MANURES AND MANURING. 75 



should be kept covered as it is produced, and is best 

 mixed with fermented dung, faih'ng which it should be 

 well-limed, while alone is of small benefit, but forms a 

 good vehicle for concentrated fertilizers. Almost all 

 coffee soils requires a constant renewal of phosphoric 

 acid and lime, which are not supplied by the dung alone; 

 these constituents are best furnished in the form of bones 

 steamed and ground or by concentrated superphosphate 

 containing from 40 to 45 per cent., while phosphate of 

 lime. Nitrogenous manures alone are too stimulating 

 and help only to produce premature exhaustion, therefore 

 bones may with great advantage be added to the dung. 

 Composts of pulp and cake are useful nitrogenous man- 

 ures, but they must be accompanied by phosphates and 

 lime. Potash seldom requires to be directly applied, but 

 is very advantageous after attacks of leaf-disease, while 

 magnesia seems to be a necessary constituent of all good 

 coffee soils in the proportion of 0.5 to 2 per cent., but 

 when wanting dolomite may be applied in its place. 

 The great object of manuring is to apply all the constitu- 

 ents required and in a soluble form, but for coffee the 

 nitrogen is better applied in an insoluble form — as in 

 dung, cake and fish manure — than in a soluble form — as 

 in guano, nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia. Phos- 

 phates are best supplied in bones, when a lasting effect 

 is required, but high-grade superphosphates are always 

 preferable for immediate effect as in cases of leaf-disease. 

 Again in tropical countries, all manures are best applied 

 frequently and in small quantities. Regular manuring 

 after each crop would doubtless be most generally 

 economical and advantageous, the quantity depending in 

 local conditions, but should always be extra liberal after a 

 full har\^est. Artificial manures should be put out only 

 in damp weather, dung may be applied at almost any time. 



