Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-01-17

except as an absorbent, and that SON
kinds Of muck are worse than WORTHLESS
for that purpose, (last report, page $3.50
y seems to me the question needs answerin
10 again.
That there shall be no misti Ike as
n what | regard rs muck, | have brought
sample. | know some people call pom
. mud, turf, or any rich soil, muck. thin
| agree with most agricultural writer
and intelligent persons in calling thi
@ muck, which is decayed vegetable matte
found in swamps.
Cow manure is only vegetable matte
. that has had COW taken out of it, Tn
food of cows, which is grasses, grain ant
roots, is of very different quality from
moses, lodges, leaves, shrubs, and treel
that form muck. But after the COW ha
taken pretty much all the nutriment, OF
COW, as have called it. from her food
the result is very nearly the same as muck
Chemists have analysed the two substances
and declare they are remarkably alike in
composition.
The use rs a fertilizer of from ten to
fifteen cords of muck per year for the last
eleven years has confirmed me in the
belief that muck Is IL fertilizer, and equal
to cow manure.
But this is not the whole story. If it
was, then muck swamps would be mines
of manure all ready for use, and farmers
would only have TO get it out and apply it
to their lands TO bring them to any desira-
BILE state of productiveness, which would
be like quarrying slate already split and
trlmmed; like mining petroleum already
refined, or raising potatoes already baked
Such ca'es do not happen. 1t would be
expecting too much of an already bounte-
GUS nature. Most all farm or mining
| products cost more or less hard labor
Yet have known farmers to consider
muck in just this light, and to try it only
to be disappointed, and then condemn
muck ever afterward.
The TACT is, muck as it lies in the swamp
where it has been stored for countless
ages, is in an inert condition. 1t is sour.
percepliblY sour TO the taste; and the
acidily is an injury to it as food for plants,
and must be got rid of or neutralzed
before the muck is available as fertilizer.
This is no theory or discovery of mine.
l learned it from reading before | began
to use muck, and have managed accord.
ingly and met with anticipated results as
before intimatcd. Where this acid comes
from l do not know; perhaps it is
product of decomposition. 1t evidently
acts as preservative of the muck, as salt
does to preserve meat.
To reduce or neutraiZe this acidity
scientists have given several formulas,
most of which make use of an alkali or
ammonia, both Of which have strong
affinity for acids. One formula requires
certain amount of wood ashes to each cord
of muck; other formulas require soda ash.
salt and lime, muriate of ammonia and
lime, fish guano, Pacific guano, and stable
manure. believe it is generally admitted
that when manure pile heats or ferments
it loses part of its value by throwing off
ammonia, which is in itself valuable
fertilizer Farmers are told by scientists
that in such cases an acid should be applied
to arrest the ammonia, and convert it into
soluble salt that will not fly away in the
atmosphere, but will remain as plant food.
For this purpose dilute sulphuric acid is
recommended; also a solution of sulphate
of iron, commonly called copperas, and as
cheaper source OF acid and an article
that can be more conveniently handled,
gypsum OF land plaster is recommended,
as it is sulphuric acid and lime, and is
acid enough to answer the purpose.
Now then, as fermenting manure needs
acid to save its ammonia, and muck |
requires ammonia to reduce its acid, it is |
very natural and also economical
arrangement to mix the two together. 1t |
is natural, for each needs the other, and
economical. for it is the cheapest of all
methods Of making the latent powers OF
the muck available. 1t requires no more
handling Of the muck than is required by
either of the formulas mentioned, and the
ammonia not only does not cost anything,
but would be lost if not saved in this or
some other way.
have heard some farmers say the
from their COW stables don't heat.
| regard this rs evidence that they don't
bed their cows very well. to say the least.
My father did not bed his COWS, and
manure from his stable was never known
10 heat; but have found by thoroughly
bedding my cows with sawdust or any
hing that has been through IL straw
cutter, the manure not only heats, but
leats as surely and rs hot as ever saw
lorse manure.
When Il pile Of manure has accumulated !
1t NV stable. | spread ont n i1Vpr of IL ,
md cover it with muck. then cover that II
With manure. and that with muck and so
IN till the pile is used up, and when
mother pile has accumulated / repcat the
process. cover NV BARNARD with mnck {
n the spring. and after yar.linm INV COVE
N it ali summer. draw il on, in Ike fail
nd cover the ward AGAIN in the fall to he
rawn out the next spring. For the last |
levcn wears have used such comnost /.
Or manning for corn. In comno.i,inn i,
anges from one half to three. fourths I
muck, and have meyer filled of oett,nG i,
God CROP, of corn. ayera zinc iltv 6ushni2 +
f shellrd corn per acre. -,
After reading the paner the gentleman "a
lade some further remarks concernno 4
hat he considered the history and cnnt q
osllion of muck. SAMPLES Of which bo n
al On exhibition. G
DR.. Cutting followed with some rcm,rk. In
, relation to the formation of muck rs
by oeolooists. exulonino moro h
Illy the SUGGESTIONS otIrred hT A. q
NOODLES. Some Of fine mnck FOWL i, ,bo :,
&C So 't''