CONDITION" OF THE SOIL MAN ORES. 353 



it should be in a thoroughly decomposed state ; if bones, 

 they should be mixed with sulphuric acid, as a ' ' super- 

 phosphate ; " and any other substances that may be applied 

 should be in a sufficiently soluble condition to allow of 

 the plants getting immediate access to them, as much of 

 their future vigour and development depends upon the 

 healthy manner in which their early processes of life 

 were carried on. 



The tillage treatment of the soil is the same as has been 

 described for turnips. If the land be very foul, and need 

 an open fallow before sowing the rape, full advantage 

 should in all cases be taken of the autumn for cultivating 

 and cleaning the land, which should then be laid up with 

 a deep winter furrow. On strong soils it perhaps is better 

 to plough in the manure at this period than to wait until 

 the spring, as it keeps the soil more open, and more 

 efficiently acted upon by the weathering influence of the 

 frosts and rains of winter, and, at the same time, saves 

 the labour and the injury that such soils so frequently 

 sustain from the carting and consequent operations of 

 applying the manure in the earlier part of the spring 

 months. In such case, fresh or "long" farmyard dung 

 may be used; if left until the spring, "spit" or well-rotted 

 manure should be applied in equivalent proportions, so 

 that the crop may at once be supplied with a supply of 

 available food, which would not be the case if the manure 

 was applied in a fresh or undecomposed state. Two valu- 

 able papers by Dr. Yoelcker, 1 " On the Composition of 

 Farmyard Manure, and the changes which it undergoes 

 on keeping under different circumstances," should be care- 

 fully studied by every one having charge of farming 

 operations : they will amply repay the perusal, and show 

 us how inconsistent our practice is with science in reference 

 to the general treatment of our home-made manure, and 



1 Roy. Agri. Soc. Jour., vol. xvii. p. 256, vol. xviii. p. 138. 



