Concerning Compost

ihpre are two main fchlngs to be oon sidefred at the outeel in making the beat compost heap. One is how to hasten decomposition, and the other is liow to prevent the escape of gases that aro created. The compost heap should be so located that it can be drained, and the drainage gaved, tor necessarüy it mu cpntain ralaable fertilizing inpredients. Tl,,' siu, of Ulfi hpap ge_ leoted and dralnaffe provided, construct the heap. Barnyard manure and any deposit that oontains plenty of vegetable matter are the principal ingrediente. A lien it can be had swainp muck is iust tho tbing. There is one bit of caution that oufrht to be o-iven. and that is to bo eareful that nothing is used in which there are weed seeda. The proportions should be one part of barnyard manure and two parts of muck or whatever else is used. Now the foundation, the basis, of the compost is made. To tuis isaddedeverv thin-r i.w. Is lyinpf about the premisos that can possibly add to the valuo of the heap, and one of the preatest advantages of the compost la the utilisdng vory much of valueas fertilizers which would otherwtoe go to wast... Uather up the ni-ht soil, ohioken droppiags, wood ashes, Bawdust, corn stalks. lcavcs, straw, soapBuds, flsh or mrat. brine and old mortar and thoroughly mix them with the heap TJie farmer or gardoner will be surprised to see whata largequantity of fertilizer ho will pot by gatherinff up these odds and ends. To every load of material about twenty-flve pound.s of piaster ought tobeadded. Now the ohemioal changes begin Putrefaction, or fermentation- both being the same so far as the chemical erauon is coneerned-commoncos. The carbon contained in the dead vegetable matter unites with oxygen from the air or in the water that may be in the material, and carbonic acid gas is the result. This gas acts on the silicate of potash in the mixture, separates the sihcate from the potash and makes carbonate of potash, and the silica being ireed becomes hydrated silica, and both these elements are thus made at once available for plant growth. Observe, therefore, the benefit of compostingin thus making thrse two eleiuents availtle. Uefore the ehanges took place fcoth were in.soluble and utterly useless. Suppose unrottcd straw had been applied to the land. It would require a year, and perhapg two year, before these elements could be made available