SOILS AND MANURES 359 



all plants are formed, more or less according to their nature, 

 of three primary elements phosphate, potash, and nitrogen, 

 with a few others. And these things in manuring we seek 

 to supply to the soil in some form or another : thus all 

 vegetable matter when changed into manure, through animal 

 consumption or when in a state of decay, gives back to the 

 soil what originally came from it ; also all leafage abstracts 

 from the air certain gases which are utilised by the plant, and 

 become plant food also. So that, were a crop of something 

 green dug into the ground as a manure dressing, it always 

 gives back to the soil in that way more than came from it. 

 Thus green crops of Tares, Peas, Barley, Oats, or similar green 

 plants, dug in, always greatly fertilise the soil. Primarily our 

 manure supply is found in what animals furnish with the aid 

 too of straw or moss-litter. As this is collected from stables, 

 cowsheds, &c., it should be put into a neat heap, and be 

 turned twice at intervals of two weeks before putting it on 

 the soil. When applied quite fresh it is apt to be too crude, 

 and when allowed to remain about and ferment, or be washed 

 by rain, runs to waste. Care in this matter is always well 

 repaid. 



Animal Manures may be applied to soil at any convenient 

 time, but should always be in a half-decayed moist condition. 

 Dry straw manures are of little good, as plants find nothing 

 to utilise in them. Generally the best time to dress land is in 

 the autumn and winter and on wet soil. It is a good plan to 

 take advantage of hard frost for wheeling manure over paths 

 and soil. As to quantity of such manure a couple of wheel- 

 barrow loads commonly suffice for a rod of ground. Still, 

 much depends on the nature of the manure and soil. 



Artificial, or Chemical Manures, so called, being chiefly of a 

 dry or powdery form and having their food properties highly 

 concentrated, are, relative to animal manures, much more 

 costly. But if good, that is, contain a high percentage of the 

 elements previously mentioned, they are not expensive, because 

 used in comparatively small quantities. Thus, if two barrow- 

 fuls of animal manure are needful for a rod of ground, a 

 dressing of about six Ibs. of any good chemical manure is 

 ample for the same area. Chemical manures comprise phos- 

 phate, made from softened bones, or the powder known as 

 basic slag. This phosphate makes hard woody material in 

 plants, just as it makes bone in animals. Then potash comes 

 from kainit and other salts dug from the earth. That again 

 helps to make tissue, fruits, and seeds. Nitrogen comes from 

 nitrate of soda, or a salt found in the veins of the earth, 

 sulphate of ammonia, obtained in the making of coal gas, 



