26 The Flower Garden [Chapter 



constitute the chief drawback to the solid form. To 

 prepare it take a water-tight barrel or half-barrel and 

 put a spigot in the side near the bottom. Place three 

 or four inches of clean straw in the barrel, letting it 

 come well up above the spigot, then fill half full of 

 manure. It is not necessary that the manure should 

 be so very old ; it needs only to have passed the fer- 

 mentation period. Fill the barrel with water. Fit a 

 tight cover over it and it is soon ready to use. As 

 long as the liquid runs the colour of coffee or a strong 

 tea the manure will not need renewing, and more 

 water may be added from time to time, but when it 

 shows signs of exhaustion empty the barrel, put the 

 refuse on the compost heap and fill the barrel as 

 before. If the liquid is to be used on pot-plants it will 

 be better to use boiling water in the barrel to destroy 

 the eggs and chrysalis of the white-worms and other 

 larvae that infest the manure; or add a half tea- 

 spoonful of Paris green to the water. The first 

 drawings from the barrel should be well diluted 

 before using, especially when applied to dry soil. 

 If hen manure is used, it should be made much 

 weaker than other manures, as it is very heating and 

 likely to burn the roots of plants. A convenient way 

 to handle the manure barrel is to carry a watering-pot 

 of water to the barrel each time, emptying it in at the 

 top and drawing off a corresponding amount at the 

 spigot in this way the barrel is kept constantly full 

 and extra steps saved. Liquid manure may also be 



