Scllo01 F1orne·Gorl)eD CI"""I"r 4. 8~pte1Dl.w.r. 1\)15, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF EDUCATION, WASHINGTON ORGANIC MATIEI\ FOR THE UDAlE GARDENS. This pamphlet is intended to help teachers who are conducting home-garden work Oil methods of providing orgnnic matter for the garden soil. It is hoped that each garden pupil will be encouraged to provide organic matter needed to enrich his garden soil. . SOUIlOES 01" OROANIC MA'lTER. Organic mutter can be supplied in three ways-c-first, by an appli- cation of stable JMIlUl'Gj second, by growing and turning under green manuring crops, such as clover, rye, rape, end turnips; and, third, by using autumn leaves 01' other organic matter between the rows of winter vegetables and around the garden fruit-s, shrubs, and flowers 01' by malting II compost of autumn leaves nnd garden refuse for later application, Stable Immure is usually considered the best way to increase the supply of organic matter iu the soil. When stable manure is not available some other mnterial must be employed. The value of stable manure varies with the amount of straw or other absorbent it contains; with the k-ind and amount of food fed the nnimnls ; with the age and kind of animals; and with the method used in storing manure. The manure of horses: cows) pigs, and sheep has about the same vulue pel' ton, so far as organic matter and plant food are concerned, Hen manure is low in organic matter, but very high in plant food. For this reason it should be applied sparingly. Since fresh application of manure end also of lime increase the tendency to scabby potatoes, it is desirable to have this crop follow u green manuring crop, Crimson clover is an annual legume which grows well during the winter mouths in the Southern States. It is superior to rye, in that it is able to secure nitrogen from the nil' in the soil by means of bnc- teriu which live ill the nodules in its roots. When n crop of crimson clover is tau-ned under, the soil receives an additional supply of nitrogen, which is the form of plant food necessary to make the vege- tables grow rapidly and to develop large and dark green leaves. For the best results, crimson clover or rye should be turned under in early spr-ing while it is green enough to decay rapidly and before it bns used the soil moisture needed for the vegetables. If the plow- .24100·~J6 2 QRG.A..N10 MATTER FOR THE HOME GARDENS. ing or spading is followed immediately by deep harrowing or rak- ing, the crop will be mixed thoroughly in the soil and will decay more rapidly. A portion of the crop of rape and turnips can be used as winter vegetables and the remainder turned under in the spring. A leuf covering will hasten the growth of the winter vegetables by keeping the soil moist and warm and by protecting the vegetables from drying winds. When the soil is broken in the spring, finely ground limestone should be applied at the rate of 1 bushel to 500 square feet of ground. This will neutralize the acid produced by the decay of the leaves. A. compost of leaves should be mode in 11 flat pile 6 by 8 foot and as high as possible. It should be placed in a wen-drained section of the gardens. If the compost can be turned over and thoroughly mixed ench month the process of decay will be more rapid. A compost ronde in October should be randy for application in March. The following method for making II compost is enggested: 6 tncuea of reeves. i tncn of tInel)' ground uruescono. 6 tncnee of leaves. 6 Inches of stante manure, or lLSmuch as mu~'be available. 8 meuos of soli (desirable but not ne<:efol