82 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



once,Avliich it will, if good and fresh burned, turn it over 

 and let it lie a day and add a little more of the brine, 

 daily turning and adding until all is taken up. 



This salt and lime mixture is exceedingly valuable. It 

 destroys the odor of putrefying animal matters, while it 

 retains the ammonia. Of itself it supplies plants with 

 chlorine, lime and soda, all of which are requisite. Any 

 vegetable refuse whatever, leaf mould, turf, straw, chips, 

 and even tanbark, if kept moist and sprinkled throughout 

 with this mixture, become thoroughly decomposed in ,a 

 very short time, and if used for the bottom of pig-pens, 

 stables and yards where they can absorb the urine, they 

 become the very best of manures. 



Another indirect agency of manures, is in protecting 

 plants from sudden changes of temperature. There is no 

 doubt, that rich soils and those abounding in animal and 

 v^egetable remains are less liable to change their tempera- 

 ture with the incumbent atmosphere, than those of poorer 

 constituents, for the decomposition of manures gives warmth 

 to the soil. Corn can be grown in high latitudes upon 

 rich land only, upon a poor soil it would perish. Some 

 manures as salt, it is asserted, protect plants from suffering 

 by sudden reduction of temperature by entering into- their 

 systems — stimulating and rendering them more vigorous 

 impregnating their sap and rendering it less likely to be 

 congealed. This is doubtful. 



The last indirect effect of manures upon plants is by 

 improving the texture of the soils in which they grow. 

 Decomposing in the ground they leave interstices as they 

 be'come less in bulk, making it more light and porous. 

 The effect of manure in rendering a stiff soil light and 

 porous is very well known. It is equally true that vege- 

 table manures give to sandy soils greater tenacity, enabling 

 them better to retain moisture and ammonia. 



