i88i.] MANURE -WATER. 451 



sliould always be a manure-water tank close by. Here our manure is 

 placed on a spot with a sharp incline, and at the bottom of this there 

 is a large deep manure-tank. Nearly all the year round there is some 

 manure- or other kept in store, and every time it rains much of the 

 valuable properties which are washed out of the manure are conveyed 

 to the tank. From here it is sometimes taken as fast as it comes in, 

 and at oth^r times it is kept in stock, to be drawn in small quantities 

 as required ; but on no account is any allowed to run away. Such an 

 arrangement as this gives the full benefit of every particle of the 

 manure to the plants ; and the best part is not lost, as is too often the 

 case, by the liquid sinking into useless ground. In summer, when no 

 rain may fall for weeks, and the manure heap and tank become quite dry, 

 it may be filled up with water, and a quantity of pig or fowl manure be 

 emptied in and stirred up in it. In a very short period this will make 

 a valuable supply, and more can be made in the same way when it is 

 done. The next best plan to this is to have a large tub or barrel for 

 making it up in the same way. This may be placed near the plant- 

 houses, or in whichever part of the garden it is most wanted. Two 

 or three manure-water tubs are always handy in all gardens, as diff'er- 

 ent manures can be mixed up in them to suit any kind of crop. Pig- 

 manure is a good material to make manure-water with, and so are fowl- 

 droppings. Cow-manure is the next strongest, and then the manure from 

 the stables ; but the strength of all depends a good deal on how the 

 animals have been fed. A bag of soot kept at the bottom of the water 

 is also valuable for almost everything ; and all kinds of manure-water 

 may be made from the different kinds of artificial manures. Guano 

 is a favourite material for this, and there are few better ; and we 

 have an impression that everything is better when mixed up in a large 

 quantity together. Some kinds of liquid manures are very burning, if 

 mixed up in a watering-pot and at once given to the plants ; but they 

 are not so much so if dissolved in some large holder, and allowed to 

 remain there a little time before using. Old barrels placed in odd cor- 

 ners about the sheds are always convenient for keeping liquid manure in 

 stock, and with a number of them different kinds of manures may be 

 had to suit different plants. Soap-suds and all kinds of slops from 

 dwellings are also good liquid manures, if they can be emptied into 

 some large receptacle and mixed up wdth other stuff. Few liquids 

 about a garden are so valuable as soap-suds, and they would pay well 

 to be more used than they generally are. For syringing trees affected 

 with any kind of insect, they are more efficacious than many bought 

 compounds ; and if Carrots, Parsley, or any kind of roots are being 

 destroyed by worms, a thorough soaking with suds will, as a rule, 

 entirely destroy them, and leave the crop in a most healthy condition. 

 In speaking of applying liquid manure, a caution may be given 

 never to use it too strong, as two or three weak doses are more 

 beneficial than one very strong one. This applies to everything, and 



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