POUDRETTE. Poudrettes consist of blood, fish and animal matters, and night-soil, dried and combined with substances capable of deo dorizing them and absorbing their ammonia, phosphuretted hydrogen. and other gases and moisture, and reduced to powder. A species of poudrette, fish manure, is prepared by steaming and pressing the fish, for the purpose primarily of obtaining their oil. The fish are steamed and subjected to strong pressure, by which the oil is forced out, and the residuum is left almost as dry as so much seasoned wood. It is then ground and packed in barrels for the market. All the poudrettes are packed in barrels or bags, and can be readily transported by land or water. When properly manufactured the poudrettes are very valuable manures. When applied to the roots of plants, in a soil well supplied with coarser manures, they give a vigorous start to young plants, and a larger development and a deeper tint to the petals of flowers. When applied in the hill they give to young plants a fine and early growth. They are rapidly decom
posed in the soil, and should always be so deeply covered that their evolving gases may be retained by it. Poudrette should be used over a surface of ten or twelve inches square, rather than thrown in a mass around the seeds or roots of young plants. If the soil is cold, or the season backward, the good effect is soon manifest.
It is with poudrettes as with other commercial manures; without a well attested affidavit of the constituent parts, they should never be pur chased. This should show the nitrogen and phosphorus contained, especially since these are the valuable elements. Poudrette prepared from night soil has especially given dissatisfaction in many cases, it not being found as valuable as good barnyard manure. If the poudrette is made from fish, flesh, blood, and the tank stuff of rendering establishments, and thoroughly con densed, from 300 to 400 pounds per acre will be sufficient in connection with barnyard manure.