India in 1887 as seen by Robert Wallace / [Robert Wallace].

  • Robert Wallace
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: India in 1887 as seen by Robert Wallace / [Robert Wallace]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    182/550 (page 96)
    So to see a party of workers with a piece of dry dung cake smouldering in a corner of the field ready to light the ever-present workman’s companion—the “ hubble-bubble.” Much objection has been taken by Europeans (i) to the so-called “wastefulness” exhibited in burning valuable manure, and (2) to the careless manner of storing it when it is not all burnt. As regards the latter, natives, although not to be encouraged in their neglect, are certainly not more wasteful, considering their opportunities, than the average British farmer; and I must confess that, under the circumstances, taking everything into consideration, with present conditions the practice of using it for fuel is the correct one, and does not entail so much loss as the unskilled observer might imagine, while the comfort reaped is a great and indispensable boon to the people. Manure.—Only the organic matter is lost ; and it is quite possible that scientific experiment may yet show that all of the apparent loss is not real. Under the ex- ceptional circumstances in which the material is burnt, it is possible that more than we imagine of the nitrogen is liberated in a useful form, and may be to a large extent brought back to the earth by rains. I think it will be admitted, after perusal of my remarks relating to the natural decay of dung, that it is yet an open question, and one which can only be decided by scientific research, including chemical analysis, whether the loss from com- bustion of dung as fuel is greater or less than that resulting from bad management in storing, combined with an inferior process of decay after it is put into the soil. The ash is usually preserved with care, and held in due estimation as manure. It must be remembered that the value of the organic matter of dung from poorly fed cattle, such as Indian cattle frequently are, is much below the value of British made manure ; and I am not certain but that the ash is improved in physical character by its passage through the fire., at least as regards its rapidity