20 



germinating seeds owing to the ammonia it gives off, it should be mixed 

 with the bare soil two or three weeks before the seed is sown. As a top 

 dressing also it should be avoided. In one respect it is superior to 

 sulphate of ammonia, which tends to render a soil acid if continually 

 used, the lime in nitrolim preventing this. The lime in it also has a good 

 effect on clayey soils, and thus has an advantage over nitrate of soda 

 in this respect. It is sold as a fine dry black powder, containing from 

 17 to 20 per cent, nitrogen. As it absorbs water slowly, it can be stored 

 easily if kept in a dry place. The price is about £20 to £24 a ton. 

 Nitrate of hme is made by a process involving the combination of 

 oxygen with nitrogen. It can be compared with nitrate of soda, and 

 is of about the same value, having, moreover, the same advantages as 

 nitrolim in containing hme which were mentioned above. Unlike the 

 latter, it absorbs water readily, and is quick in its action, but is often 

 difficult to spread, as when stored it soon cakes into lumps. It is said 

 that this difficulty is overcome by mixing it with ashes. Superphos- 

 phate can also be used to mix it with, but in this case the mixture must 

 be applied at once, owing to their bad effect on one another. Nitrate 

 of hme is sold as a pale brown powder, containing on the average 

 about 13 per cent, nitrogen. The price is about £25 a ton.* 



Sooi is another substance valuable as a nitrogenous manure, and 

 has several good points. Being of a dark colour, it absorbs the sun's 

 rays, and so raises the temperature of the soil. It also helps to lighten 

 heavy soils, and so is much valued in clayey districts, besides keeping 

 off slugs and snails, which dislike it very much. Soot is usually sold 

 by the bushel of 28 lb. When applying, the soil should be dusted 

 with it until quite black. 



Shoddy and greaves consist of waste fragments of wool, silk, hair, 

 skins, &c., from factories, and are valuable for the nitrogen they con- 

 tain. Most animal products, such as hair, skin, fur, blood, &c., from 

 slaughter-houses contain nitrogen and can be used as manure. All 

 these, shoddy, animal products, &c., are insoluble in ordinary water, 

 and very slow in their action, and so should be used for perennial 

 occupants of the soil, such as vines, peaches, and other fruits, forming 

 a source of slowly available nitrogen. They should be spread or dug 

 in in early winter. The price of such manures varies according to 

 their nitrogen content ; 10 cwt. to 2 tons an acre, or 4 oz. to i lb. 

 a square yard, should be apphed, according to circumstances. Sea- 

 weed and waste fish, mussels, &c., are often used as manure near the 

 coast, and are about as valuable as farmyard manure. 



Phosphatic Afanw^es.— Phosphates have a very different effect 

 from nitrates on the plant. Whereas nitrogen promotes vegetative 

 growth and retards fruiting, phosphates act as a stimulant for the 

 production and early ripening of fruit and seed. The natural 

 phosphates in the soil are insoluble in ordinary, water, slow-acting, 

 and difficult of access to the plant, so where quick returns are required 

 some form of soluble phosphates should be used. Nearly all the 

 * This price is far above its actual value. F. J. C. 



