Manures in General 



became manures. But these elements are present 

 in many manures besides, without being counted as 

 such themselves. The movement which has been 

 attempted in the agricultural world to popularise 

 the use of magnesium as manure can perhaps be 

 considered as coming from an interested source, 

 desirous of raising the price of certain manures by 

 the value attributed to magnesium (Stasfurt salts of 

 potash)* 



Lime applied separately ought to be regarded 

 as an improvement, and it is for this purpose and 

 to this end that it is especially applied to the soil. 

 It has been noticed, however, that the simple 

 application of lime has been sufficient to render 

 certain soils fertile. It is apparently true that 

 magnesia will constitute a manure in future time 

 if the soil is not regularly reinforced. 



Manure, then, is all matter applied to the soil 

 for the purpose of augmenting the quantity of 

 plant food utihsable by the crops. The necessity 

 for artificial manures need no longer be discussed. 

 It has been a recognised fact for so long, and to such 

 an extent, that any one who does not employ them 

 can only be regarded as retrogressive. 



Fertile Land. 



By fertile land we mean that which contains 

 in a form relatively assimilable, and in addition 

 to a certain quantity of humus, up to a thousand 

 of the chief fertilising elements. One might say 

 that Western Europe contains practically no fertile 

 land. The crops raised there for many ages have 

 taken the fertilising elements from the soil in 



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