Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-11-09

Other land lies between us and the lake 20
that we cannot drain our portion, and 1t is
so saturated with water that as many men
as can stand in the hole must shovel
smartly TO get out the muck four feet deep
before they are flooded. That this muck Is
good may be inferred from the fact that we
have repeatedly offered at the rate Of $500
per acre for enough of what land lies be-
tween our line and the lake to enable us 70
make ditch, which would drain it about
six feet deep when the lake is lowest.
Still, we have no doubt there are men
who would not take this muck of ours, or
that from the other bed we have referred
to, as gift; and il they did they would
lose money II it cost them anything to move
and apply it. DR.. Nichols is right when he
says that muck is not manure, if by that |
expression he means that it needs some ma
nipulation to develop its virtue. The same
may be said Of phosphate rock, and even Of |
bones, and the fertilizing materials. Muck |
needs more or less done to it to develop its |
manurial value and render it available. Be-
sides this, muck, even the best, is not per-
feet or well-balanced fertilizer In this par
ticular it resembles cattle urine, being rich
in nitrogen compounds, but defective in
phosphates, and usually also in alkaline
constituents, especially potash. Most much
is so defective in these particulars that
no valuable crop can be grown in pure muck.
This is illustrated by the experiment de-
tailed on pages rs, 70 of Professor John
sons F." Peat and Its Uses," book which all
Of our readers who have muck beds ought to
own. In this experiment twelve one-quart
flower pots were filled with muck. Two Of
these pots contained dried muck alone two
muck with ashes two muck, ashes and car
Donate of lime (chalk) two muck, ashes,
slaked lime and salt; aud two muck, ashes
and Peruvian guano. Five kernels of pop
corn were planted in each pot. These pots
were watered with pure water, and the
plants of corn allowed to grow, the result
showing that the corn in each successive
pair of pots grew better than in the preced-
ing pair or pairs. In the pots with muck
alone, the young corn only grew so that the
dried plants weighed two and half times
as much as the seed. The corn in the Sec
ond pair (muck and ashes) weighed twenty
and half times as much as the seed, while
that in the last pair (muck, ashes aud gu.
ano) weighed thirty-fve and half times as
much as the seed. This experiment showed
that the plant food in the muck was mostly
in an unavailable condition. Even the nitro
genous matter in it was not set free in suf-
ficient quantity but that the more soluble
nitrogen of the guano helped the corn to
grow much more rapidly. Yet that con-
siderable quantity of nitrogen was available
even in this fresh muck, is shown by the
good growth obtained in the pots containing
muck and ashes alone.
Muck is especially valuable as source
of nitrogen. In this expensive plant-food
good muck is from two to five times richer
than stable manure. Yet the analysis of
the ashes of some mucks shows them to
contain over three per cent Of potash and
one and one-half per cent of phosphoric acid.
Usually, however, muck ashes contains not
more than one per cent of each of these
constituents, and in order to constitute
muck complete fertilizer, it should be
composted with unleached wood ashes
which will supply the deficiency both OF
potash and phosphoric acid. This compost.
ing also effects the decomposition of the
muck, so as to set free its nitrogen and rem.
der it available. Our own muck, dug in
June, allowed to drain for month and
then composted with ashes in the proportion
of one part to thirty, the heap being shov-
eled over once in the fall and again in the
spring, is fully equal bulk for bulk, to
good stable manure as fertilizer for corn,
potatoes, or any other hoed crop. 1t has
also proved an excellent top-dressing for
grass. Were our swamp drained, we could
put this compost on the land at a cost of
not over seventy-fve cents per thirty five
bushel load, or half the cost of stable
manure when we can get it. The unlimited
supply of such cheaply prepared manure
would double the value of our farm. As it
is, the difficulty of hiring men to work in
this wet swamp is a great obstacle to its
use. But the abundant crop of beautiful
fair potatoes, especially, which we are sure
to get from land dressed with this fertilizer
makes us feel that moderate quantity an
nually is indispensable.
Other methods of composing muck are
in use, such as mixing lime with it, which
does not, however, make it a complete fer.
tilizer, as ashes does, though it hastens its
decomposition. Composted with stable dung
in equal proportions, and the heap kept wet
with the contents of the urine tank, very
rich fertilizer is produced, which, with the
addition of one part in thirty of fine bone
dust, is worth more, bulk for bulk, than
average stable manure for any crop, pro.
vided the muck is of good quality. To
ascertain this very important particular the
best and simplest test is the composing
with ashes. If when so composted you find
it work well upon corn and potatoes, you
may be satisfied that it is good muck, and
worth composing with dung. We do NOT
iiho mum 40 q ooesdiuB ihoeoiiai y 10 udIu
to dry, dirty, and slippery on the floor. Yet
it is handy way to get it thoroughly mixed
with the manure. We should want to use
some sawdust, or cut straw, along with il
when so employing it.
We have taken the pains to write SC
much at length because we notice that Dr.
Nichols article ON the "Muck Delusion y
is being very widely copied by the press. II
this should give rise to general discussion
of the subject, good may be done; but il
farmers who have failed with muck because
they did not know how to test it, or TO pre-
pare it, are confirmed in their prejudice, a,
many probably will be, by reading the doc
tors diatribe, it will be pity. They should
certainly first read Professor johnson
Peat aud its Uses published at the Office
of the American AvicAturist, 75l Broad
way, New York;, and they should also uh
derstand that as an authority in agricultural
chemistry, DIR. Nichols is minus quantity
by the side OF Professor johnson.
How Much Ensilage Corn to the Acre.
Some of our readers will remember the
| caution in regard to the exapperated state