MANURES 47 



excess and lime is somewhat deficient. Finally, where 

 loams and mixed soils exist, their qualities vary according 

 to whether the clay, sand, or chalk predominates.* 



With this rough but useful sketch of the soil values of 

 the greater part of our country, it should be possible for 

 the grower to form a useful opinion of his own particular 

 plot. If he concludes that it lacks one form of food, it 

 will be his duty to supply it, but if it is rich in another he 

 will not waste his time and money in adding to its 

 richness. 



Having decided in what essentials our land is deficient, 

 the next matter is to find which manure will provide it 

 with the ingredients lacking and at the same time give 

 to the crops which we have decided to grow the special 

 foods they need. 



In order to be able to do this a knowledge of the 

 composition and peculiarity of each manure is necessary. 

 The following notes will prove a helpful guide : 



Farmyard Manure is a good all-round manure for 

 giving a new lease of life to ground that has been much 

 cropped. It contains a high percentage of nitrogen 

 and much potash and phosphates. It not only enriches 

 the soil with these necessary ingredients, but has a 

 mechanical effect as well, for it makes ground more 

 workable, keeps it moist and adds humus. Horse 

 manure breaks up heavy soils, makes them more porous 

 and better aerated, whilst sheep and cow manure do 

 better on light soils, making them more retentive. 

 Again, horse and sheep manure is fairly dry, but cow and 

 pig manure is wet, a fact which makes the former very 



* W. M. Tod in " The Farmer and Stockbreeder Year Book," 1910. 



