90 Tin: I'uixctPLES Of agi?iCultUre. 



As the roots of ])lants are rapidly extended to con- 

 siderable distances in all directions, it is better, where 

 mnch fertilizing material is to be used, to distribute most 

 of it evenly through the soil, and ai)ply but little to the 

 hill or drill. 



Farm Manure. — The chief source of fertility, and that 

 upon which farmers mainly depend, is stal)le manure. 

 As it is generally impossible to raise good cro|)s without 

 supplying some kind of fertilizer to serve as plant food, 

 the manure of the farm becomes a matter of the greatest 

 importance. The size and nature of the manure hea]) 

 often determine the profits of the farm. It is sometimes 

 called the farmer's " gold mine." 



Success in agriculture depends very largely ujion an 

 understanding of the nature, the means of preserving, 

 and the proper methods of applying farm mauui-e. 



Its Nature. — It differs from the ordiuaiy conimei-cial 

 fertilizers in three respects: — 



1. It contains all the elements of food rerpiircd by 

 plants. As farm animals live uj)on the crojis or plants 

 of the farm, it is evident that the manure will contain 

 the substances which come from these ])lants, and of 

 which they are composed, less so much as the animal 

 has assimilated, and converted into flesh, bones, wool, 

 milk, etc., and the carbon which has escaped with the 

 breath. 



Only a small ])art of the elements of food are thus 

 assimilated and retained by the animal in digestion. 

 The amount will depend upon the nature of tlie animal. 

 In the case of young, growing animals, cows giving 

 milk, or sheep producing large (piantities of wool, the 

 proportion retained will be gi'eater llinn in (be ease of 

 mature animals yielding no increase. It may be stated, 



