MANURES. 103 



compost to shelter it from the sun's rays and from 

 driving rains. 



The importance of some protection of this kind 

 is evident from what has already been said, and in- 

 deed it is impossible to make an economical use of 

 manures without it. The trifling cost of building a 

 shed, or preparing a cellar, is amply repaid in the 

 benefit resulting from their uses. If an open shed is 

 used, care should be taken to so arrange the slope of 

 the ground that no surface water can reach the 

 manure. 



THE FLOOR. 



The floor or foundation on which to build the 

 compost deserves some consideration. It may be of 

 plank tightly fitted, a hard bed of clay, or better, a 

 cemented surface. Whatever material is used in its 

 construction (and stiff clay mixed with water and 

 beaten compactly down answers an excellent purpose), 

 the floor must have such an inclination as will cause 

 it to discharge water only at one point. That is, one 

 part of the edge must be lower than the rest of the 

 floor, which must be so shaped that water will run 

 towards this point from every part of it ; then the 

 floor being water-tight all the liquids of the com- 

 post may be collected in a 



TANK. 



This tank, used to collect the liquids of the manure, 

 may be made by sinking a barrel or hogshead (ac- 



