The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-03-24

MANunEs FOR THE GARDEN.-Thorough
culture and a liberal supply of manure ere
two OF the main things requisite for the pro-
duction of abundant crops Of good vege-
tables and, to use an expression which we
believe has been attributed to well Eno I
agriculturist living on the shores OF senaca
Lake, q Manure hides q multitude OF SINS
and errors" The selecting and procuring
Of manure, therefore, deserves more than
passing thought. 20
The first object is to get an efficient ma
nure the second is to procure manure
whichlw not give US any after-trouo!e.
The ordinary manures manufactured on the
farm and at home in the garden are power
full but the great difficulty lies in the fact
that most of them are full of the seeds of
weeds. and the eradication of these pests
sometimes costs more than the profits arising
from the good effects of the manure. a
Eeedy bed OF strawberries or onions is a
source of positive loss, and although we
keep up the most thorough culture, yet, II
we SOW broadcast over our gardens the
seeds of noxious weeds a great deal Of
labor will be required to keep them down.
Manures will often contain the seeds OF
weeds even when they consist Of the pure
excrements of animals. The ripe seeds of
many weeds are not at all injured by a
passage through the intestines of the COW,
the horse, or the pig. We have seen wheat,
corn, and oats, grow freely from heap Of
the excrements Of these animals. The di-
gestiye organs of the sheep seem to be more
powerful. The terminating power of some
weeds seems to be even improved by the
action of the intestinal fluids, just as the
seeds Of the locust germinate more freely
after having been immersed in boiling
water. In selecting manure, therefore, it
is well to inquire into the character Of the
materials which have gone to make 1t.
Manure made by cattle fed on green food
(soiled) may always be relied upon. SO
might the manure from cattle fed on roots
and ground feed. Mich COWS are often fed
on corn fodder; and the manure in such
cases is remarkably free from the seeds Of
weeds, provided the latter do not find their
way in through the bedding. A few days
ago we bought some loads of straw for bed
ding for our cattle, and We find large guam
titles of the seeds of weeds in the refuse,
which lies where it was shaken in the act
of putting it into the barn. Indeed, it will
be found that more weeds get introduced by
the bedding than by the food. An article
of bedding which is almost free from the
seeds of weeds is the leaves Of trees; and
for load of manure made by cattle fed on
corn fodder and little grain, and bedded
with leaves, we would give double or treble
the ordinary price, provided we wished it
for such crop as strawberries, carrots, &c.
The corn stalks Themselves, when tho
roughly rotten, add considerably to the
heap, and they decompose readily if kept
covered with moist matter. In most cases
it will pay to keep the different lots Of ma
nure separate, rs the weeds can be most
effectually combatted by attacking them
under the most advantageous circum-
stances. Thus, if we have any very weedy
manure, it will be good plan to use as
much of it as possible in hot-beds, sc. If
applied to asparagus, it will not trouble us
much, IS we can apply an amount of salt
sufficient to destroy all weeds.
On email place, where no animals are
kept, guano will probably be found the
most convenient and best article. Its price
is high, but if properly applied, little Of
it goes a long way. The way in which we
prefer to apply it is to mix it with the slops
from the house, allow the mixture to stand
some time, and then dilute with water. If
the bottom of drill be well moistened with
this liquid just before the seeds are placed
in it, the best effects will result, whereas
when the guano is used dry it often hap
pens that the young plants are injured.
1t is wonderful what may be accom-
plished in the way Of manuring by merely
saving the slops, etc., of On ordinary fam
lily. If all the soapy water, chamber slops,
ashes, etc., are carefully saved it will be
quite possible to fertilize garden of quite
respectable dimensions; and if to these
matters be added the manure from few
hens and the cleanings of the privy, gar
den sufficiently large to supply the wants
of the family may easily be kept in state