The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-07-11

h.oih S"dllpS anu lOWlanuS, and
which is usually composed of muck
peat and GENE, muck being properly
the surface III these natural deposits.
peat the more thoroughly decomposed
vegetable matter, and GENE the really
valuable substance to the farmers con
tanned IN the two. GENE is thus de-
lined by Worcester Vegetable earth
or mold, the soluble brown matter
which may be extracted from soils by
the action of water This is the sub
stance we need for plant food, and is
contained III the peat and muck in vary
ing proportions, according to the To-
callty from which the sample is taken.
1t is contended by some that allswamp-
muck contains percentage of acid and
must not be applied directly to the field
from the bed. [ determined to test the
truth of this, and in 1853 drew in au-
tumn few loads of muck directly from
its bed, and spread evenly over
sod-ground of timothy and clio
yer (the soil being a strong Ioam) at
the rate of about twenty loads to the
acre, and drove stakes to facilitate the
observation of the experiment, but the
following spring and summer no stakes
were required to mark the spot, for the
crop was of a darker color, stronger
growth, and apparently very much
benefited by the application. 1t is
proper to remark III this connection
that | had previously tested several
samples of the muck with soda, and
could find no acid present. 1t has been,
however, my usual custom to prepare
the muck before applying it to the cul-
tivated land. The land from which the
muck is dug requires to be drained, and
a generous, broad ditch is lined off, and
two men with two-horse truck and
dumping boards will draw and deposit
upon the muck pile, which is about
forty rods distant, an average of sixteen
to twenty loads per day, the muck be
ing thrown from the ditch into the
truck, and the ditch finished in good
style as the muck is drawn away.
Counting the cost of team and extra
man at s. per day, the muck costs only
% cents per load, and you have the
ditch dug without any expense. But ]
have found it best to combine other
fertilizers with the muck, and this has
given rise to two different methods OF
composing. First, muck and stable
manure number of loads of muck
are dumped on the ground, forming a
bed IN a position at any time approach
able in summer or winter, usually at a
small distance from the barn, and upon
this bed is drawn and dumped stable
manure, and upon these two another
layer of muck, thus sandwiching the
| muck and manure until the pile is Sc
| high that it is inconvenient driving
upon it, the mack and the manure hav-
| ing been intermingled to a considerable
extent by driving over it as each load
Is deposited. The proportion is usually
one load Of stable manure to five loads
of muck. | have thus prepared al
agricultural sandwich which is devoured
by the hungry soil, when applied, with
gusto. Second, muck and lime, ashes
and muck, soda and muck, potash and
muck, after repeated experiments, have
proved themselves very valuable, but as
unleached wood ashes are difficult tc
be obtained, | have usually sandwicheC
| cheap, and in my location easily
/ obtained. The pile of lime ano
muck Is prepared III SINH
! lar manner, with this differ
ence, we put one load of lime to ten OF
muck, taking care that it IS evenly dis
tributed through the mass. These
piles Of compost are allowed to remain
about six months, until late winter OF
early spring, when they are drawn upon
the land intended to be fertIlized, ant
where they are immediately available
as plant food Every man who has {
garden has felt the want of fertilizer
easily accessible, which will not pro
duce the growth of weeds among the
small plants he Is cultivating. l use
for the purpose of preparing my aka
line GENE, an old molaSses hogshead
or sometimes an old sugar hogsheaC
will hold water after being soaked. In
to this [ put four bushels of muck o
peat and one brshel of unleached ashe
or its equivalent of potash, and thel
fill the hogshead with water. This i
thoroughly stirred once day for tire,
days, when the liquid will be about thu
color of the liquor III the tanners watts
and may be applied in the liquid form
to any kind of garden vegetables o
small fruits at the time of sunset. will
the most satisfactory results. If mucl
is accessible III your locality, and yol
will try this only once, | have no doub
it will become with YOU an annua
friend The hogshead may have TIN
alkaline GENE dipped out, and be tille'
again two or three times, or so long a
the dissolving GENE shall impart
pleasant color to the water. 1t is saI'
that Peru, by selling one half of he
gattno beds to the United States an,
England, can pay off all her nationa
debt With these beds of almost pur
GENE distributed here and there owe
almost the entire country, why no
utilize them and pay our own nationa
debt? This natural fertilizer is a
your very doors {; it is neither doa
nor far-fetched, and is very nue.
more lasting than the best guano. |
will not bring as large crop the frs
year, but with an average of five year
it will out do the guano and prov
more satisfactory. 1t is true the gem
has net as much nitrogen as the guanc
but by composing we can generate fel
mentation and draw the nitrogen frol
the clouds and the air.
Pickles aud Picking.
Vinegar should be strong and good
one desires to attain perfection III plcl
ling. Cider vinegar is the best arhcl
! 90 1N.N t,ta