MANNER OF ITS APPLICATION. 571 



steadily, the operations of the mower are, or should he, sus- 

 pended, and there are seven clear months at least during which 

 the effects of the manure continue to he felt. 



It may be indifferent at what season such manures as bones, 

 and other kinds of matter which decompose very slowly, are 

 employed ; yet there can be no doubt that upon every known 

 principle they also should be given at a time when vegetation 

 is most active, or about to become, so ; hence the every-day 

 practice of digging manure into the borders of a garden in 

 spring, or shortly before an annual crop is about to be com- 

 mitted to the soil. 



As to the manner of applying manure, it must be obvious 

 that it can be of no use unless it is in contact with the ahsorbing 

 parts of the roots ; now those parts are the young fibres and 

 spongioles, as has been already stated, and, when plants have 

 arrived at any considerable size, the roots form the radii of a 

 circle whose circumference is the principal line of absorption. 

 This being so, if a plant has arrived at the state of a bush or 

 tree, it is useless to apply manure to the base of the stem, 

 because that is precisely where the power of absorption is the 

 weakest, if it exists at all ; and, as the circle formed by the 

 roots is generally greater than that of the branches, the proper 

 manner of applying manure is, to introduce it into the ground 

 at a distance from the stem about equal to the radius formed 

 by the branches. And yet, although this is so evidently right, 

 I have seen a gardener, who ought to have known much better, 

 sedulously administering liquid manure, by pouring it into the 

 soil at the base of the stem ; which is much the same thing as 

 if an attempt were made to feed a man through the soles of 

 his feet. 



Manure may be applied in either a solid or liquid form. 

 The former gradually parts with its fertilising properties ; the 

 latter communicates them instantly. When solid manure is 

 used a certain, and perhaps large, portion of what is volatile is 

 lost; of liquid manure the whole may be a;bsorbed, or safely 

 deposited within reach of roots, if precautions are taken 

 against its running to waste. The application of solid manure 

 is costly, in consequence of the labour which attends it : liquid 



