368 



Gardening for Amateurs 



gradients, being in a more advanced state 

 of decay, are all the readier for the plant. 

 Cow manure is a dense, rich substance ; it 

 tends to consolidate soils, and is, for that 

 reason, best for a light soil. Horse manure 

 is not so rich, but it is a warm manure, and 

 the straw in it tends to open up heavy soils. 

 Peat moss litter is retentive of moisture 

 and good for a sandy garden, though it 

 can be used in any soil ; it should never 

 be stored long, as it rapidly deteriorates. 

 Poultry manure is the richest nutritive sub- 

 stance from the farmyard. It is excellent 

 for all soils ; if kept dry it can be stored for 

 a long time. The droppings from the hen 

 or pigeon loft should be collected, dried, 

 and passed through a -inch riddle ; it 

 then forms a fine guano for potting pur- 

 poses. Pig manure is very rich, but should 

 always be allowed to lie for a time before 

 use. 



Large dressings of farmyard manure are 

 necessary in order to afford sufficient plant 

 nutriment for a season's growth. As much 

 as 80 tons per acre have been employed for 

 the purpose ; but this, while being far from 

 economical, is bad, because it is a direct 

 encouragement to pests of all kinds. A 

 good dressing, backed up with suitable 

 artificial manures, will not exceed 20 tons 

 an acre or 2J barrowloads per square pole. 



Other Organic Manures. Green manure 

 may be employed when farmyard manure 

 is difficult to obtain. Some quick-growing, 

 leafy crop, like rape, legumes, or mustard 

 is cultivated when the land is vacant and 

 dug into the soil before it becomes too high 

 and before the plants begin to seed. Bulk 

 for bulk it is almost as rich as farmyard 

 manure ; all soft garden refuse can be 

 utilised in a similar fashion. Spent hops 

 are not very valuable ; but when the en- 

 riched hop manures, now widely adver- 

 tised, are employed, they are good substi- 

 tutes for farmyard manure. Seaweed is 

 available near the coast ; mixed with fresh 

 dung, it forms an excellent fertiliser. Sewage 

 is valuable more from the lime which has 

 been added than from anything else ; it 

 can be used freely every second year. Rape 

 dust is frequently used in gardens far 

 removed from stables or cowsheds. The 

 oil it contains causes it to decompose very 



slowly, yet it is a good method of adding 

 humus to the soil. Leather meal is much 

 the same ; both these substances will decay 

 much faster if mixed with fresh farmyard 

 manure or soaked in urine. 



Leaf-mould is the best form of organic 

 manure for use in potting. Leaves of hard- 

 wood trees like elm, beech, and oak are 

 collected and allowed to decay for a year ; 

 when in a nice brown mould they can be 

 used freely in most composts ; it is a lasting 

 manure, not too strong, and keeps the soil 

 light, open, and sweet. 



ARTIFICIAL MANURES 



Artificial fertilisers are manures in highly 

 concentrated form. They contain no humus, 

 and, while increasing the richness of the soil, 

 do not bring it into a better state of cultiva- 

 tion ; they never can totally replace organic 

 manures, for that very reason. Very small 

 applications are required in order to furnish 

 sufficient plant food, and as they can easily 

 be spread on the soil they have much to 

 recommend their use. Along with a little 

 organic manure they form the most efficient 

 and economical application for every crop. 



Artificial manures, so called because they 

 are more or less the result of manufacture, 

 are of three kinds nitrogenous, phosphatic, 

 and potassic. Each serves a special pur- 

 pose in the development of vegetation, and 

 a plant food must contain them all. 



Nitrogenous Manures. These are the 

 most necessary and the most expensive of 

 all manures used in gardening. Pure nitro- 

 gen cannot be utilised by vegetation ; it is 

 absorbed in the form of nitrates and pro- 

 motes vigorous growth of stem and foliage ; 

 this is particularly desired in some cases, e.g. 

 salads and vegetables ; but all plants must 

 have plenty of leaf and stem to manufac- 

 ture the manures absorbed into nutritive 

 sap. Xitrogen is supplied by all organic 

 substances ; but the artificial inorganic 

 salts offer readier and quicker means of 

 supplying the manure. 



Nitrate of soda is commonly in use. It 

 contains 15 per cent, nitrogen, is totally 

 soluble in water, and immediately available 

 as a plant food. Nitrate of lime is even more 

 efficient as a manure. It is almost as rich in 

 nitrogen ; but as this is combined with the 



