296 TALKS ON MANUKES. 



other words, a liberal supply of plant-food enables the crops to 

 flourish with less water ; and, on the other hand, a greater supply 

 of water will enable the crops to flourish with a less supply of 

 plant-food. The market-gardeners should look into this question 

 of irrigation. 



MANURES FOR SEED-GROWING FARMS. 



In growing garden and vegetable seeds, much labor is neces- 

 sarily employed per acre, and consequently it is of great import- 

 ance to produce a good yield. The best and cleanest land is neces- 

 sary to start with, and then manures must be appropriately and 

 freely used. 



" But not too freely," said the Doctor, " for I am told it is quite 

 possible to have land too rich for seed-growing." 



It is not often that the land is too rich. Still, it may well be that 

 for some crops too much stable-manure is used. But in nine cases 

 out of ten, when such manure gives too much growth and too little 

 or too poor seed, the trouble is in the quality of the manure. It 

 contains too much carbonaceous matter. In other words, it is so 

 poor in nitrogen and phosphoric acid, that an excessive quantity 

 has to be used. 



The remedy consists in making richer manures and using a less 

 quantity, or use half the quantity of stable-manure, and apply the 

 rectified or prepared Peruvian guano, at the rate of 300 Ibs. or 400 

 Ibs. per acre, or say 200 Ibs. superphosphate and 200 Ibs. nitrate of 

 soda per acre. 



Where it is very important to have the seeds ripen early, a lib- 

 eral dressing, say 400 Ibs. per acre, of superphosphate of lime, will 

 be likely to prove beneficial. 



MANURE FOR PRIVATE GARDENS. 



I once had a small garden in the city, and having no manure, I 

 depended entirely on thorough cultivation and artificial fertilizers, 

 such as superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia. It was culti- 

 vated not for profit, but for pleasure, but I never saw a more pro- 

 ductive piece of land. I had in almost every case two crops a year 

 on the same land, and on some plots three crops. No manure was 

 used, except the superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia, and 

 coal and wood ashes from the .house. 



About 5 Ibs. of sulphate of ammonia was sown broadcast to the 

 square rod, or worked into the soil very thoroughly in the rows 

 where the seed was to be sown. Superphosphate was applied at 

 the same rate, but instead of sowing it broadcast, I aimed to get it 

 as near the seed or the roots of plants as possible. 



