KITCHEN-GARDENING. 19 



and mixed with the earth so as to form a compost. These 

 remarks apply especially to strong animal manures, the excre- 

 ments of fowls, as also to soaper's, tanner's and glue manufac- 

 turer's manure, rags, etc. Lime, ashes, bone-dust, poudrette, 

 urate, salt, sulphur, gypsum, nitrate of potash, and other porta- 

 ble manures, may be sown broadcast over the land previous to 

 harrowing or rakmg it, or such manures may be formed into a 

 compost when used in hills or drills. They should in every 

 case be used with caution, as an indiscreet use of them will 

 destroy the seed or plants, and thus defeat the cultivator's 

 object. Many gardeners can corroborate these facts, from 

 having used strong compost as a mould for their hotbeds, 

 thereby poisoning the germs of the seed, and causing the 

 plants to die off prematurely ; and it is notorious that a great 

 proportion of failing crops is occasioned by an injudicious mode 

 of using manure. 



IMPROVING POOR SOILS. 



Much depends on the manures used on particular kinds of 

 soil. The great art of improving sandy and clayey soils con- 

 sists in giving the former such dressings of clay, cow-dung, and 

 other kinds of manure, as will have a tendency to bind and 

 make them more compact, and consequently more retentive of 

 moisture ; and to the latter, coats of horse-dung, ashes, sand, 

 and such other composts as may tend to separate the particles 

 and open the pores of the clay, so as to cause it to approach as 

 nearly as possible to a loam. 



SALTPETRE AS A FERTILIZER. 



Saltpetre is pernicious to many species of insects ; it is also 

 an excellent manure, and may be used to great advantage when 

 dissolved in the proportion of one pound to four gallons of 

 water. This liquid, applied to plants through the rose of a 

 watering-pot, will preserve health and vigor. Soapsuds are 

 equally beneficial, if used occasionally in the same manner — 

 say once a week. These remedies, applied alternately, have 



