of checking too much heating, but acts only temporarily. Dilution
with peat to a proper point, which experience alone can teach, is the
surest way of preventing loss. It should not be forgotten to put a thick
layer of peat at the bottom of the vault to begin with.

Another excellent plan, when circumstances admit, is, to have the
earth-floor where the night soil drops, level with the surface of the
ground, or but slightly excavated, and a shed attached to the rear of
the privy to shelter a good supply of peat as well as the compost
itself. Operations are begun by putting down a layer of peat to receive
the droppings; enough should be used to absorb all the urine. When this
is nearly saturated, more should be sprinkled on, and the process is
repeated until the accumulations must be removed to make room for more.
Then, once a week or so, the whole is hauled out into the shed, well
mixed, and formed into a compact heap, or placed as a layer upon a
stratum of peat, some inches thick, and covered with the same. The
quantity of first-class compost that may be made yearly upon any farm,
if due care be taken, would astonish those who have not tried it. James
Smith, of Deanston, Scotland, who originated our present system of
Thorough Drainage, asserted, that the excrements of one man for a year,
are sufficient to manure half an acre of land. In Belgium the manure
from such a source has a commercial value of $9.00 gold.

It is certain, that the skillful farmer may make considerably more than
that sum from it in New England, _per annum_. Mr. Hoyt, of New Canaan,
Conn., says:--

"Our privies are deodorized by the use of muck, which is sprinkled over
the surface of the pit once a week, and from them alone we thus prepare
annually, enough "poudrette" to manure our corn in the hill."

_Peruvian Guano_, so serviceable in its first applications to light
soils, may be composted with muck to the greatest advantage. Guano is an
excellent material for bringing muck into good condition, and on the
other hand the muck most effectually prevents any waste of the costly
guano, and at the same time, by furnishing the soil with its own
ingredients, to a greater or less degree prevents the exhaustion that
often follows the use of guano alone. The quantity of muck should be
pretty large compared to that of the guano,--a bushel of guano will
compost six, eight, or ten of muck. Both should be quite fine, and
should be well mixed, the mixture should