MANURES. 17 



CHAPTER V. 

 MANURES. 



Whether one wishes to cultivate vegetables, fruits, or 

 flowers, all soils, to give good results, sooner or later need 

 manure; and this is more particularly the case with what 

 are known as '^^ vegetables," these being usually quick 

 growing, succulent plants. No ^'fertilizer" answers so 

 well for all purposes as thoroughly decayed stable ma- 

 nure ; whether from horse or cow stable makes but little 

 difference, except that that from the horse stable is best 

 suited for heavy soils, while that from the cow stable 

 suits best for light soils. The quantity used for vegeta- 

 bles or fruits should not be less than would cover the whole 

 surface of the ground at least three inches deep, and it 

 should be mixed with the soil as thoroughly as possible 

 by plowing or spading. In the absence of stable manure, 

 recourse must be had to concentrated fertilizers, the best 

 of which are Peruvian guano and bone dust. Here a 

 word of caution is necessary as to the quantity to be 

 used, as their fertilizing qualities are concentrated in- 

 stead of being diffused, as in stable manure. If either 

 guano or bone dust, or fertilizers of similar character, 

 come directly in contact, in large quantities, with the 

 roots of plants, it injures them beyond remedy ; hence in 

 the use of these the necessity for caution. In our large 

 field practice in vegetable growing, we use about 2,000 lbs. 

 per acre of guano, sowing it on the surface of the ground 

 after plowing, and then harrowing it in so as to mix it 

 with the soil to the depth of five or six inches. Now, as 

 there are 4,840 square yards in an acre, it will be seen 

 that something less than half a pound of guano or bone 

 dust is required for every square yard of surface to be 

 fertilized. This quantity will just nicely cover the sur- 



