Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-07-27
NO. 40.
FERTILIzERS.

Manure is the great talisman Of the far
mers or gardeners success; consequently
we who occupy sterile, or somewhat ex-
hausted New England soil, should seek by
every honorable means to increase our
piles of manure. Who are the farmers
who produce the largest and finest cropsp
You will find them to be the ones who
neglect no farm, or other resource, from
which they may draw matter which will
increase the size and value of their
manure piles. and then judiciously apply
it with an unstinted hand. Such farmers
never neglect the good culture and care
OF their crops, consequently are we'll re-
warded in large and good crops. Such
crops are always the most profitable, and
are certainly the most satisfactory to the
cultivatOr.
My object, in this article, is to call the
attention of the cultvators of the soil to
one source of manurial supply, which, ii
properly taken advantage of, would great
" add to their fertilizers,-I refer to the
privy vault This is too much neglected
for either profit or health. Some neglect
it from ignorance of its intrinsic value;
others from false delicacy IN handling and
applying it fearing it may taint or other
wise unfavorably affect the crop. Our
nearest blessings are thus often despised.
we send abroad for guano, while we neg
lect the deposits in our own hen houses
and prlvles which are of greater value
proportionally. urate and poudrette are
purchased from abroad, when we have
materials for the manufacture of the same
articles at our own doors, which, if thus
utilized, would prove advantageous to US
In more than one way. Urate is simply
human urine and plaster of Paris mixed,
and allowed to stand and ferment for
week or two, and the liquid poured off,
and the solid part dried and pulverized
1hls is somewhat wasteful, for the gyp-
sum does not absorb all the ammonia gem
Grated by the fermentation, as also the
liquid portion thrown away contains many
valuable salts in solution.
If every family would provide cask
into which the chamber-lye conld be passed
daily, and then as soon as it began to show
fermentation be poured on a bed of dry
muck, confined in tight box under cover
and some plaster sprinkled over it, at the
end of few months we should have a
fine lot of rich and good fertilizer valua-
BILE for any crop, and the expense is scarce
lv one.tenth of the cost of market article
of less value.
The urine of man is estimated to be one
thousand pounds per year, and its COM
position as follows: water, 933 urea, 80;
animal matter, 16; sulphate of potash, Al
do of soda, 3; phosphate of soda; do. of
ammonia, l. 8; common salt, 4. 8; other
ingredients 4. The urea which gives the
urine its value, is white, salt-like SUBJ
stance, and contains nearly fifty per cent
of nitrogen, and is therefore richer than
any other substance so highly valued for
ammonia. Estimate from the above the
great loss to agriculture yearly accruing
from this one source, and calculate there
from what advantages would arise from
saving and returning to the soil the WHOLE
Why, if such were the case, the saving
would soon equal the sum of our national
debt, great as it is. The solid excrements
found in our privies are beginning to be
more highly esteemed and more generally
used, but there is very little economy
shown in making the most of them. Ii
every householder would but adopt the
earth closet, or its principles with his pres
ent priyy, provide tight vault or draw
and every time used throw down a small
quantity of dry EARTH and as often as oc-
casion required empty the draw or vault,
under cover at the end of the year there
would be an amount of valuable fertilizer
which would astonish the negligent in this
matter. AS to there being any fear of us.
ing it for vegetable culture, there need be
none to the most delicate. as it will no
more impart to vegetables any taint than
any of the other fertilizers used, it being
thing simply impossible for the poudrette
thus made TO transmit to vegetables any
taste or taint whatever of the original
night soil. Night soil seems to be the
most abundant, neglected resource Of the
New England farmer, and fortunate wills
it be for New England agriculture when
the prejudice rgainst the use of night soil
is overcome. and more systematic mode
for its preservation is generally adopted.
W. II. White, IN the New England Farmer.