The Question Box. 275 



for these, as the cow pea, which is a bean, not a pea, is very 

 tender, and the first autumn frost breath cuts it down. As a 

 rule, on most soils, for most crops, phosphoric acid is most needed. 

 There is potash enough, as well as nitrogen, for most crops, so I 

 would buy South-Carolina dissolved rock to get that element of 

 plant food. I would not draw common plaster from our depot if 

 it were given to me. The dissolved rock may be bought for just 

 about the value of the phosphoric acid in it. There will be about 

 250 pounds of the acid and 1,200 pounds of plaster in a ton of it. 

 Don't buy land plaster. It is no longer of any value on most soils. 

 Buy the dissolved rock instead. 



What is the best fertilizer for the strawberry? 



Mr. Gould. — A good lot of stable manure applied in the fall; 

 have it well rotted, then follow it with a good application of 

 South-Carolina rock. The strawberry requires phosphoric acid, 

 in excess of some other fruits. 



What about Canada hardwood ashes? 



Mr. Cook. — If you buy them, do it on a guaranteed analysis. 

 There is a whole lot of such ashes sold that never saw Canada, 

 and many of them are not worth half what they cost. As a rule, 

 they do not contain more than 4 per cent, potash, so that |6 

 per ton is enough for them. There is about 40 per cent, lime 

 in them, which, if your soil is sour, will sweeten it. 



What is the best fertilizer for gardens? 



Mr. Smith. — Good barn manure, with, perhaps, South-Carolina 

 rock and nitrate of potash, would be best. 



How should hen manure be treated and how used to get the most from 

 it? 



Mr. Cook. — Mix South-Carolina rock or land plaster. I prefer 

 the former, because it contains phosphoric acid. The gypsum or 

 land plaster in it will absorb and hold the nitrogen in the drop- 

 pings. Road dust, if one cannot get auything better, does very 

 well to dry the droppings, but I do not think it as good as the 

 gypsum. Do not mix wood ashes with the droppings as the 

 potash in them will drive out the nitrogen in the droppings. 

 Broad ?&st and hcrrow them in. 



