they should be spread uniformly over the entire 

 surface and the top kept comparatively level. The 

 above depth will be sufHcient to absorb, without 

 leaching, any rainfall likely to occur, and the uni- 

 form additions over the entire surface prevent cer- 

 tain spots from becoming overheated and causing 

 loss in this manner. Sufficient applications of water 

 should be made to keep the entire body of the heap 

 moist, but never soggy or water-logged. This is 

 absolutely essential to prevent heating and to hasten 

 decay. From six to nine months will usually be 

 required to properly decompose the heap and make 

 it ready for satisfactory use. Decomposition may 

 be hastened and the condition of the material greatly 

 improved by forking the old pile over, turning the 

 outside of the old pile toward the inside of the new 

 one, keeping the dimensions approximately the same. 

 The time of applying manures depends upon their 

 nature, the crops to be grown and the rotations to 

 be followed. In most cases the bulk of the manure 

 should be applied to the land before plowing. If 

 the plowing is properly done subsequent tillage 

 thoroughly mixes and incorporates the material 

 through the soil. If the material is especially fine, 

 applications may be made as a top dressing after 

 the soil has been plowed and thoroughly worked 

 into the soil by the harrow. The manure, however, 

 must be in ideal condition in order to give the best 

 results, applied in this manner. Top dressings are 

 especially desirable when one crop follows another 

 during the same season. The heavier manuring 

 should be turned under as first described, in the 

 preparation for the first crop in the early springtime. 

 The writer has practiced the following plan with 

 «xcellent results on soils somewhat deficient in 



