FERTILIZERS 11 



Stable manure is composted by making the manure into 

 a pile as soon as it is hauled to the market garden. Manure 

 is generally hauled as fast as it is produced and is then built 

 up into piles conveniently located for final distribution 

 The pile should be about five feet high and as long and 

 wide as necessary. As the pile is constructed, the manure 

 should be firmed by tramping, and if very dry, the manure 

 should be wetted sufficiently to prevent burning in the pile. 

 When fresh horse manure is placed in a pile, fermentation 

 takes place with a considerable amount of heat. The heat 

 will cause the manure to fire fang, or burn. The pile should 

 be examined frequently, and if it is showing a whitish or 

 grayish color, the pile should be turned and watered lightly. 

 It should be remembered that every time the pile is turned 

 there is a consequent loss of nitrogen in the form of ammonia; 

 therefore handle the pile carefully and do not disturb it more 

 often than is absolutely necessary. About six months time 

 is ordinarily required for the proper composting of the 

 manure. 



Rotted stable manure is usually applied in the spring 

 just previous to ploughing. After ploughing the ground 

 should be thoroughly worked with a disc harrow. Fresh 

 or partly rotted manure is best ploughed under in the fall; 

 the procedure in the spring then is to thoroughly disc the 

 ground before planting. 



The rate of application of manure depends upon the 

 condition of the ground and the crops to be grown. In 

 intensive gardening, where the ground is not allowed to 

 be idle during the growing season, from twenty to fifty 

 cords of rotted manure per acre should be ploughed under 

 each season. The average application is twenty to twenty- 

 five cords. 



11. Commercial Fertilizers. Commercial fertilizers are 



