, 1874-05-02
Extract from 1.-The Elements of Agriculture"
BY Geo. E. Waring, Jr. page ll3.l
NIGHT-SOIL.

Inc BEST manure WlIIllu INC IGuCu Ol Jl0 Dltu-
ter is night soil, or human excrement. The
manure of man consists, Gas does that Of any other
animal) of those parts of his food which are not
retained in the increase of his body. IT he be
groVing, his manure is poorer, rs in the case of
the OK and it is subject to certain notifications.
His food is usually of a varied character, and is
rich in nitrogen, the phosphates, and other NOR
ganic constituents consequently, his manure IS
made valuable by containing largo quantities of
these matters. AS is the case with the OK, the
dung contains the undigested food, tho s%ecrctionS
Cor leakings) Of the digestive organs, and the
insoluble parts of the ash Of the digested food
Tho urinc, in like manner, contains a large pro-
portion of the nitrogen, and, the soluble NOR
ganic parts Of the digested food. When we con-
slider how much richer the food Of man is than
that of horned or other cattle, we shall under
stand the superior vulue ofhis Crcremcnt.
Night-soil has been used as n II manure, for ages,
in China and Japan and herein lies, undoubted-
ly, the great secret Of their success in supporting
o dense population, for almost countless ages,
without impovcrishing the soil.
Some have supposed that manuring with night
soil would give disagreeable properties to plants;
this is not the case; their quality is invariably
improved. The color and odor of the rose are
made richer and more delicate by the use OF the
most offensive n~ight-soil as manure.
It is evident that this is the case from the fact
that plants have it for their direct object to mako
over and put together the refuse organic matter
and the gases and the minerals found in nature,
for tho use eff animals. If there were no natural
means of rendering the eXcrement of animals
available to plants, the earth must soon be shorn
of it's fertility, as the elements OF growth when
once consumed would be essentially destroyed,
and no soil could survive the exhaustion.
There is no reason why the manure OF man
should be rejected by vegetation more than that
of any other animal and indeed it is not,-ample
experience has proved that there is no better
manure in existence.
A single experiment will suffice to show that
night-soil may be so kept that there shall be no
loss of its valuable gases, and consequently no
offensive odor arising from it, while it may be
removed and applied to crops without unpleasant
ness. All that is necessary to affect this Won
derful change in night-soil, and to turn it from
its disagreeable character to one entirely molten
sive, is to mix with it a little charcoal-dust, pro-
pared dry earth, or any other good ab8or-
bent-thus making what is called g pOudrotte."
The mode of doing this must depend on circum-
stances.
"Soveral plans have recently been devised
which have for their object the Improvement of
privy accommodations of detached houses. One
of these, the Earth Closet of the Rev. Henry
Moule, an English Clergyman, is at once so
cheap, so ample, and SO perfect in it's operation,
that it should receive general attention. Its ac-
ton is based ON the power of soils which contain
clay or organic matter Qoam or mould) to absorb
all offensive et1uVlas ms power Is SO great IldJ
not only will O pint of sifted and air-driod earth
completely deodorizo the matters of q single
evacuation, but if dried in the air after each use,
the Same pint of earth may be used over and over
again-losing, apparently, mono of its power of
absorption-until it finally becomes as powerful
q manure as Peruvian guano-although entirely
inoffensive to the sight and smell"
The manure thus made is Of the most valuable
character, and may be used under any ciroum-
stances with O certainty of obtaining q good
crop.
For on analysis of human manure, see Section V.
Analysis. (pago 238.)
No. Xix. Night-soil.
Solid (ash)
Earthly Phosphotos, and @ trace of Sui
plate Of 100
Sulphate of Soda and Potash, and
Phosphate of s
Carbonate of 8
Silica. 10
Charcoal and Loss, . ...... Is $50
Urine.
Urea 30lO
Uric acid . 100
Sal ammonlaC / OU