26 TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



contains all the elements of fertility in available con- 

 dition. No other is so well adapted to alter the physical 

 condition of heavy soils, nor, when well rotted, better 

 suits those of a sandy nature; nor is any other more apt 

 to render the constituents of the soil available as plant 

 food. Gardeners in the vicinity of cities may procure a 

 sufficient supply and require no other manure, unless for 

 a special purpose they desire to supplement it with a 

 commercial fertilizer more rich in nitrogenous matter, 

 such as Peruvian guano, fish scrap, etc. Those who are 

 not so fortunately situated must utilize their smaller 

 stock, by letting it form the basis of compost heaps to 

 bring about and sustain the fermentation so necessary to 

 break down the crude vegetable materials of which such 

 heaps partly consist. Manures, to be promptly effica- 

 cious, should be in a state of at least partial decompo- 

 sition, so that the elements of which they consist may be 

 in a fit state to form new combinations, or act at once as 

 plant food. To bring about this condition without waste 

 of material and expense of time and labor, is one of the 

 problems of the horticulturist. Once placed within 

 reach of the absorptive power of the soil, there is no fur- 

 ther loss by evaporation. If the manure pile could be 

 merely kept sufficiently moist by rains, to prevent a too 

 rapid fermentation, it might be advisable not to keep it 

 under cover; but the rains in our climate are too often 

 heavy enough to leach out valuable soluble parts of the 

 largest heaps. The difference in the composition of cov- 

 ered and uncovered barn-yard manure is here shown. 



Exposed to the weather, piled, turned and handled, 

 without proper judgment and close attention, there is 



