212 THE CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



When materials rich in the elements of plant food are 

 used, such as swamp muck; sea weed; cotton seed; wood 

 ashes; and lime; the resulting compost will have a value far 

 exceeding that of barn yard manure, and will be propor- 

 tionately effective in producing large crops. In this way 

 the farmer may very largely extend the manurial resources 

 of his farm at little expense, and by the expenditure of a 

 moderate amount of labor at such times when other work 

 is not pressing. 



Composts are used mostly for top dressing, on account of 

 their finely pulverized and concentrated condition, and be- 

 cause of the solubility of the plant food they contain. They 

 are used for meadows, and for grain crops in their early 

 stages of growth ; and are especially useful for roots, which 

 require a large quantity of manure rich in available plant 

 food. But a heap of well decomposed compost will never 

 come amiss for any crop, at any time, when the farmer 

 may want to get the best return for his labor. 



