COMPOST. 



45 



eq[ual to one-third sliould be diluted by pouring it into 

 three times its bulk of water, and then should be poured 

 upon the bones. After standing a day or two, pour on 

 another portion of diluted acid, and if not already dissolved, 

 in a day or two after the remainder should be added. The 

 mass must be often stirred. The bones will dissolve into 

 a kind of paste, which may be mixed with thirty times its 

 bulk of water, and used as a liquid manure, but it is more 

 convenient in practice to mix it with ashes, sawdust, or fine 

 charcoal. Three bushels of these dissolved bones are suf- 

 ficient for an acre. The acid has converted the bones into 

 a superphosphate of lime, which is very soluble, and is 

 readily taken up by the plant. This is the most valuable 

 of all manures for the turnip, and the quantity needed for 

 the acre is so little that the expense is less than almost 

 any other application. 



Composts. — The composting of manure should take 

 place, as a general thing, as fast as it is made. Still, 

 in the garden, out of sight, there should be a compost heap 

 for receiving all kinds of rubbish that can have the least 

 value as fertilizers. Make a shallow excavation of a 

 square or oblong form, with the bottom sloping to one end. 

 Into this collect the litter and sweepings of the yards, de- 

 cayed vegetables of all kinds, brine, soapsuds, and slops 

 from the house, woollen rags, leaves, green weeds, and 

 garden refuse. After it has -accumulated a little, turn it 

 over, adding a little of the salt and lime mixture, and keep 

 the whole inodorous, by covering it with rich mould or 

 black earth from the woods. If the heap is fonned en- 

 tirely of vegetable materials, ashes and lime should be 

 added ; but if it contain animal matter, they would do 

 harm by letting free the ammonia. The heap should not 

 be deep, but, like all other manure heaps, should be kept 



