The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-09-29
MANURES.

rer IN the NuINC NetO '"o''
':some particular instances in which
the use of alkalies in compost max,
ing is decidedly preferable to the
use of dung. The composing OF
garden rubbish is a case IN point,
From the raking of garden beds
and walks great masses OF rubbish
are collected every year, consisting
of sods, weeds, straw, leaves, Jumps
of loam, clods of manure and many
other things which are commonly
burned to the utter destruction OF
all nitrogen which the matter con-
tain. No doubt it is better in many
cases to burn this rubbish rather
than to have il thrown into the
hog pen or the barnyard, in view
of all the weed seeds, insects and
fungi which such matter harbor,
and in general the burning Of gar
den rubbish would be clearly justl-
fed if there were no other way OF
dealing with it; but in fact it
might readily be treated with al
kilies in such way that all risk OF
injury from the seeds could be
obviated, while the organic matter
would be converted into excellent
manure. If such rubbish were once
thoroughly moistened with dilute
potash lye and thrown into tolera'
bly, large heaps, in a not too dry
place, it would change to the con-
dition of garden mold, at the cost
of little, if any, further manipula-
ton. The same remark applies to
weeds in general and to the sweep
ings Of hsylofts- A thorough soak
ing in weak solution Of pot ashes,
or a generous admizture of fresh
wood ashes and the subsequent
moistening of the heap, would un-
doubtedly do the weed seeds such
harm that they could never recover
from it. When, as in this case, COM
post making is be regarded as a de-
vicefo cleaning the land, as well as
for fertilizing it, some part of the
cost of making the compost must, OF
course, be credited to the destrrc-
ton of weeds. Another striking
instance where alkali composts are
in order is seen in the case OF eel
grass (zostera marina) which grows
abundantly upon muddy bottoms
in salt and brackish waters. This
eelgrass is a singularly indestruc-
tible kind of organic matter. 1t
decays with extreme slowness IN.
the barnyard OF the hogpen or
when buried in the earth. But
it may easily be decomposed by
composing with quicklime or any
other strong alkali, and it is well
worthy Of such treatment since
it contains one and one-thir3 per
cent. of nitrogen, one per cent. Of
potash, and quarter of per cent.
of phosphoric acid, besides lime and
magnesia. It may we'll be true that
alkali composts, such as have been
described above, would be benefited
if after some months of decay and
putrefaction, they were moistened
with barn yard liquor, sewage or
night soil for the purpose of intro
dncing 9 supply Of the peculiar fer
ment which causes nitriication and
W a is known to be present in
decaying sewage, &c. Years ago,
when nitre beds were maintained
in Europe for the purpose of max
ing saltpetre, it was found best,
when a new bed was established,
to mix with it some earth from the
OLD bed. We now believe that the
old earth contained the ferment
necessary for the process Of nitri-
fcation, and it is plain that the
compost maker may readily avail
himself Of this resource. In gen.
eral it may be well to purposely
introduce the nitric ferment in this
way to all compost heaps as soon
as they have passed through the
first hot fermentation, or as soon
as the original crude peat or other
organic matter has become changed
to the condition of true humus or
vegetable mold. To this end it
may perhaps be advisable to keep
some old special heaps as reser-
yoirs of the nitric ferment, for the |
express purpose of charging Or
seeding" the newer heaps.