MAKING THE SOIL FOUNDATION I9 



however, be secured in the spring before 

 the grass starts to grow. Cut the sod three 

 or four inches deep and place it in a pile, the 

 grass side down. For convenience make the 

 pile about four feet wide and high, and as long 

 as necessary, and have the top hollowed 

 out a little so that it will catch the rains 

 and so keep the pile moist. Many people 

 when making up the sod pile compost 

 manure with it. If you prefer to do it this 

 way add one part fresh cow manure to 

 each three parts of sod, if done in the fall. 



ADDING MANURE 



When the compost is made in the spring 

 the manure must be well-rotted, and horse 

 manure is preferable to cow manure. 



The compost pile must be thoroughly 

 mixed two or three times by chopping it 

 down with a spade and throwing it up into 

 a new pile. 



A spring-made compost heap will be 

 ready to use in the fall, but the soil is apt 

 to be rather coarse. The fall-made com- 

 post is sure to give much better satisfaction. 



In my practice I have always found well- 

 decayed horse manure better than cow 



