46 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



of well-rotted stable manure per acre would be sufficient 

 in almost any case, and much less will sometimes be enough, 

 while for an early crop twice as much rotted manure might 

 be used to advantage. Well-rotted manure should be 

 covered with soil soon after it is applied to the land. If it 

 is put on frozen land it may waste by the soluble parts 

 being washed away. But in the case of fresh animal 

 manures there is little chance of loss in these ways. 



The effect of the application of animal manure to the 

 land will remain apparent for several years, It is generally 

 considered safe to estimate that not more than one-third 

 the full value of these manures is taken up by the crop 

 growing on the land the year it is applied. 



Manure the Growing Crop. Sometimes a crop comes 

 to a standstill on account of having exhausted some avail- 

 able fertilizing material in the soil. In such cases it may 

 be a good plan to fertilize the growing crop with hen 

 manure, nitrate of soda, or other quick-acting fertilizer 

 and cultivate the land at once. This may be done in 

 many cases by applying such materials to the crop during 

 a hard rain, or, in a dry time, by plowing a furrow 

 near the crop and placing the fertilizer in the furrow. But 

 in any case it should be cultivated into the soil so as to 

 become well mixed through it, and much care must be 

 taken to prevent the dry fertilizer from coming in contact 

 with the roots of the plants. 



Rotating Manures. It is a good plan to change occa- 

 sionally the manures applied to land; i. e. when stable 

 manure has been largely used for some years, apply some 

 commercial fertilizer, and when commercial fertilizers have 

 been used for some time recourse should be had to stable 

 manure. 



