HOW TO MANURE THE GARDEN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 598, 28 August 1909, Page 8

HOW TO MANURE THE GARDEN.

CLEAN FERTILISERS. SOME HINTS FOR TOWN AMATEURS. [The following article is reproduced from The Dominion'of July 9, 1908, at, the special request of a number of our gaitlen- . iug readers.] This is a month for rousing oneself from the inactivity of'winter and planning out things for the garden, it is a month for putting on that old fetish, stable manure, where that commodity is used, in order that it'way have plenty of rain to wash 'the nutriment down into the soil. Manure for the Roots. Amateur gardeners seem 80 often to forget that manure on the surface is absolutely useless to any plant. Plants do not feed by their leaves or stem, but only by their roots. Manure applied to the surface therefore, is wasted unless its constituents can soak into the soil so as to reach the roots beneath. Stable manure contains elements which, are soluble and can soak into the soil, but an and prolonged - supply of rain or other moisture is necessary to-enable them to do so.. This is why surface applications of stable dung applied in winter are followed by splendid crops, "but similar applications in spring or summer are worthless. If the ground has yet to be ddg, however, it :is even better to dig the manure into the soil, for. the straw, as well as the soluble matter, is valuable, ' especially for lightening our Wellington clays and for giving the soil some humus. It j should be dug in six; to twelve inches—and well mixed with the soil. So much for stable manure. •

Artificial Fertilisers. , But there are better manures, and cleaner, ones. It has always seemed to the writer rather repulsive to have a cartload of steamingstable manure deposits at one's front gate, and even more repulsive. to be eating uncooked celery obtained from a trench filled with it, or uncooked lettuce grown amid a stable manure mulching. It is an old dirty habit that has been encouraged through sheer ignorance. Thero are even better- fertilisers than, stable, manure, and cleaner ones. The lady gardeners of Wellington will probably appreciate some information about these clean materials. . ... What the Fertilisers Contain. ■ i' First'of all, let us have a clear understand-, ing about what it is in stable/manure that makes things grow. .Chiefly it'.isr-nitrogen? phosphorus, potash, and humus., v There are other-matters of less importance, .such as lime, sulphur, magnesia, iron, ■ etc.,. but these are not w;orth paying for, and in any case; they can all bo, got'from other. sources.'. - . i What is Humus? ! ■Let us first disposo of the humus item Humus, is > simply organic matter—decayed vegetable or animal matter. In stable ninnuro it is the ; straw, which rots in the soil and becomes linmiis. Hnmue is'not a plant food: tho roots do not eat it. But it has a very valuable influence on the texture and "life" of the soil. It makes the soil mellow; it helps tlto soil, to retain more moisture when the dry weather comes along; it makes the soil-more aerated; it encourages the growth "of the soil bacteria which make the plant food digestible for the plant roots. These are exceedingly important matter?. Wellington soils are more in need of humus than of anything else. But humus can bo got without stable manure. Weeds form the best sort of humus that, can be got.- Therefore regard your weeds as so much valuable fertiliser to be encouraged, preserved, and finally! dug into the ■ soil.: Above all things,' don't away or burn thorn.' : Besides .king.; ; humus,. they contain phos: phorusj potash,-and other materials which the ' roots of the future plants will gladly feed, oil. .Grass," that "can often bo pullef .up. along thd fences, should be dug deep into the .soil, roots and all. .It will make the subsoil open, and give splendid results later on. It is almost as effective as stable ;dung; and it is<-clean.

Artificial Fertilisers. , But there are added clement wanted to make the-.soil richer. ■■ What can be used. ;for; this purposo? We want chiefly nitrogqh'and plios-. phorus. Potash can often -bo overlooked as being already abundant in,- Wellington: soils-i and indeed in : nearly all' the. soils of New Zealand. Putall your'money, therefore, on nitrogen; and phosphorus.; >What are the best forms of getting .these? ' Our choice is nitrate ,offeoda (to; provide- the nitrogen)' and superphosphate,' (to. provido,the phosphorus). v.> The Nitrates. • • •

.. Nitrato of soda is soluble, and can be dissolved in water. and applied with a wateringcan. It is very powerful and must be applied weak.' A teospoonfuhis sufficient for a kerosens tin full „of water. Its' efFefet■: may ,be looked for a few days after application in a darkening of the green of the leaves arid general robustness of growth. : It'should be. applied at a! suitable season to promote rapid growth, because it acts at once. It is too soon now; wait till growth, is busy in the .spring. ..'; - . Saltpetre (which is nitrate of.'potash) is even 'more: valuable. ■ It; is applied, in .the jsame fay, and. furnishes potash as well as nitrogen'; ~11p.3t grocers.' sell "saltpetre, and it-%,' therefore, gested: as a handy fertiliser; , But both these materials must be applied weak; if applied too strong they burn the roots and kill the plants. The Phosphates. ' ; Superphosphate is,the quickest form of pliosphatic manure, and it is the only soluble form —tho.only form that will wash into the soil if 60wn on the surface. It may be applied ii's a liquid manure, or be sprinkled very thinly indeed between the plants, or be sown broadcast over the surfaco if plants are not already in. It can be applied Aow, because it will .remain iu the soil till the plants require it,' and it will improve, losing its caustic: properties.- It . encourages fruitfulness, and is therefore impor- . tant for flowers, fruit, and such' vegetables as arc grown-for their fruit or flowers, such as .'cauliflowers. It needs to be. applied early, as it takes . longer' to , have its elfect .than the nitrates; ' . >

Fine bonedust is a'very valuable form of phosphate when dug into the soil. 1 It-is insoluble, and therefore remains exactly-jvhere you put it. If it is applied on :the .surface, the roots won't get it. But if it,is dug in the roots will travel to it and be considerably benefited. Bonednst. apparently also encourages : the :soil life, and promotes warmth at the roots.- i

Special Manures. , , . r This, in a nutshell, is the whole story of manuring. There are certain special garden manures-on the market, which are. very good. But you do not know, their exact composition, and, after all, they are only , made up of-ni-trates, phosphates, and potassic manures, such as we have already , discussed. . . ..'