CHAPTEE XIII 



NATURAL FERTILIZERS GUANO 



PLANT-LIFE finds a part of its sustenance 

 provided by nature in the atmosphere ; it finds 

 carbonic acid gas, whence it derives the carbon it 

 requires; but the care and ingenuity of man have 

 to supplement these natural resources by providing 

 fertilizers. 



"One of the chief of these fertilizers, farm manure, 

 is furnished by the bedding and excrement of ani- 

 mals. To obtain an excellent dressing of this sort 

 it is customary to use for bedding, as far as possible, 

 the straw from grain, since this, being composed 

 of hollow stalks, is capable of holding considerable 

 moisture. But, as in certain cases straw would 

 hardly be able to absorb all the fluid matter, it is 

 well to make a trench in the stable and thus carry 

 off the excess of liquid to a reservoir outside, where 

 another heap of straw or similar material is in readi- 

 ness to receive it. Then, at a distance from all rain- 

 spouts and gutters, and in the shade of trees, a sub- 

 stantial layer of clay is spread on the ground, and 

 on this is erected the pile of manure. All around 

 it is dug a little trench which conducts the brown 

 liquid that oozes from the manure, and that is known 



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