INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 15 



and corrode the soil particles. Plant food is thus liberated, 

 and becomes available for successive crops. Humus has the 

 power of retaining plant food which has been applied to the 

 soil in the form of manure, together with a large amount of 

 water, thus providing soluble chemical compounds that are 

 readily absorbed ' by growing plants, and affording liquid 

 sustenance during drought. 



Despite the annual provision of humus in a natural way by 

 decay of vegetable substances, the severe drain upon the resources 

 of the soil of a well-cropped vegetable garden is so great that 

 supplementary provision of humus must be given by the 

 gardener, to keep up a balance of nutriment in his soil. This 

 is an easy task, for Nature, ever ready to assist, produces the 

 materials for the purpose in abundance ; but they must be 

 collected and conserved by the cultivator if he wishes to use 

 them. There is much in the way of vegetable refuse, for 

 example, which can be turned into this valuable humus ; there 

 is also refuse from the house that can be pressed into the 

 same service ; and these materials, together with burnt rubbish, 

 soot, lime, etc., may be systematically collected, and buried 

 deeply in the ground wherever a vacant space may present an 

 opportunity. This may be done all the year through, until 

 quite a large portion of the garden soil is honeycombed by these 

 holes containing the refuse. Of course, decomposition sets in ; 

 but being underground, no offence is occasioned, and the lirne 

 and soot hastens the process and sweetens the mass at the 

 same time. When the ground has to be dug or trenched, these 

 buried refuse-collections are brought to light, and, being in a 

 more or less advanced state of decay, the stuff incorporates 

 with the soil after the manner of, manure, where it completes 

 disintegration. A year or two of this process will bring the 

 poorest of soils into a hearty state of fertility, and together 

 with applied organic and chemical manures, prove the main- 

 stay of the soil all through the burden of the carriage of heavy 

 crops. 



In speaking of the calibre or quality of garden soils, the 

 presence of humus therein supplies the meaning of the word 



" rich," for the richness of soils always depends upon 

 Manure the quantity of humus the}' contain. No soil can 

 versus have too much of this valuable fertilizing material. 

 Humus The cultivator, however, must note the difference 



between manure and humus. The former, in a fresh, 

 crude state, firstly raises the temperature of the ground wherein 



