The Composition and Use of Fertilizers. 



285 



not easily soluble is placed entirely on the surface of the soil, 

 there will be a tendency on the part of the feeding roots to grow 

 near the surface, and under such conditions, the trees will more 

 easily suffer from drouth. In case easily soluble forms of plant 

 food are used, surface application will give good results. 



With increasing age and larger yields of fruit, the amount of 

 plant food applied may be increased to advantage. 



Asparagus. 



Per Pounds for 

 cent, one acre. 



Pounds of different materials for one 

 acre. 



Nitrogen. 



Available phosphoric acid. 

 Potash 



4 20 to 40 60 to 120 pounds nitrate of soda; 

 50 to 100 pounds dried blood; 75 

 to 150 pounds cotton seed meal. 



8 40 to 80 200 to 400 pounds bone meal; 150 



to 300 pounds dissolved rock. 

 10 50 to 100 100 to 200 pounds muriate of pot- 

 ash. 



Suggestions. — In fertilizing asparagus, three facts are to be 

 kept in mind. First, the yield and market value of the crop de- 

 pend upon the number and size of the shoots; second, the size 

 of the shoots depend upon a large and vigorous growth of tops 

 later in the season, by which nutritive materials are stored up 

 in the roots for the use of the succeeding crop; and, third, the 

 successful growth of the asparagus depends, in large measure, 

 upon proper feeding. Moreover, the length of life of an aspara- 

 gus bed depends greatly on its feeding. 



The asparagus crop grows during the entire season and hence 

 is able to use, to some extent, some of the slower acting forms 

 of plant food. It is essential that a part of the plant food shall 

 be present in quick-acting forms, so that it may be used at once 

 in promoting growth of shoots at the time, and the residue m 

 less soluble forms will continue to feed the crop during the rest 

 of the crowing season, thus enabling the plant to store up avail- 

 able nutrition in the roots for use of the crop the year following. 



In setting asparagus roots, the soil should be carefully pre- 

 pared and heavily fertilized. The largest quantities given above 

 and even more will be found desirable. A generous application 

 of half-rotted stable manure supplemented by phosphates and 

 potash is good at this time. Stable manure may also .be applied 

 every two or three years in the fall, in addition to the plant-food 

 formula given above. 



