DEODORIZE. The substances used to des troy noxious smells, are various, and each year, through the investigation of chemists, gives us new ones. The object sought in deo dorizing is to fix the volatile particles which would otherwise escape, often in the form of noxious gases, and to render the substance with out unpleasant smell. In the spreading of rank manure in a liquid state, heavy dilution with water, is all that is necessary, since the soil has a strong affinity for nitrogen. Sawdust, sand or dry earth, especially dry clay, will have the same effect, when incorporated in the heap, as in the case of the refuse of the house, and other offensive substances to be converted into com post. Another means is used, especially near cities, particularly in the case of night soil. The soil is thrown into trenches, a part of the earth thrown out being mixed with the mass. The trench being nearly full, the whole is covered with a bank or thick layer of earth sufficient to take up the gases, when upon becoming homogeneous throughout, it is carted on the land as manure. The more usual course, however, is to treat the privy vaults with a solution of green copperas, (sulphate of iron).
This from its cheapness, and its quick and strong power of fixing ammonia, should be kept in every farmhouse and village homestead, for deodorizing privies, sinks, drains, cesspools and other offensive places. Thus the ammonia, one of the most volatile of substances, and the sul phuretted compounds, among the most horrible in their effluvia, but of the first value as manure, may be retained until it can be carried to the land,. Lime is also a deodorizer, but it should never be used about manure containing nitrogen in any form, since it sets the ammonia free to be dissipated in the air. Gypsum will seize and hold nitrogen, but its action is too slow, except that it inay be used in the horse and cattle stables, under foot, both as a deodorizer and as an absorbent. There are many deodorizers applied, to particular uses, many of them most expensive. Those we have mentioned, will meet the general requirements of the farm. (See Disinfection.)