Gardening for Amateurs 



223 



If it be desired, as is better, to work the 

 soil three spits down, take off 2 yards of top 

 soil to commence with, and wheel it to the 

 far side of the space. Then take the second 

 spit from the first yard of land away in the 

 barrow, and put it separately from the other 

 soil at the far side of the plot. (It will not 

 matter much if they get mixed.) After 

 taking away the second spit of the first yard 

 break up the third spit thoroughly, and 

 add manure if it be thought necessary to 



richest and best manure possible, but this 

 material is not generally obtainable, nor 

 would many like to use it. Horse manure 

 or horse and cow manure mixed are the 

 best for heavy soils ; cow manure and pig 

 manure for light soils, as being less easily 

 \\;i>licd a way and helping to retain moisture. 

 Farmyard manures, particularly horse manure, 

 wlik-h is very hot at first, should be old and 

 well matured, or half decayed, before being 

 used for Roses. In the absence of farmyard 



Roses round a garden shelter, 



do so. After breaking this up throw on it 

 the second spit from the second yard of land, 

 adding manure. Then take the first spit of 

 soil from the third yard of land, and throw 

 it on top of the second spit that has been 

 put on the first yard, and keep on in this 

 order to the far side, where you will find the 

 final second spit, and last two top spits 

 waiting ready to complete the business. 



Manures for Roses. The best manure 

 for Rose beds is undoubtedly farmyard 

 manure, unless old night soil can be obtained, 

 which agricultural chemists tell us is the 



manure there are several proprietary articles 

 that can well \>e used in its place, notably 

 Wakeley's Hop Manure, Native Guano, 

 Peruvian Guano, Canary Guano, Clay's, 

 Thomson's, and various other fertilisers 

 and manures. 



While the trenching is being done basic 

 slag, at the rate of 6 oz. to the square yard, 

 should be added to the lower 12 or 15 inches 

 of heavy soil, together with bone meal or 

 bone flour, 3 oz. to the square yard, to the 

 upper 12 inches. To light soils add as much 

 matter as ran \><- nl'tamni. 



