22 THE AMATEURS KITCHEN GARDEN. 
supply is sustained at little cost, and the fertility of the land 
is kept at a high pitch. 
In the management of the soil scientific knowledge is of 
some value. For example, chemistry tells us that the po- 
tato contains a considerable proportion of potash, salts, and 
phosphates. Geology tells us that sandy soils, which consist 
largely of silica, are often deficient of those minerals, while 
granitic soils are usually rich in potash, and limestone soils 
are rich in phosphates. What shall we do, then, to prepare 
our sand for the production of potatoes? Good stable manure 
will help it immensely, and, wanting that, phospho-guano may 
answer admirably, and, wanting that, muriate of potash and 
superphosphate may suffice. The most useful of w r hat are 
called “'artificial manures ” are phospho-guano, superphosphate 
of lime, bone-dust, kainit (a cheap, rough kind of potash) ; 
muriate of potash, a better and apparently more expensive 
manure, that in many instances would prove cheaper than 
kainit ; nitrate of soda, and common salt. 
It is worthy of remark that deep fertile soils in first-rate 
condition are not in the least degree benefited by “artificials,” 
whereas on thin poor soils that have been badly managed 
they frequently — indeed commonly — produce results that may 
be described as more than satisfactory and that actually 
approach the wonderful. Everything depends on what is 
done and how it is done, but this may be averred with safety, 
that it will always pay well to manure the land liberally and 
keep it in the highest possible condition of productiveness. 
To be afraid to bury money in the soil is to forfeit your 
right to take money out. The deep strong clays and loams 
need the help of good stable manure, but artificials will be 
of little service to them, except to thin the crop and so 
ensure more room for the plants that survive. It is a fact to 
be borne in mind that artificial manures, even if of so mild a 
nature as ivory dust and superphosphate, kill a considerable 
proportion of seed ; so that it is advisable to put these 
fertilizers out of the immediate reach of the young plants, 
for it is better to thin them ourselves than have them 
thinned by a process of poisoning. The mode of application 
we find answer best is to have the artificials powdered on the 
soil in the trench as the digging proceeds, as they are then 
covered with soil, and the plants do not reach them until they 
are strong enough to derive benefit from high living. 
