MANURES. 207 



land as soon as it is made, or as soon as it can be hauled out, 

 applies only to such soils as are in a condition to receive and to 

 retain its soluble parts. On steep hill-sides, very leachy sands, and 

 over-vv^et clays, the practice would often, no doubt, result in loss. 



When the ground is locked fast with frost, the manure would 

 run away with the water, that, unable to gain entrance, would flow 

 over the surface in times of heavy rain. In the case of thin 

 sandy soils, there is danger that it will be washed down too deeply 

 to have its best effect. On steeply sloping land, of course, the 

 water of heavy rains would flow off over the surface, and some of 

 the manure would go with it. 



To state the case simply, wherever and whenever the water of 

 rains and melting snows can find its way into the soil, the best way 

 to use the manure of the stable is to spread it broadcast over the 

 surface — except on very light sandy soils. Where the inclination 

 is too steep, — where, from springs or want of drainage, the water 

 would be kept out of the soil and would flow away over the sur- 

 face of the ground, such use would, probably, be about the worst. 



Where the snow lies so deep as to prevent the freezing of the 

 ground, and where, as it melts in spring, it will all, or nearly all, 

 soak into the soil, it is a good plan to spread the manure upon the 

 snow ; but it is a very bad plan to do this, when, from the frozen 

 condition of the ground, or from its rapid inclination, the melting 

 snow would run away over the surface. 



The principle upon which the advantage and disadvantage of 

 the practice depends is, that the manure will go with the water in 

 which it is dissolved. If it goes into a soil containing a fair pro- 

 portion of clay or organic matter, it will be distributed in the best 

 places and in the most complete manner ; if it runs away over the 

 surface, it will be lost. 



Coarse, unfermented manure should be spread upon the land 

 before plowing, and turned well into the soil, where its decompo- 

 sition will be more rapid than if harrowed into the dry surface, 

 while its best mechanical effect will be more completely and more 

 lastingly exerted. 



In the case of thoroughly rotted manure, although there are 

 14 



