63 



Manure composed of horse-dung' is peculiarly benefi- 

 cial to moist, cold, sterile, clayey soils, the faults of which 

 it corrects, while, at the same time, the soil checks the 

 too violent action of the manure. If placed in the 

 ground before decomposition is completely effected, it 

 produces a very rapid effect, greatly accelerating the 

 growth of plants, through the heat which is developed. 

 The only soils in which manure composed chiefly of 

 horse-dung is at all durable, are those of a moist and 

 tenacious nature. When the dung is to be used by 

 itself, it must be carried to soils of this nature, as soon 

 as its first stage of fermentation has commenced, and 

 there buried. 



It ameliorates the land by its mechanical action, ren- 

 dering the soil more loose and light by its continual fer- 

 mentation and the heat which it engenders. 



Upon the whole, it would seem that the best fertilizer 

 that can be obtained for the park is fresh stable manure, 

 (excepting that used for planting trees, which should be 

 well rotted, as too great fermentation or heat would 

 injure the roots,) which should be spread while the pro- 

 cess of trenching is going on, and thoroughly incorpo- 

 rated with the soil. It is very essential to divide and 

 scatter the dung well ; there must, therefore, be no lack 

 of laborers for this purpose, and an intelligent man 

 should be employed to follow the spreaders, and to sepa- 

 rate any lumps of manure which they may have neg- 

 lected. While a too abundant use of manure is some- 

 times as detrimental as beneficial, yet on heavy clay 

 land, like that of the Prospect Park, a larger portion of 

 manure must be used at a time, because it can bear it 



