a soil would produce ten bushels of
wheat per acre, without manure, it would produce thirty bushels if
manured with night soil.

Some have supposed that manuring with night soil would give disagreeable
properties to plants: such is not the case; their quality is invariably
improved. The color and odor of the rose become richer and more delicate
by the use of the most offensive night soil as manure.

[What is the direct object of plants?

What would result if this were not the case?

How may night soil be easily prepared for use, and its offensive odor
prevented?]

It is evident that this is the case from the fact that plants have it
for their direct object to make over and put together the refuse organic
matter, and the gases and the minerals found in nature, for the use of
animals. If there were no natural means of rendering the excrement of
animals available to plants, the earth must soon be shorn of its
fertility, as the elements of growth when once consumed would be
essentially destroyed, and no soil could survive the exhaustion. There
is no reason why the manure of man should be rejected by vegetation more
than that of any other animal; and indeed it is not, for ample
experience has proved that for most soils there is no better manure in
existence.

A single experiment will suffice to show that night soil may be so kept
that there shall be no loss of its valuable gases, and consequently no
offensive odor arising from it, while it may be removed and applied to
crops without unpleasantness. All that is necessary to effect this
wonderful change in night soil, and to turn it from its disagreeable
character to one entirely inoffensive, is to mix with it a little
charcoal dust, prepared muck, or any other good absorbent--thus making
what is called poudrette. The mode of doing this must depend on
circumstances. In many cases, it would be expedient to keep a barrel of
the absorbent in the privy and throw down a small quantity every day.
The effect on the odor of the house would amply repay the trouble.

[Should pure night soil be used as a manure?

What precaution is necessary in preparing hog manure for use?]

The manure thus made is of the most valuable character, and may be used
under any circumstances with a certainty of obtaining a good crop. It
should not be used unmixed with some absorbent, as it is of such
strength as to kill plants.

For an analysis of human manure, see Section V.

HOG MANURE.