272 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Time of Application. — Fertilizers which dissolve easily and 

 diffuse through the soil rapidly, and which are not readily re- 

 tained by the soil, are best applied only when the crop is ready 

 to utilize them. If put on too early, there is danger of their 

 being leached from the soil and carried more or less beyond 

 the reach of the plant and thus lost. Nitrates and, to a less ex- 

 tent, ammonia compounds come under this precaution. Hence, 

 it is not wise ordinarily to apply guano, ammonia compounds or 

 nitrate of soda in the fall, except in climates which have a dry 

 fail and winter. Their application should be deferred until 

 spring. In wet springs, ammonia compounds are preferably ap- 

 plied rather than nitrate of soda; or, if nitrate of soda is used, 

 loss may be avoided by making several small applications, instead 

 of one at the start. Care should be taken, however, not to 

 make applications of nitrate of soda too late in the season, as 

 the maturing of the crop will be retarded and there will be an 

 excessive growth of stems and leaves. 



Fertilizers which do not dissolve readily or which do not dif- 

 fuse through the soil rapidly are better applied to the land be- 

 fore the crop commences its growth. To this class belong stable 

 manure, bone-meal, dried blood, tankage, cotton seed meal, ground 

 rock, and to some extent, soluble phosphates and potash 

 compounds. 



Special Precautions. — In applying highly concentrated com- 

 mercial fertilizers, it is wise to prevent the fertilizer coming in 

 contact with the seeds or foliage of plants. 



Fertilizers containing ammonia compounds should not be mixed 

 with w r ood ashes, lime, or Thomas slag (odorless phosphate), since 

 Borne of the ammonia is likely to be lost. 



On soils of loose texture and small retentive power, it is best 

 to use, for the most part, those forms of fertilizers which are not 

 too easily soluble, in order to make as small as possible the losses 

 occasioned by heavy rains. Animal and vegetable materials are 

 especially suited for such cases. 



9. The Most Advantageous Methods of Using Farm-Pro- 

 duced Manures. 



Under this head we will discuss some of the more common 

 points relating to the use of stable manure in its application to 

 different soils and crops. 



