Manures and Manuring 15 
termed “ manure sick This state may be remedied by 
the application of 14 lb. of quicklime per pole. 
When manures are decomposing, acids are formed, and 
the lime, being alkaline in nature, neutralizes the acidity, 
and allows the bacteria to do their work of changing the 
manure into liquid plant food. After being cured of 
, manure sickness, no further manuring may be necessary 
for one or two seasons. 
A few words about the care of manure, previous to 
its being applied to the garden, may be useful. In most 
cases no care whatever is taken of it. The main object 
seems to be to get stables, cow sheds, &c., cleaned out, 
the refuse taken to some convenient place, and there 
deposited, to remain until it is required for the garden 
or field. This involves a very great waste. If farmers 
and gardeners understood the science underlying the 
practice of manuring they would retain a valuable amount 
of plant food in their manures. Almost as soon as the 
manure is put into a heap, changes begin to take place 
in it, owing to the activity of bacteria. The substance of 
the manure is gradually changed into soluble or liquid 
plant foods. Now, if the manure heap is exposed to the 
action of the elements, this food will be immediately 
washed out of it, and a considerable loss thereby sustained. 
Where it is not possible to have these manure heaps 
covered, we might prevent part of the loss, at any rate, 
by stacking the manure properly and treading it down, 
so that the air may not have free access to all parts of it. 
This prevents the bacteria from multiplying or working 
too rapidly, hence less change will take place, and a less 
amount of valuable plant food will be wasted. 
