MANURES. 25 



per acre would be sufficient in almost any case, and much less 

 will sometimes be enough, while for an early crop twice as 

 much rotted manure might be used to advantage. 



The effect of the application of animal manures to the 

 land will remain apparent for several years. It is generally 

 considered safe to estimate that not more than one-third the 

 full value of these manures is taken up by the crop growing 

 on the land the year it is applied. 



Manuring the Growing Crop.— Sometimes a crop comes to 

 a standstill on account of having exhausted the available 

 fertilizing material in the soil. In such cases it may be a 

 good plan to fertilize the growing crop with hen manure, 

 nitrate of soda or other quick acting fetilizer and cultivate 

 the land at once. This may be done in many cases by apply- 

 ing such materials to the crop during a hard rain or in a dry 

 time by plowing a furrow near the crop and placing the 

 fertilizer in the furrow. But in any case it should be culti- 

 vated into the soil so as to become well mixed through it, and 

 much care must be taken to prevent the dry fertilizer from 

 coming in contact with the roots of the plants. 



It is a good plan to occasionally change the manures ap- 

 plied to land, i. e. when stable manure has been largely used 

 for some years apply some commercial fertilizer, lime or land 

 plaster, and when commercial fertilizers have been used for 

 some time recourse should be had to stable manure. 



Liquid Manure. — Liquid manure is sometimes used for en- 

 couraging the growth of plants. It should never be made 

 from fresh manure but from that which is thoroughly rotted. 

 Urine may be used as a liquid manure if well decomposed, but 

 it should always be used with great caution and never applied 

 to plants if fresh or undiluted. Cow and horse manure are 

 generally preferred for making liquid mauure. The vessel in 

 which it is to be made should be one-third full of manure and 

 filled up with water. The whole should then be stirred and 

 allowed to settle. The clear water is then used for watering- 

 plants. 



Liquid fertilizer is also made by dissolving nitrate of 

 soda in water as mentioned under that head. Ammonia is 

 sometimes used in very small quantities in water applied to 

 plants, especially to house plants, with good results. 



