74 PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS 



flavour by manufacturing the sugary ingredients so noticeable in Apples, 

 Pears, Plums, Grapes, Beetroot &c. 



Garden soil is rarely lacking in potash, and a supply may always be 

 liberated by the addition of lime. Soil which has been well manured 

 with dung for years is very rich in potash, and in such cases it is 

 scarcely necessary to trouble about obtaining special artificial manures. 

 Where, however, the soil is poor in potash, it will be improved by lime, 

 basic slag, and kainit — the latter a cheap and economical manure 

 containing sulphate of potash, common salt, sulphate of magnesia 

 (Epsom Salts) and chloride of magnesia. Besides these, sulphate of 

 potash, muriate of potash, and phosphate of potash all yield potash, 

 as do also the ashes of all vegetables and plants generally. Most fruit 

 and vegetable crops, and particularly those belonging to the Cruciferous 

 group, are improved by the addition or presence of potash manures in 

 the soil. 



Other manures. — Besides the above manures, which are all more 

 or less artificially manufactured and brought into a more or less soluble 

 condition so as to be available as plant-food, it is now necessary to 

 refer to others which may be termed natural manures. Of these the best 

 known is certainly : — 



Farmyard manure. — This consists of the refuse of litter, sohd and 

 liquid excreta of all animals, &c. from stables. To be fit for use in the 

 garden it should be turned over constantly and well watered, to pre- 

 vent the escape of the volatile ammonia. The water however should 

 not be allowed to drain away and be lost for ever, but means should be 

 taken to secure it and use it as a liquid manure. 



Good farmyard manure contains about 10-12 lbs. of nitrogen, 

 10-16 lbs. oi potash, and 4-9 lbs. oi phosphate, that is only 24-36 lbs. 

 or less than ^ cwt. altogether of essential plant foods out of a ton of 

 material. The remaining 19^ cwts. of straw or litter however are not 

 absolutely valueless. The material has been alive at one time, and 

 has been produced by the soil and air. When returned to the soil 

 therefore it acts as a kind of tonic to the mineral particles in the soil, 

 it retains moisture in hot weather, and keeps out cold in winter, and 

 has other useful properties that make it on the whole an excellent and 

 popular manure. Some gardeners have an inclination to do without 

 farmyard manure altogether, and rely a good deal upon the chemical or 

 artificial productions referred to above. It is a mistake, however, as 

 mentioned before, to be always dressing soil with the same kinds of 

 manures, and a medium course is best adopted. While farmyard 

 manure may not give such good or clean results as chemical manures 

 for some crops, such as Potatoes for example, that are subject to fungoid 



