40 Market Gardening. 



do it evenly, and so that the heaps shall not be made 

 to overlap. One heap is then made to join up to an- 

 other, and the whole ground fares alike as regards the 

 supply of manure. This seems obvious enough, and 

 practical works on farming already have sought to en- 

 force this view. But as we read in one recently pub- 

 lished, " there is more in this point than is generally 

 supposed by farmers, who, in many cases, are careless 

 and wasteful in this respect, giving too much in some 

 places and too little in others. The consequence is 

 uneven growth over the different parts of the field ; 

 perhaps rank in some places, and in others a half- 

 starved crop." 



The same writer suggests another important point in 

 spreading, which is to break up the lumps and scatter 

 the manure about in a fine state ; unless this is done 

 the field cannot be evenly fertilized. There is work 

 about this, and some hired men will neglect and avoid 

 it if they are permitted, but it should not only be in- 

 sisted upon, but looked after, and its faithful perform- 

 ance insured. Solid manure should never be allowed to 

 ferment, either out-doors or under a cover, without the 

 presence of absorbent material to take up the gases 

 evolved during the process. This is the basis upon 

 which the whole theory of composts and management 

 of the compost heaps is admitted to rest. 



As already implied, it is necessary for green manure 

 to undergo fermentation, in order to make its constit- 

 uent elements available as plant food. Some good 

 gardeners insist that all manure should be thoroughly 

 fined before it goes upon the land ; that none should 



