THE AMERICAN GARDENER. ^ 



Then, when the frost is gone, the ground will be in- 

 stantly fit for digging and planting; and, it will bear al- 

 most anything that can be put into it. 



MANURES ADAPTED TO A GARDEN. 



It is generally thought, and, I believe truly, that ma- 

 nure of any sort, is not what ought to be used in the 

 raising of garden vegetables. It is very certain, that 

 they are coarse and gross when produced with aid of 

 that sort of manure, compared to what they are when 

 raised with the aid of ashes, lime, rags, and composts. 

 And besides, dung in hot soils and hot climates, adds to 

 tne heat; while ashes, lime, rags, and composts do not; 

 but, on the contrary, they attract, and cause the earth 

 to retain moisture. 



All the ground in a garden ought always to be good , 

 and it will be kept in this state if it be well manured 

 once every year. Perhaps it will scarcely ever be con- 

 venient to any one to manure the whole garden at one 

 time : and this is not of so much importance. Clay, or 

 any earth, burnt, is excellent manure for a garden. It 

 has no seeds of weeds or grass in it. A compost made 

 of such ashes, some wood-ashes, a small portion of horse- 

 dung, rotten leaves, and mould shovelled up under trees, 

 round buildings, or on the sides of roads, — all these to- 

 gether, put into a heap, and turned over several times, 

 make the best of manure for a garden. 



A great deal more is done by the fermentation of ma- 

 nures than people generally imagine. In the month of 

 June take twenty cart loads of earth, which has been 

 shovelled oft' the surface of a grassy lane, or by a road' 

 side, or round about barns, stables, and the like. Lay 

 these twenty loads about a foot thick on some conve- 

 nient spot. Go and cut up twenty good cart-loads of 

 weeds of any sort, and lay these well shaken up, on the 

 earth. Then cover the weeds with twenty more cart- 

 loads of earth like the former, throwing the earth on 

 lightly. In three days you will see the heap smoke as 

 if on fire. If you put your hand into the earth, you 



