2GS Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



should commence at one end and shovel over the pile, reaching 

 clear to the bottom every time. After mixing well, the mixed 

 portion is passed behind. When the whole pile has been treated 

 once in this way, then the mixed pile is leveled, swept up around 

 the edges and again treated in the same manner. This process 

 should be repeated three or four times. Any lumps noticed at 

 any time should be thoroughly broken up. If greater thorough- 

 ness is desired, the mixture may be sifted or screened before sack- 

 ing. Tt is convenient to weigh into sacks which will hold from 

 100 to 150 pounds. One should take great pains to purchase his 

 materials in finely powdered and perfectly dry condition, if he 

 plans to mix the materials at home. 



7. Special Suggestions Relating to the Purchase of Sepa- 

 rate Fertilizing Ingredients. 



In addition to what has been already stated, there are some other 

 suggestions which it is well to heed in connection with the purchase 

 of separate fertilizing materials. 



Purchase of High-Grade Materials. — It will almost invar- 

 iably be found more economical to purchase high-grade fertilizing 

 materials. 



In applying fertilizers, bulk is often desirable, but in pwchas- 

 ing commercial fertilizers, the object should be to secure as much 

 nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid in available forms as possible 

 for $1, instead of as many pounds as possible of fertilizer, regard- 

 less of the amount of plant food contained in it. 



Fineness and Dryness of Fertilizers Important. — Fer- 

 tilizers cannot, as a rule, be in too finely powdered condition, nor 

 can they be too dry. With many materials, bone for example, the 

 availability as plant food is directly dependent upon the fineness 

 of division. Two commercial fertilizers containing the same 

 amount of plant food in the same forms may differ considerably 

 in respect to the availability of that food and, consequently, in 

 respect to their agricultural value, if one is coarsely and the other 

 finely ground. Excessive moisture in fertilizers is undesirable on 

 several grounds. First, the larger the amount of moisture, the 

 smaller will be the amount of plant food in a ton. Second, excess 

 of moisture causes the particles to stick together and is likely to re- 

 sult in caking and in clogging when used in drills. Third, an ex- 

 cess of moisture favors the decomposition and loss of nitrogen in 

 many forms of organic matter. This is shown by the fact that 



