66 THE HOME ACRE. 



have said that it will be an injury to my garden? " 

 I have not said this, only that it will do harm if 

 applied in its raw, hot, fermenting state. Compost 

 it with leaves, sod, earth, muck, anything that will 

 keep it from burning up with its own heat. If you 

 can obtain no such ingredients, have it turned over 

 and exposed to the air so often that it will decay 

 without passing through a process approaching 

 combustion. When it has become so thoroughly 

 decomposed as to resemble a fine black powder, 

 you have a fertilizer superior to any high-priced 

 patent compound that can be bought. Farther on 

 I will show how it can be used both in this state 

 and also in its crude condition on light soils with 

 the best results. 



It is scarcely possible to lay too much stress on 

 this subject of fertilizers. The soil of the garden- 

 plot looks inert: so does heavy machinery; but 

 apply to it the proper motive power, and you have 

 activity at once. Manure is the motive power to 

 soil, and it should be applied in a way and degree 

 to secure the best results. To produce some 

 vegetables and fruits much is required; in other 

 growths, very little. 



In laying out a garden there are several points 

 to be considered. The proprietor may be more 

 desirous of securing some degree of beauty in the 

 arrangement than of obtaining the highest condi- 



