156 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Rape-dust. — The oil-cakes are the residues 

 obtained in the process of crushing various seeds 

 for the extraction of oil. They are generally 

 rich in nitrogen, and their value chiefly depends 

 on the amount of this element present, but 

 considerable quantities of phosphoric acid and 

 potash exist in them also, and increase their 

 value as manure. The cake most commonly 

 used in its original condition is rape-cake, which 

 is comparatively low-priced, and is not much 

 relished by stock owing to its bitter taste. 

 When crushed into powder and applied to the 

 soil so as to give 1.00 lbs. of ammonia per acre, 

 its effect is often greater than that of farmyard 

 manure estimated to contain double that amount. 

 It varies in composition, yielding from 5 to 7h 

 per cent of ammonia, and 3| to 5J per cent of 

 phosphates. 



It is especially useful in the garden to hasten 

 the growth of young plants, and as a manure 

 for Onions, Potatoes and root-crops. On many 

 soils its mechanical action is also a recommen- 

 dation. 



Malt-dust. — This consists principally of the 

 radicle and young shoots of barley which has 

 germinated, and which are separated from the 

 malt during the process of malting. It is fre- 

 quently used as a top-dressing, but it is more 

 advantageous to dig it in, being applied at the 

 rate of from 30 to 40 bushels per acre. It is 

 rapid in its action, and its good effects become 

 quickly perceptible; but it does not form a 

 manure of much permanence. It is a valuable 

 top-dressing for fruit-trees and flowering shrubs 

 in pot culture. 



Sea-weeds. — Along the coasts, and particularly 

 the western one, sea-weed is largely used as a 

 manure. For this purpose, during the winter 

 months the weed is drawn from the shore and 

 formed into heaps, lime and earth being laid 

 between every layer of 6 or 8 inches in depth. 

 After remaining in this state for two or three 

 months it is turned occasionally, and when well 

 decayed, is applied to the land before a root-crop, 

 generally Potatoes. Usually sea-weed will contain 

 about 80 per cent of water, 0'2 to - 4 per cent ! 

 of nitrogen, from 0°4 to 0*5 per cent of potash, 

 and about 0'3 per cent of phosphoric acid. Sea- 

 weeds are frequently burned, and the ashes 

 employed as a manure. Nevertheless, as the 

 organic matter is destroyed by burning, and con- 

 sequently much of the fertilizing constituents 

 lost, this practice is not to be recommended. 



Green Manures. — Plants are sometimes grown 

 by the farmer specially for the purpose of being 

 ploughed into the land, when they are in a 



green and succulent state, as manure. This 

 practice is seldom, however, adopted in gardens, 

 or indeed wherever the soil is in a high state of 

 cultivation. There is, however, a class of green 

 manures which are most extensively employed 

 in gardens. These consist of Potato haulm, the 

 dressings of Cabbages, Turnips, and all super- 

 fluous or decaying vegetables, such as are not 

 required for carrying on the growth of the 

 plants, and which are occasionally dug in when 

 in a fresh state; in general, however, it is much 

 better to make them up into a compost, and 

 decompose them previous to applying them to 

 the soil. 



The following table will show what amount 

 of fertilizing ingredients is added to the soil if 

 one ton of each of these unmarketable products 

 is dug in as green manure. On the other hand, 

 the figures show what the soil would lose if 

 these products, which have derived their ele- 

 ments mainly from the soil, were entirely 

 removed from the garden. 



Selected Constituents in 1 Ton of Various Unmarketable 

 Products — termed " Garden Refuse". 





Potato 

 Haulm 



Pea 

 Haulm 



Bean 



Stems. 



Carrot & 

 Turnip 

 Leaves. 



Cabbage 

 Stems & 

 Leaves. 





lbs. 



lbs. 



lbs. 



lbs. 



lbs. 



Organic matter, . . . 



511 



1882 



1925 



403 



246 



Mineral matter (ash) 



14 



97 



90 



54 



35 



Nitrogen, ... 



14 



23 



16 



11 



5 



Constituents in the 













ash — 













Potash, 



10 



22 



29 



6 



13 



Soda, 



1 



4 



7 



11 



3 



Lime, 



14 



36 



25 



18 



6 



Magnesia, 



7 



8 



6 



2 



1 



Phosphoric acid, 



4 



8 



9 



2 



3 



The data thus given shows how very import- 

 ant it is that all garden refuse, that is unsaleable 

 or cannot be used, should be returned to the 

 soil. 



Gardeners and fruit-growers fully recognize 

 the value of farmyard manure. In a ton of 

 ordinary manure there is found 1275 pounds of 

 organic matter, 225 pounds of mineral matter 

 (ash), and 10 pounds of nitrogen. The ash will 

 give 12 pounds of potash, 39 pounds of lime, 

 and 6 pounds of phosphoric acid. Except for 

 its mechanical and indirect benefit to the soil, 

 all the manurial value of this 1275 pounds of 

 organic matter is due to the nitrogen which the 

 dung contains. Garden refuse in many cases 

 contains more nitrogen than medium -quality 

 dung, but at the same time it has to be remem- 

 bered that the nitrogen in the animal excretions 

 which is incorporated with the dung is in a 





