64 Gardening 
wa 
Fic. 41. Refuse from the garden should 
be made into compost to enrich the soil. 
In the photograph above, which was taken 
in the autumn, lime is being spread over 
the garden to kill insects and to “sweeten” 
the soil for the next season. 
cause chemical changes 
which lead to the loss of 
nitrogen. This will also 
occur if lime is used to 
“sweeten” the ‘ drop- 
ping boards under the 
roost. Dry dirt, sand, 
peat, land plaster, or 
sifted coal ashes should 
be used instead. These 
absorb liquids and help 
to dry the manure. 
The dropping boards 
should be cleaned fre- 
* quently and the accumu- 
lated manure spread out 
in a dry place, or stored 
in boxes or barrels and 
kept away from rain 
until the soil is plowed 
or spaded in spring. 
As poultry manure 
is relatively much 
richer in nitrogen than 
in phosphorus or potash, it is good practice to add 
to every 10 pounds of the fresh manure 4 pounds of acid 
phosphate and 2 pounds of kainite (a mineral con- 
taining about 12 per cent potash) together with coal 
ashes, dry muck, or other absorbents. These may be 
spread on the dropping boards, and the resulting mixture 
stored dry until used. 
