38 A HOME VEGETABLE-GARDEN 



cent potash. If the amount of filler is small, it 

 is termed high grade. Buy a bag of high grade 

 4-8-10 mixture and a few pounds of nitrate of 

 soda and get some acid phosphate the most 

 readily available form of phosphorus. There 

 should be plenty of wood-ashes and hen-manure on 

 the farm. A garden might be run successfully 

 on hen-manure or the sheep droppings and ashes. 

 They are too valuable to be wasted. 



All fertilizers should be protected from damp- 

 ness. Nitrate of soda is an unstable compound 

 and is modified rapidly in dampness. There is 

 no fertilizer on the farm more valuable than hen- 

 manure and sheep droppings and none so often 

 wasted. When storing, throw over the drop- 

 pings or fork in a little acid phosphate. Use as 

 well a liberal sprinkling of land plaster or kainit 

 (a cheap potash salt) on the dropping-boards 

 after cleaning them. The plaster absorbs the 

 liquid manure and so prevents waste of ammonia, 

 which contains the nitrogen. Store the manure 

 in tight and comparatively small receptacles; 

 barrels will serve. The oldest and most thoroughly 

 disintegrated fertilizer could thus be used first; 

 and, also, there would be avoided a large waste 

 which would be certain if the entire quantity 

 were opened each time a little was needed. The 

 ammonia odor is sufficiently convincing of the 

 waste. Ammonia, like sodium nitrate, is vol- 

 atile, and, as it evaporates, the nitrogen is lost. 



