MANURING 381 



mineral and insoluble, but they do live on the soluble ele- 

 ments found in soils, and as a rule, especially in gardens, these 

 must be put there by the gardener. Scientifically we know 

 that all plants are formed, more or less according to their 

 nature, of three primary elements phosphate, potash, and 

 nitrogen, with a few others. And these things in manuring 

 we seek to supply to the soil in some form or another : thus 

 all vegetable matter when changed into manure, through 

 animal consumption or when in a state of decay, gives back 

 to the soil what originally came from it ; also all leafage 

 abstracts from the air certain gases which are utilised by the 

 plant, and become plant food also. So that, were a crop 

 of something green dug into the ground as a manure dressing, 

 it always gives back to the soil in that way more than came 

 from it. Thus green crops of Tares, Peas, Barley, Oats, or 

 similar green plants, dug in, always greatly fertilise the soil. 

 Primarily our manure supply is found in what animals furnish 

 with the aid, too, of straw or moss-litter. As this is collected 

 from stables, cow-sheds, and pig-sties it should be put into a 

 neat heap, and be turned twice at intervals of two weeks before 

 putting it on the soil. When applied quite fresh it is apt to 

 be too crude, and when allowed to remain lying about and to 

 ferment, or be washed by rain, runs to waste. Care in this 

 matter is always well repaid. 



Animal Manures may be applied to soil at any convenient 

 time, but should always be in a half-decayed moist condition. 

 Dry straw manures are of little good, as plants find nothing 

 to utilise in them. Generally the best time to dress land is in 

 the autumn and winter, and on wet soil ; it is a good plan to 

 take advantage of hard frost for wheeling manure over paths 

 and soil. As to quantity of such manure, a couple of wheel- 

 barrow loads commonly suffice for a rod of ground. Still, 

 much depends on the nature of the manure and soil. 



Artificial, or Chemical Manures, so called, being chiefly of a 

 dry or powdery form and having their food properties highly 

 concentrated, are, relative to animal manures, much more 

 costly. But if good, that is, if they contain a high percentage 

 of one or more of the elements phosphate, potash, or nitrogen, 

 they are not expensive, because used in comparatively small 

 quantities. Thus, if two barrowfuls of animal manure are 

 needful for a rod of ground, a dressing of about 6 Ib. of 

 any good chemical manure is ample for the same area. 

 Chemical manures comprise phosphate, made from softened 

 bones, or the powder known as basic slag. This phosphate 

 makes hard woody material in plants, just as it makes bone 



