62 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



APPLICATION OF MANURES. 



As a general rule, barn-yard manure, including that from 

 the stable, will be found suitable for all garden purposes. If 

 well rotted, it may be applied unmixed to the soil ; or it may 

 be formed into compost, for doing which directions will be found 

 under the appropriate head, p. 63. If applied in an uncomposted 

 but half-rotted state, it should be laid on the garden at the 

 rate of from forty to a hundred loads to the acre, at the earli- 

 est possible moment after spring opens, and must be imme- 

 diately dug or plowed in. The subsequent preparation of the 

 ground for the reception of crops will mix it sufficiently with 

 the soil. If compost be used, it may be in smaller or still 

 larger quantity per acre, and may be applied to the land as the 

 crops are about to be put in, being then carefully and thor- 

 oughly mixed with the soil in the process of its preparation for 

 the seeds or plants intended to occupy it. 



Animal matter, with " ta-feu," guano, hen manure, poudrette, 

 lime, ashes, and the other earthy and saline manures, possess 

 the very great advantage for garden use of being free from weed- 

 seeds, and on this account are desirable as far as they can prop- 

 erly be made available ; but it must not be imagined that they 

 can permanently become substitutes for ordinary manure. 



Guano and hen manure that has been kept dry are safest 

 when used in compost or as liquid manure. They may also be 

 sown broadcast upon a fresh, rough surface, and chopped, raked, 

 or harrowed in. 



Bone-dust, lime, leached ashes, home-made or from the soap- 

 makers, may be used freely say from twenty to sixty bushels 

 to the acre either lightly plowed in, or sown upon the rough, 

 freshly-plowed surface, and mixed in by a thorough harrowing. 



Unleashed ashes may be used in the same manner at half the 

 rate per acre, or applied as ash compost. See p. 64. 



Ta-feu and poudrette, the former being about double the 

 strengtji of the latter, should be sown broadcast, and well mixed 

 with tne soil in the final harrowing or raking previous to sow- 

 ing or setting out ; or they may be mixed in hills prepared for 

 sowing or setting plants, one or two good handfuls to a hill ; 



