THE EMIGRANT'S HAND-BOOK. 41 



directly or indirectly in the form of manure. And some 

 soils are naturally so barren, (or have been made so by 

 improper management,) as to be incapable of profitable 

 cultivation without the aid of some fertilizing agent; con- 

 sequently, it becomes a subject of great importance to 

 understand how we can make the most manure and apply 

 it to the best advantage. We believe the manure heap 

 may be doubled in quantity, by carefully yarding the 

 domestic animals during the season of foddering, and 

 making a proper use of straw to furnish them with com- 

 fortable lodging. And here permit us to say, that aside 

 from the advantage of making and preserving manures, 

 but for the purpose of economically keeping domestic 

 animals in good condition, and preventing injury to the 

 grass-roots and the earth from their treading, no domestic 

 animal should be at/owed unnecessarily to roam from the 

 yard after foddering commences, until the fields furnish a 

 good lite of grass in the spring. 



But if this docs not furnish sufficient manure, and per- 

 haps too much cannot be made after the yards are cleared 

 in the spring, draw weeds of all descriptions, cut before 

 the seeds are sufficiently matured to vegetate, scrapings 

 from the roadside, and muck from the swamp, (if the 

 swamp is not to be reclaimed by draining,) and deposite 

 them in the yard ; and the quality of the mass will be 

 much benefitted for most soils, by incorporating in it a 

 liberal quantity of lime, the whole worked together and 

 formed into compost. This will absorb the liquid portion 

 of the manure made in winter, which might otherwise be 

 lost. 



We believe that spring is the best time to apply manure, 

 when all nature is starting into renewed life and energy. 

 We should recommend that it be applied to hoed crops, 

 as they are the most benefitted by the direct application 



