This section is from the book "Vegetable Gardening", by Ralph L. Watts. Also available from Amazon: Vegetable Gardening.
The proper time of application depends upon the age, the texture and the kind of manure, the crops to be grown, and the systems and the rotations to be followed. In the growing of truck crops in rotation with general field crops, perhaps, the manure should be applied at any convenient time previous to planting, and preferably upon grass land. If the manure is fine and the supply limited, it may be an advantage to use it as a top dressing after plowing, thoroughly incorporating it with the soil by harrowing. This is unquestionably the best method for hen, sheep and hog manures. In intensive gardening a crop may be removed, the manure applied, and the land plowed, harrowed and planted the same day. If 50 tons of manure to the acre are available annually and several crops are to be grown during the season, it is considered preferable to apportion the manure for each crop as may seem desirable rather than to use the entire amount at any one time.
 
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