COMPOSITION. 239 COMPOST. llip artist following his own inclination. Xever- tliek'ss, lie usually leans upon some well-estab- lished prineiiiles, altliou^h lie may not lie eou- seious of them, siiiee analysis is the work of the eritic rathei» than of the artist. Millet is an exeelleiit exaiiiiile of a free and original method of eomposition in the modern sense. Consult: Van Dyke, J. C, Art for Art's Sake (New York, 1001); Blane, Urnnnnairc des arts de dcssin (Paris, 18S2) ; Burnett, Practical Treatise on Paiiitiii'i (I.ondon, 1880). COMPOSITION AND BESOLUTION OF FORCES AND MOTIONS. Sec Mecii.v.mcs. COMPOSITION WITH CREDITORS. In law, an arrangement made by a failing debtor W'itli several or all of his creditors, by whieli they accept the payment of a percentage of their claims in full satisfaction and discharge of the whole. An agreement between a debtor and a single creditor that the latter will (lischarge the former from all liability upon the former's jiayment of a part of the debt is void by common law, because, it is said, this paanent is no con- sideration, for the creditor's promise to relinquish the balance of the debt, being only a payment of what the debtor already owed and was legally boimd to pay. An agreement between a debtor and several or all of his creditors possesses an additional element. Such an agreement is bind- ing upon all, it is said, because eiu-h creditor jironiiscs to release the balance of !iis claim, over and above the percentage paid to him, in consideration of such payment and also in con- sideration of the promises of other creditors to do likewise. It is held to be the substitution of a new agreement with different jiarties for an old debt. If any of the creditors entering into such a eomiJOsition agreement stijiulates secretly ^ ith the debtor for a preference to himself, his stijju- lation is void. Bankruptcy' statutes often pro- vide for and regulate composition proceedings between the bankrupt and his creditor. See Bankruptcy ; Contract. COMPOST (OF. composte. It. composta, Por- tug. coinitosto, mixture, from Lat. coiiipo>icrc, to put together). A mixture of fertilizing ma- terials which has been subjected to fermentation. Composts are usually prepared by mixing animal manures or other readily putrescible substances with peat (q^v. ), straw, leaves, road-scrapings, mud, loam, etc., with a view to causing fermentation and chemical changes, which will render these substances more active as fer- tilizers than they were in their original con- dition. Similar results are sometimes brought .about by the use of ashes, lime, marl (qq.v.), alkali salts, etc. Frequently also preservative substances, such as gypsum, kainit, super- phosphate (qq.v), etc., are added to prevent the loss of ammonia or of nitrogen in the free state, 'liich is likely to occur during fermen- tation. Composting is thus not only a means of rendering the constituents of various more or less inert materials more available as plant food, but also of preventing loss of the most valuable constituent of manures, viz. nitro- gen. A compost which was formerly quite popu- lar consists of alternate layers of h.arnyard manure. 1 part, and peat, 1-.5 parts, the pro- portion of the latter depending upon the fermen- tative power of the manure. In this mixture the peat prevents the loss of ammonia and the valuable manure liquids, and the manure sets up a fermentation in the peat which greatly . in- crea.ses the availability of the inert nitrogen in which this niat<'rial is comiiaralively rich.
hen lime, ashes, or lime and salt mixtures are
substituted for manure in the peat compost, the alkaline character of these substances jiromotes the decomposition of the peat in much the same way as the manure. In case of the lime and salt mixture the reaction between the lime and the salt (XaCl) results in the formation of caustic sod.a (NaOH), which is especially active in bringing about decomposition of the peat. A recommended formula fur this compo.st is .")0 cords of peat, 100 bushels of lime, and 17 bushels of salt. IMake a brine of the salt and slake the lime in it to a fine dry powder, using about one bushel of salt to six of lime, spread the slaked lime, while still hot, over the peat, which should be in layers about si.x inches thick. Continue the alternate layers of peat and lime until the heap is four to live feet high. By substituting muriate of jjotash for salt in the above mixture the same result is accomplished and at the same time a valuable fertilizing con- stituent, potash, is added to the manure. The fermenting compost heap has been utilized for the reduction of bones (q.v.) and ground mine- ral phosphates; and meat, fish, slaughter-house refuse, etc., are sometimes incorporated in it, but composts containing any considerable amount of the latter substances are likely to be very oifensive. ^loreover, these materials are less benefited by the process than more inert sub- stances. Composting is an eti'ective means of 'killing,' i.e. destroying the germinating power of cottonseed intended for use as a fertilizer. Innumerable formulas for composts have been jirojiosed, some of which have attained consider- able celebrity. Among these may be mentioned, in addition to the peat composts referred to above, Furman's formula for cotton, which is as follows: Barnyard manure, 7.50 pounds: cotton- seed, 750 pounds; acid phosphate, ,'5()7 pounds; kainit, 133 pounds. The plan of compo.sting these materials, which well illustrates the methods of composting in general, is briefly as follows: Put dow^l on an impen-ious dirt floor first a layer of manure, then of cottonseed, and lastly of acid phosphate, in the proportions given, distribtiting the kainit throughout the different layers. Repeat the layers to any de- sired extent and cover the heaj) with absorbent earth. The heap should be kept moderately moist, and if made in the autumn should stand until spring, when it is dug down, mixed, and ajijilied. Although composting furnishes a valuable means of convcrtin.g waste materials of the farm into more active and better-balanced fertilizers, the labor involved is so great as to render the prac- tice of doubtful economy for general agricultural purposes, especially since the general introduc- tion of the more concentrated and active commer- cial fertilizers. (See ilANURf> and :anlkix(-..) Composts have been recommended especially for use on grass lands and on stiff soils, or on those deficient in humus. They find their greatest use- fulness, however, in horticultural operations — for plant-beds, potting, and for use on vines, fruits, etc., which might be injured by more con- centrated fertilizers. Perennial plants, or those having long periods of .srowth, will utilize the fertilizing matter of composts to the best ad-
