The Soil of the Garden 
Poultry manure is so 
rich that it will injure 
plants if applied thickly. 
The hard, rounded balls 
should be broken up 
and pulverized. This 
may be done by spread- 
ing out the dry mixed 
product on a_ board 
platform or a walk and 
breaking up the lumps 
with strokes of the back 
of a spade. As a rule 
the manure should be 
spaded into the soil just 
before planting of seed. 
Compost. Well-rotted 
vegetable matter is 
called compost. It may 
be made from manure 
which is placed in flat- 
topped piles so as to 
absorb much rainfall 
and hasten rotting. If 
necessary, water can be 
added to keep the mass 
moist. If it is  fre- 
quently forked over and 
kept moist, it will rot 
65 
Fic. 42. A Long Island picture showing 
how the soil is ‘‘trenched” and humus 
added. Two trenches are dug about 3 
feet apart and then filled with manure and 
soil in alternate layers. Then another set 
of two trenches is dug, the first one be- 
tween the two shown in the picture, and 
the second just beyond the last trench 
filled. This process is repeated until the 
whole garden has been covered. The soil 
is improved in three ways by this method: 
first, humus is added; second, the soil from 
below is brought to the surface; and third, 
the soil is made deeper, giving the roots 
more space for growth. 
rapidly without “ burning.’ Layers of sod, dry soil, or 
peat may be added to absorb the liquid materials. 
