MANURES. 



17 



suits best for light soils. The quantity used for vegeta- 

 bles should not be less than would coyer the whole sur- 

 face of the ground at least three inches deep, and it 

 should be mixed with the soil as thoroughly as possible 

 by plowing or spading. In the absence of stable manure, 

 recourse must be had to concentrated fertilizers, the best 

 of which are Peruvian guano and bone dust. Here a word 

 of caution is necessary as to the quantity to be used ; as 

 their fertilizing qualities are concentrated, instead of 

 being diffused as in stable manure ; if either guano or 

 bone dust, or fertilizers of similar character, come di- 

 rectly in contact in large quantities, with the roots of 

 plants, it injures them beyond remedy, hence in the use 

 of these the necessity for caution. In our large field 

 practice in vegetable growing, we use about 2,000 lbs. 

 per acre of guano, sowing it on the surface of the ground 

 after plowing, and then harrowing it in so as to mix it 

 with the soil to the depth of five or six inches. Xow, as 

 there are 4,840 square yards in an acre, it will be seen that 

 something more than half a pound of guano or bone dust 

 is required for every square yard of surface to be fertilized. 

 This quantity will just nicely cover the surface, about as 

 thick as the sand on a sanded floor ; after spreading on 

 the dug surface, it should be mixed with the soil with a 

 spading fork or long-toothed rake to the depth of five or 

 six inches, bearing in mind that the more thoroughly it 

 is mixed with the soil the better will be the result. If 

 used in "hills" for corn, tomatoes, melons, etc., the 

 same proportionate quantity is to be applied, and the 

 mixing must be equally thorough. 



