SOIL PREPARATION 73 
six months in advance of the time when the soil will be 
needed, and in the heavier soils a year will give a better 
compost. After the material is well decayed, it is cus- 
tomary to cut down the pile in thin slices with a sharp 
hoe or spade, thus reducing the fiber to a finer state of 
division. Sand may be added to the compost and this is a 
great advantage in the heavier soils. One part of sand 
may be used to four parts of compost. This plan of 
composting has been popular for many years among 
florists, and so far as results are concerned no method is 
superior. 
It is not always possible or practicable, however, to use 
the method of composting which has just been described. 
Excellent results may be had by simply piling together 
good soil and short, fresh horse manure in the proportion 
of about one part of manure by bulk to three or four 
parts of soil. At least three or four months should elapse 
before the compost is used, and the pile should be turned 
occasionally to obtain a finer and more homogeneous 
mass. If it is desired to use the soil immediately after 
mixing, old, fine unleached manure should be used in- 
stead of fresh manures. As good results, however, can- 
not be expected from newly-mixed composts. 
A third plan of composting is to stack sods for a year 
or two, and then mix one part of the decayed sods with 
one part of good soil and one part of manure, adding 
another part of sand if that seems desirable. 
Manuring in the field—Because of the large amount of 
hand labor involved in the various methods of compost- 
ing, other methods of soil preparation have come into 
general use which are more economical of labor, and pro- 
ductive of highly satisfactory results. One of the most 
popular methods, especially among florists, is to spread 
manure on the field and to give it such tillage as may be 
required. Good soil, preferably a clover sod, should be 
selected for this purpose. 
