VEGETABLE HUMUS 225 



without the soil deteriorating. I have tried mixing it with 

 all kinds of artificial manures, but up to the present 

 have not obtained completely satisfactory results. The 

 vegetable manure seems greatly improved by the addition 

 of phosphate, and the material which has given the best 

 results in this case is basic slag. At present one is bound 

 reluctantly to admit that vegetable manure is not an 

 absolutely complete substitute for animal manure ; but 

 it can be used for several years in place of it, at the end of 

 which period a good dressing of dung should be given. 

 Where dung is scarce the garden can be divided up into 

 sections, one section being dressed each year with dung, 

 the others with vegetable manure ; in this way every part 

 of the garden will get enough animal manure to prevent 

 soil-deterioration. 



Experiments have been made on the following points : 

 (i) The best materials to use for making vegetable 

 manure ; (2) The best way of making it ; (3) The best 

 time to use it; and (4) The best method of using it. These 

 points are dealt with separately. 



The Best Materials : Generally speaking, the softer the 

 material the better. Soft plant remains from the borders, 

 soft seedless weeds not possessed of tap-roots or spreading 

 stems, and grass cuttings of all kinds, especially lawn 

 mowings, make the best manure. Harder plant remains 

 and weeds can be used, but the manure is not so quickly 

 made. 



If, however, the amateur has a vegetable garden, he can 

 use the remains of most vegetables, except cabbage and 

 artichoke stumps, and roots of potato plants, for making 

 vegetable manure. 



How to Make it : There are two ways of making 

 vegetable manure. The first is the quickest, and good 

 vegetable manure can be made in a single day by it. The 

 refuse to be treated is well turned over with a fork and 

 sprayed generously all the time with water. A fire is lighted 

 in the garden and got well going with dry garden rubbish. 

 The refuse is then piled on to the fire quickly in such a 



