MANURES. THEIR SOURCES AND PREPARATION. 



50 



but, like all other manure heaps, should be kept " always 

 moist, but never leached," by the addition of liquids from 

 the house and kitchen. If this compost be for a sandy 

 soil, the addition of clay would be veiy beneficial. 



Composting is the best way of rendering available all 

 sorts of refuse organic matter, but do not introduce those 

 antagonistic in their effects. For instance, never compost 

 lime with animal matters which, in their decomposition, 

 form ammonia. 



Special Composts are prepared for different species of 

 plants, and they are of great utility in floriculture. Com- 

 posts for plants in pots are made up of loam, leaf-mould, 

 sand, peat, and manure. The loam is the decomposed 

 turf from a rich, old pasture, which should not rest upon 

 clay, and the upper three inches only are taken. It 

 should lie one year before using. Leaf-mould is the dark 

 surface soil of the woods, formed from decayed leaves. 

 Sand should not be from roads, but fine surface or river 

 sand. The manure is unfit to use if less than a year old, 

 and improves by frequent turning, and lying two years. 

 Peat is the black soil from swamps, mingled with very fine 

 sand. It should be exposed a year and frequently turned 

 before using. Black woods earth, mingled with one-third 

 pure sand, is the best substitute. The proportions of the 

 most common composts are given in the following table : 



