MANURES. 



39 



Green Manures. — There are various crops raised to turn 

 into the ground in a fresh state for fertilizing it. For 

 this purpose all the weeds of the garden should be em 

 ployed while green unless they are thrown to the pig. 

 Over any vacant spots in the garden not wished to be used 

 in autumn, rye or barley can be sown which will keep the 

 soil from washing, and when large enough may be either 

 cut for the cow or turned into the soil as the plots are 

 wanted for use. 



Spinach should be sown in considerable quantities as it 

 grows all winter and spaded into the soil in the spring 

 adds a good deal to its fertility — the seed in any quantity 

 can be saved with little trouble. The most important 

 class of manures is that derived from animals. All animal 

 manures when compared with the preceding class are rich 

 in nitrogen, easily decomposed and rendered soluble, but 

 though the effect of this class of substances is much more 

 obvious it is not so lasting. 



The greatest attention should be paid to collecting, 

 preserving, and economizing animal manure. Its great 

 value consists in certain volatile and soluble substances 

 which in the common mode of preserving manure are dis- 

 sipated in the air or washed away by heavy rains. In 

 this climate to shelter it from the sun and rain is very 

 necessary. All animal matter is either directly or indirect- 

 ly derived from vegetable substances, hence, every portion 

 of the same that can be rendered soluble is a valuable food 

 for plants. Among the most important animal substances 

 employed as manures are urine and dung of all kinds. 

 The first of these is almost invariably wasted, though in 

 the case of the cow, it is of more value than the solid ex- 

 crements. It should be carefully saved by bedding the 

 yard and stables with swamp muck or some other absorb- 

 ent. Uriuft is particularly rich in ammonia. This may 



