2d. In its capacity as a _divisor_ for manures, charcoal should be considered as excellent in all cases, especially to use with strongly concentrated (or heating) animal manures. These, when applied in their natural state to the soil, are very apt to injure young roots by the violence of their action. When mixed with a divisor, such manures are _diluted_, made less active, and consequently less injurious. In composts, manures are liable, as has been before stated, to become burned by the resultant heat of decomposition; this is called _fire fanging_, and is prevented by the liberal use of divisors, because, by increasing the bulk, the heat being diffused through a larger mass, becomes less intense. The same principle is exhibited in the fact that it takes more fire to boil a cauldron of water than a tea-kettle full. 3d. Charcoal has much power to arrest the passage of mineral matters in solution; so much so, that compost heaps, well supplied with muck, are less affected by rains than those not so supplied. All composts, however, should be kept under cover. 4th. Charcoal keeps the compost moist from the ease with which it absorbs water, and its ability to withstand drought. [What source of carbon is within the reach of most farmers? What do we mean by muck? Of what does it consist? How does it differ in quality?] With these advantages before us, we must see the importance of an understanding of the modes for obtaining charcoal. Many farmers are so situated that they can obtain sufficient quantities of charcoal dust. Others have not equal facilities. Nearly all, however, can obtain _muck_, and to this we will now turn our attention. MUCK, AND THE LIME AND SALT MIXTURE. [What is the first step in preparing muck for decomposition? With what proportion of the lime and salt mixture should it be composted? Why should this compost be made under cover? What is this called after decomposition? Why should we not use muck immediately after taking it from the swamp?]