MANUKE3 AND MANURING. 15 



Peruvian guano is a powerful fertilizer, but requires to 

 be evenly distributed to prevent the growing plants from 

 coming in contact with any considerable portion of it, as 

 it is apt to be injurious to the young roots when they are 

 brought in sudden contact with it. 



Fish are used largely for manure at the eastern part of 

 Long Island and along the coast generally, and make a 

 valuable fertilizer. An excellent compost can be made 

 by mixing muck and fish, one small load of the former 

 to one thousand of the latter, and afterwards working the 

 whole over with an equal bulk of stable manure. " Fish 

 guano," that is, the " scraps," flesh, and bones of fish 

 from which the oil has been extracted, is also a valuable 

 fertilizer. Wood-ashes possess valuable fertilizing proper- 

 ties, and are very beneficial in preventing the ravages of 

 worms which attack plants at the roots. There are few 

 or none of the many compound manures which possess 

 any real vakie for gardening purposes. 



Green manures possess great fertilizing and renovating 

 properties, and there is notling better for land than a 

 crop of clover plowed under. Buckwheat, corn, oats, 

 etc., etc., may be used for this purpose to advantage, but 

 clover is far the best, as the foliage not only enriches, but 

 the roots permeate and loosen the soil. 



It is always preferable to apply manures of whatever 

 kind broadcast, but when this is not ^practicable, and 

 <c manuring in the hills " has to be resorted to, if 

 stable manure is used, let it be well rotted, and when ap- 

 plied, thoroughly mixed with the soil, the better to retain 

 moisture. 



A mixture of fish or fish scrap, muck, and rotted manure, 

 makes an excellent compost for manuring in the hill. The 

 term " hill " as herein used should not be deemed to im- 

 ply that the ground must be raised, which would be in- 

 jurious, except in case of sweet-potatoes, watermelons, 

 and such plants as require a very dry soil. The term is 



