for
labor is money. Cart out your manure
from your pens at convenient times,
irrespective Of season, upon your grass
land or land you intend to cultivate.
Spread it upon your land at any time,
except when it is frozen Instead of
ploughing your manures in deep, with a
pillow, harrow them in upon the surface
Do not listen to those who tell you
they will waste and pass off in the
atmosphere. Wage an incessant war
upon weeds. Do not sell any hay off
the farm unless you buy ashes or bone
with the proceeds Give your cattle
warm stables. They will not eat so
much. Give them plenty to eat, with
variety, and oil meal to improve the
manure. Dig up head lands-ridges
under fences-for your compost-heap,
and collect all heaps of leaves for your
pens and yards. an -a