6 4 



Gardening 



cause chemical changes 

 which lead to the loss of 

 nitrogen. This will also 

 occur if lime is used to 

 " sweeten " the drop- 

 ping boards under the 

 roost. Dry dirt, sand, 

 peat, land plaster, or 

 sifted coal ashes should 

 be used instead. These 

 absorb liquids and help 

 to dry the manure. 



The dropping boards 

 should be cleaned fre- 

 quently and the accumu- 

 lated manure spread out 

 in a dry place, or stored 

 in boxes or barrels and 

 kept away from rain 

 until the soil is plowed 

 or spaded in spring. 



As poultry manure 

 is relatively much 

 richer in nitrogen than 



in phosphorus or potash, it is good practice to add 

 to every 10 pounds of the fresh manure 4 pounds of acid 

 phosphate and 2 pounds of kainite (a mineral con- 

 taining about 12 per cent potash) together with coal 

 ashes, dry muck, or other absorbents. These may be 

 spread on the dropping boards, and the resulting mixture 

 stored dry until used. 



FIG. 41. Refuse from the garden should 

 be made into compost to enrich the soil. 

 In the photograph above, which was taken 

 in the autumn, lime is being spread over 

 the garden to kill insects and to " sweeten " 

 the soil for the next season. 



