The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-07-23
WOOL WASTE.


~
perience.
There is . large quantity of wool
waste thrown away in the neighborhood
of towns and cities where wool factories
are situated. l have seen scores OF
tons of it dumped into swamp
holes and garbage heaps in Va
cant lots in such places, where not
mile away farmers were paying eighty
dollars a ton for Peruvian guano. lido
not pretend to say shat wool waste is
equal to guano as an active fertilizer,
but it contains q considerable quantity
of nitrogen, both in the wool and the
animal impurities contained in it. and
some sulphur, and, as it will begin to
decompose very soon in the soil and
make its nitrogen available, the much
larger quantity If it which can be APP
piled to the soil, on account Of its low
value, easily brings it into favorable
comparison with the more active and
costly fertilizers. . 4..,s..
There are some wooden manufacturers
who have a high and just apprecia-
ton of wool waste. and refuse to sell il.
but use all they make upon their farms
When farming in Pennsylvania some
years ago tried in vain to purchase
this waste from the factories. having
seen in an extended trip to Europe pre-
viOusly how much it was used and
thought Of by farmers. It is there
plowed in as q preparation for various
crops, chiefly roots, and especially in
the labOred preparation for permanent
grass which is common in England.
where grass is 50 highly valued. 1t has
q special value for grass, because of its
slow and gradual decomposition the
very reason why Manufacturer seems
to despise it. But Manufacturer is
wrong. II he will kindly permit me to
say so, in his remarks about the grease
in the wool waste. Animal oils are. as
q rule, free from nitrogen. consisting of
carbon. hydrogen and oxygen, and any
nitrogen they may contain must exist
in Whatever impurity may be mixed
with them. / believe the oil chiefly
used for greasing wool is vegetables
low quality of olive oil-and If it con-
tains any nitrogen, it must be very
little, indeed. But the wool is rich in
nitrogen. as have said, and It is well
worth the trouble of gathering it by the
farmers who are so fortunate as to be
abe to procure it The fibers of wool
waste are very short, and much of it
consists Of dust. It heats very rapidly,
and when composted with the soil In a
field soon becomes decomposed. At
least such is my experience with it
This matter Is very apropos to the
whole subject OF the use OF waste mat
tiers, which are largely neglected BY
farmers in this country. Twin mention
few Of them: The SCOT from the soft
coal largely used in the localities where
this fuel is burned is exceedingly rich
in nitrogen and other useful matters;
the ammonia water Of gas works is
poured into brooks and rivers by tons
and tons; the waste from tanneries;
from dye works; from slaughter
houses; the scrapings and sweepings
Of the streets. and the collections OF
night soil from villages and towns-all
these are largely neglected. and even
permitted to become pests which are
fatal to the public health. I know q
case of farmer, living near . town oil
$500 inhabitants, who pays $500 year
for the privilege Of gathering such mat.
tiers as these from the streets, factories
and cess-pools. and VINO keeps a wagon
and two Lleu busy constantly in remOv-
ing them to his farm near by. He told
me he estimated the profit at $1,000 a
year. for il enabled him to work a 800
acre farm with a profit Of more chan
$50 an rcre. -Agrscrtwral En9iasey. n
/ COunfrU GeRyIc.AQn