64 VEGETABLE FORCING 
clay loam (limestone soil) before starting the fall crop of 
lettuce, and there was no evidence that the application 
was too heavy. In the clay and silt soils it is practically 
impossible to use too much rotten manure, and it is 
seldom that manuring is overdone in the lighter soils. 
The soils in many of the large establishments, where 
vegetables have been forced for a long term of years, 
seem to be too loose and porous, and to be lacking in 
body, but the excellent crops which are harvested at 
regular intervals do not indicate any fault in the composi- 
tion or character of the soils. When rotten manure is to 
be applied to benches or solid beds in small greenhouses, 
two or three pounds may be used to each square foot of 
space. 
Liquid manure is often used to advantage in small 
greenhouses. It is easily prepared by placing about a 
bushel of fresh horse manure or old, unleached cow 
manure in a half barrel of water. The contents should be 
stirred occasionally for a few days. Before making appli- 
cations, dilute with three or four parts of water to one of 
the liquid. It may be used for all of the greenhouse vege- 
tables without any danger of injury. In small green- 
houses it is customary to pour a cupful around each plant 
which may be in need of nourishment. The plan is too 
slow and tedious for use in large establishments, where 
nitrate of soda is preferred, if special feeding is regarded 
as necessary. The more economical plan, however, is to 
prepare the soil with sufficient plant food, so that subse- 
quent applications will be unnecessary, except for the 
mulching of tomatoes and cucumbers. In some of the 
large floral establishments liquid manure is prepared in 
large tanks, from which it is piped to the various houses 
and applied with a hose and nozzle. 
The functions of lime.—The use of lime in the forcing 
of vegetables is on the increase. Apparently it is just as 
important—perhaps even more important—in greenhouse 
