FEEDING 47 



CHOICE OF MANURES 



"Whatever is applied from now on, as a fertilizer, 

 must be something the feeding elements of which are 

 immediately available for the plant's use, therefore 

 watering with manure water, made from one of the 

 several natural animal manures, should be the basis 

 and the bulk of the feeding. A change of diet, how- 

 ever, is marledly beneficial, therefore no fixed formula 

 can be laid down, nor any set rule be adhered to, 

 except the one of the desirability of changing occa- 

 sionally to the use of some chemical fertilizer, also 

 applied in solution; or to a light top dressing of one 

 of the prepared, highly concentrated plant* foods. 

 Among the animal manures that from sheep or cows 

 is most generally used, but horse manure need not be 

 despised. Their relative strengths and feeding values 

 are in the order named, with sheep manure as first 

 choice. 



Methods of preparation depend upon facilities or 

 convenience, but barrels are most commonly used, the 

 manure being placed in a coarse bag and allowed to 

 steep in the water two or three days. The resultant 

 liquid is, of course, too strong to apply .until it has 

 been properly diluted, and the volume of pure water 

 to be added must be left somewhat to individual judg- 

 ment, and is also in part governed by whether feeding 

 is to be light or heavy. At the start light feeding 

 should be the rule and the strength of the liquid 

 enhanced as conditions warrant. Those who have had 

 little experience in these matters will not go far 

 astray if they follow the old rule that advises making 

 the liquid look like weak coffee, this being the 

 minimum standard of strength, to be increased as 

 desirable by less dilution. Those who have a large 

 number of plants may greatly simplify the application 



