60 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
helps it to oonserve moisture, and owing to its cool pro- 
perties, keeps the soil cooler. It will thus be seen that 
horse manure is preferable to cow or pig dung for a heavy 
soil, and the latter to the former for a light one. One 
would make one soil too light and the other render an- 
other too cold and heavy — the things one should avoid. 
Another point too. Animal manures supply humus to 
soils. Humus is vegetable matter — in which the nutrify- 
ing bacteria flourish which are so essential to keeping a 
soil fertile. Artificial manures are plant foods solely. 
Fig. 23. BEAUTIFYING BALUSTRADES. 
Balustrades on terraces or by the sides of steps may be converted into 
objects of floral beauty by wreathing them with the growth and blossoms of 
climbing Roses, etc. 
They do not improve the /texture of a soil, but only yield 
present food for the crops, the rest disappearing in the 
drainage. It is not possible, therefore, to go on for years 
using artificial manures only ; we must use some animal 
manures to provide the soil 'with humus to keep the tex- 
ture of the soil in good condition. 
We may make up for the deficiencies of food in animal 
manures by using artificials. Thus we may use basic 
slag, bone-meal, and superphosphates to supply phos- 
. 
