s clayey or loamy land. On sandy land the manure will
decompose more rapidly and act quicker.

"There are many facts," said the Doctor, "that show that an artificial
application of water is equivalent to an application of manure. It has
been shown that market-gardeners find it necessary to apply a much
larger amount of plant-food to the soil than the crops can take up. This
they have to do year after year. And it may well be that, when a supply
of water can be had at slight cost, it will be cheaper to irrigate the
land, or water the plants, rather than to furnish such an excess of
manure, as is now found necessary. Even with ordinary farm-crops, we
know that they feel the effects of drouth far less on rich land than on
poor land. In other words, a liberal supply of plant-food enables the
crops to flourish with less water; and, on the other hand, a greater
supply of water will enable the crops to flourish with a less supply of
plant-food. The market-gardeners should look into this question of
irrigation."

MANURES FOR SEED-GROWING FARMS.

In growing garden and vegetable seeds, much labor is necessarily
employed per acre, and consequently it is of great importance to produce
a good yield. The best and cleanest land is necessary to start with, and
then manures must be appropriately and freely used.

"But not too freely," said the Doctor, "for I am told it is quite
possible to have land too rich for seed-growing."

It is not often that the land is too rich. Still, it may well be that
for some crops too much stable-manure is used. But in nine cases out of
ten, when such manure gives too much growth and too little or too poor
seed, the trouble is in the quality of the manure. It contains too much
carbonaceous matter. In other words, it is so poor in nitrogen and
phosphoric acid, that an excessive quantity has to be used.

The remedy consists in making richer manures and using a less quantity,
or use half the quantity of stable-manure, and apply the rectified or
prepared Peruvian guano, at the rate of 300 lbs. or 400 lbs. per acre,
or say 200 lbs. superphosphate and 200 lbs. nitrate of soda per acre.

Where it is very important to have the seeds ripen early, a liberal
dressing, say 400 lbs. per acre, of superphosphate of lime, will be
likely to prove beneficial.

MANURE FOR PRIVATE GARDENS.

I once had a small garden in the city, and having no manure, I depended
entirely on thorough cultivation and artificial fer