FODDER IN INDIA. I I 



once established is not " hungry," and excessive feeding will 

 make it coarse and abnormal which is not desirable (a similar 

 result will be obtained by feeding a baby to its fill with 

 "patent" foods — excellent as an advertisement but not desir- 

 able as an olive branch), true you will get more weight 

 (outturn) and also more "complaints" — we are seeking 

 " quality." On the other hand crops require short or rotted, 

 quick acting manure, in a condition to immediately yield up 

 its nutriment when the seed has germinated and the young 

 roots require strength : they are hungry and growing and 

 want lots of food of the best. There are occasions when 

 " crop-lands" also require long green manure which will be 

 dealt with in a later chapter. 



When putting down "grass-seed" a light dressing of 

 short manure is, of course, desirable and advisable, but except 

 on quite poor land not absolutely necessary. 



The cheapest, quickest, and in the writer's opinion 

 the best system of manuring for grass ^^^ Dressing, 



cultivation is " top-dressing," and where 

 it is available in plenty with "stable-litter," this is usually 

 cheaper than any other kind of manure, and where the 

 situation of the land makes it a consideration it is the 

 least objectionable, two or three good showers settle it down 

 or remove any smell. Failing this, bazaar rubbish, city 

 rubbish, and sweepings of all sorts are excellent top-dressings, 

 but usually contain a medley of pots, tin cans, bricks and stones, 

 etc. , all of which have to be picked up again and buried, or they 

 may be used for filling up holes, etc. Spoiled hay, bedding, and 

 silage are also good dressings and will help. About 2^" deep 

 will be found a satisfactory depth for spreading, this depth 

 settles down nicely and evenly, a greater depth is rather too 

 heavy, more expensive and not necessary, while less usually 

 results in patches and is easily washed away — at the same time 

 cut your coat according to the cloth. About 150 country cart 

 loads will cover an acre. The cost will vary according to local 

 conditions, especially distances, but for stable-litter Rs. 80 

 should always cover it. The others will come more expensive 



