CHAPTER XXV. 

 ANIMAL MANURES. 



THROUGHOUT the last chapter much stress has been laid on 

 the importance of working in plenty of manure during 

 the digging or trenching of all soils except humic soils. 

 And in Chapter XIX I pointed out what a bad policy it 

 was to try to do without winter manuring and to rely on 

 summer feeding. 



My doctrine has always been " Use plenty of Manure." 

 I firmly believe that manure is the gardener's best friend, 

 so long as it is given at the right time (in the winter), and 

 put in the right place (below the soil, a foot deep). 



But my own experiments and those of others, the results 

 of which have been sent me, have compelled me to change 

 or modify some of my earlier views on the subject. 



Animal Manure not Essential : An extensive series of 

 experiments which I have carried out during the last few 

 years have shown that an annual dressing of animal manure 

 is not essential to success in the flower garden. Some 

 form of humus is essential each year, but this need not 

 always be in the form of animal manure. My experiments 

 have not gone so far as to show that other manures are 

 better than animal manures, but merely that animal 

 manures each year are not essential to success. I am a 

 great believer in the use of animal manures in quantity 

 where they are available, but it will be some comfort to 

 those who cannot get them easily to know that there are 

 other manures which can be used with good results. 



The Composition of Manures : Animal manures contain 

 many mineral salts, some of which are soluble in water, 



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