MANURED 47 



Liquid Manure. Liquid manure is sometimes used 

 in encouraging the growth of plants. It should never be 

 made from fresh manure, but from that which is thoroughly 

 rotted. Urine may be used as a liquid manure if well 

 decomposed, but it should always be used with great 

 caution and never applied to plants if fresh or undiluted. 

 Cow and horse manure are generally preferred for making 

 liquid manure. The vessel in which it is to be made should 

 be one-third full of manure and filled up with water. The 

 whole should then be stirred and allowed to settle. The 

 clear water is then used for watering plants. 



Liquid fertilizer is also made by dissolving nitrate of 

 soda in water, as mentioned under that head. Ammonia 

 is sometimes used in very small quantities in water applied 

 to plants, especially to house plants, with good results. 



REVIEW QUESTIONS 



'1. What essential elements are sometimes lacking in the soil? 



2. What is the difference between direct and indirect fertilizers? 



3. Why are manures from young, growing animals less valuable 

 than from mature animals? 



4. What causes the heating of stable manure? 



5. To what extent are the different farm manures valuable for 

 farm crops? 



6. What is the result of mixing alkaline substances with manure? 



7. What is the result of mixing commercial fertilizers with 

 manures? 



8. How should farm manure be cared for? 



9. What is a compost heap, and how made? 



10. What are commercial fertilizers, and in what way are they 

 valuable? 



11. What is tankage? Nitrate of soda? Kainit? W'hat plant 

 food elements do they contain? 



12. What part of the plant does each of the elements nitrogen, 

 potash, and phosphorus affect when in excess in the soil? 



