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The students, whose duty it was to shovel over the compost heap last spring, to draw it to the field and distribute it in the hills for the experimental crops, were surprised to find their disagreeable anticipations all unrealized. They all assured me it was no more disagreeable to handle than so much stable

manure.

Another use for which muck is admirably adapted is to absorb and retain the urine of animals. The greatest part of the phosphoric acid and much of the ammonia excreted from the system is discharged in the urine. This is frequently lost entirely. Stables should be built so as to receive in trenches or gutters the urine, and such trenches should be filled with muck to absorb and retain it. Muck wet in this way makes a compound equal to the best quality of short manure.

Another very valuable compost can be formed with muck and wood ashes. Ashes contain potash, soda and lime, which will neutralize the acids contained in the muck; they contain also sulphuric, hydrochloric and phosphoric acids-all of great use to the growing plant. A compost formed of 4 parts muck and 1 part unleached ashes, or 2 parts leached ashes, suffered to lie till thoroughly combined, and turned three or four times before using, will afford a compound equal to the best stable manure, and fit for application to almost any kind of a cropfor surface dressing, for drilling, or for plowing into the soil.

Leached ashes are very generally undervalued. They contain appreciable quantities of potash, soda and sulphuric acid, and all the lime and phosphoric acid. These substances are of essential importance in agriculture.

IV. RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS.

The weather has a controlling influence on the growth of crops. It is proper, therefore, before describing any experi ments, to present an exhibit of the state of the weather for the past season, as regards both heat and moisture.

The following table exhibits, in the first column the average temperature of each month, from April to October, 1863; in the 2d column the average for 5 years past, in the 3d the average

maximum for each month, the 4th the average minimum, the 5th the amount of rain for 1863, and the 6th the average for five year past:

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This table shows that the average temperature of the past season at Lansing was nearly 3° below the average of the past five years, and the monthly fall of rain was 1.06 below the average of five years. The season was both cold and dry. This table exhibits the singular circumstance, that for 1863, August was nearly 1° colder than July, and September was nearly 4° colder than May, and 6°.52 colder than June. The average temperature of the nights in September was only 9°.86 above freezing point. There was frost in every month of spring, summer and autumn. I give a list of the main frosts, their date and severity, indicating the latter by the degrees the register thermometer sunk below freezing point: July 15th, 1°; August 29th, 6°; August 30th, 2°; September 3d, 6°; September 9th, 2°; September 18th, 7°; September 21st, 13°; September 25th, 9°.

Looking at such a record of the weather, the first question that would naturally arise would not be whether crops would be injured, but whether any could be raised at all.

If the experiments have not been as successful as could have

been desired, part of the responsibility must rest with the weather.

The experiments in hay were quite limited. Four pieces of meadow of one-half acre each, lying together in the same field, and as nearly alike as could be found, were selected. The quality of the whole, as meadow, was very poor, but it was an even poverty. This was the only meadow fit for this experiment, as all the other meadows had received a dressing of plaster.

These parcels of land are in field A, and are numbered No. 1, 2, 3 and 4. No's. 1 and 2 received a dressing of powdery muck, from the bed east of the barn, at the rate of 20 loads per acre. The muck was drawn May 2d, 4th and 8th, and was spread over the surface May 9th. Common salt was sown on No's. 2 and 3, on the 9th of May, at the rate of two bushels per acre. No. 4 received no application, being reserved as a standard of comparison. The dressings then were No. 1 muck, No. 2 muck and salt, No. 3 salt, No. 4 nothing.

The grass consisted of clover, timothy and June grass. Part of the grass was cut July 1st, and the balance July 2d. At the time of cutting No. 1 appeared, best, and No. 2 next in order. Wherever the piles of muck had been thrown, and where a heavier dressing was left than elsewhere, the grass exhibited a ranker growth.

Part of the hay was put up in small cocks July 2d, and the balance July 3d. The part cut July 2d, was thoroughly wet by a rain in the afternoon, but was not seriously injured thereby, as it was still fresh and green.

July 6th the hay was shaken out to dry, preparatory to being drawn into barn, but a sudden dash of rain prevented its removal that day. July 7th the hay was carefully dried in forenoon, and drawn into barn in good condition in the afternoon.

The hay from each piece was carefully weighed on Fairbanks' scales: No. 1 gave 1010 lbs. nett, quality good; No. 2 gave 981 lbs. nett, quality good; No. 3 gave 940 lbs. nett, quality good; No. 4 gave 802 lbs. nett, quality poor. Gain

from muck alone 208 lbs.; gain from muck and salt 177 lbs.; gain from salt 138 lbs.

The influence of both these dressings on these same pieces of ground may be more marked next year than it was this. The dry summer probably limited the influence of each.

Experiments In hoed crops were performed by the members of the Junior class, under the supervision of the Professor of Chemistry. The dressings used were salt, plaster, and a compost made of three part of powdery muck and one part "night soil." The ingredients were intimately mixed and thrown into a pile, under cover, May 9th. It was shoveled over May 16th, and again May 23d.

The ground selected for the experiments was a piece of gravely loom, lying east of the fruit garden. It was of uniform fertility, had not received any manure for two years, and was planted with potatoes in 1862. It was plowed to a depth of five inches May 20th, harrowed and marked off in rows each way 3 feet apart. The ground was in very fine condition as regards moisture at the time of planting, a shower of .25 inches having fallen May 26th. The weather had been dry for two weeks preceding.

The members of the Junior class conducted these experiments according to written directions, and at the close each one made a written report of the result. From these reports I condense the following:

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Fourteen rows were planted with corn May 27th. The seed used was yellow dent," and had been soaked in water till it had thrown out sprouts half an inch long. Four kernels were planted in each hill. The following table will exhibit the manures employed. Where muck and night soil were used the quantity employed was half a shovelfull to each hill:

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Corn came up from May 29th to June 1st. Rows 1 to 8 looked more green and thrifty than the balance. Cultivated both ways June 16th, and hoed June 17th. The corn in rows 1–8, 8 inches high; that in 9-14, 6 inches high, showing 2 inches growth from influence of compost. June 22d, top dressing applied on rows 3-6 and 13-14. July 8th, cultivated corn twice in a row one way, and hoed July 9th, at which time the corn in rows 1-8 was 15 inches higher than that in 8-14. August 1st corn in rows 1-8 in full silk and blossom. August 10th, corn in rows 9-14 in full silk and blossom, showing 10 days growth in favor of compost.

The cold of August and September prevented the realization of the hopes held out by the thrifty appearance of the corn at the close of July. The frost of the morning of August 29th inflicted great injury, killing the leaves, but leaving the husks and stalks alive. The frosts of September 18th and 21st, killed the corn entirely. The stalks were so ruined by the frost as not to be worth harvesting.

The corn was husked October 22d, and was carefully weighed on Fairbanks' small platform scales. The same method was

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