To make a compost pile, gather all waste material, such as grass clippings, leaves, and plant refuse, and place in layers 6 to 8 inches deep. The pile can be as long as desired but should not be more than 5 feet wide and 5 feet high. Add a little soil and a handful of fertilizer to each layer as you build it up. Keep the pile moist. It will be ready in 6 months to a year.
Animal manures are excellent.
They should be well rotted, applied in the fall and plowed under. Weed seeds are the chief objection to using animal manures. Peatmoss, compost or animal manure should be applied to the soil surface to a depth of about 2 inches, then worked in thoroughly. Green manures are legumes or small grain crops that are plowed under while still in the green stage. Winter green manure crops include rye, wheat, barley and winter vetch.