VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



117 



course, that all of these fertilizing ingredients are necessary for 

 the successful growth of the plant. No plant could mature in 

 the absence of any one of them, or, indeed, of several others. 

 The points noted above, however, indicate their special func- 

 tions as observed in practice. It would be very satisfactory if 

 the agricultural chemist were able to prescribe specifics for our 

 plants as does the doctor for our ills. Were we able to say 

 absolutely that just such a fertilizer combination would be best 

 adapted to a certain plant upon a certain soil, things might be 

 better; but so many conditions come in to modify results, and in- 

 formation, what there is of it, is still so lacking and conflicting that 

 the advising of specifics is not safe. The only thing which can 

 be said with entire safety is that it is wise as a rule to feed lib- 

 erally of available forms of plant food for that class of crops 

 which are to be grown quickly, and of relatively unavailable 

 forms for those growing more slowly. 



L,et us take up now briefly the consideration of fertilizers 

 in relation to market garden crops and to the fruit crop. 



The market gardener wishes above everything else large 

 yields, in proportion to area, of particularly fine quality. His 

 goods need to appear well, should be succulent and sweet and 

 free from bitterness or stringiness. This necessitates continu- 

 ous and rapid growth. There are many conditions, of course, 

 which are beyond his control, but, given a good soil and a fa- 

 vorable season, the most available plant food in liberal amounts 

 is on the whole the best practice. A reasonable excess of all 

 three of the fertilizing ingredients should be applied as a basis 

 for all the crops, and then one element or the other should be 

 added in greater excess according to the nature of the crop. 

 Nitrogen is particularly indicated in foliaceous crops, such as 

 lettuce, cabbage and the like ; phosphoric acid where the seed 

 in particular is wanted, as, for instance, the ear of corn. Direc- 

 tor Voorhees of the New Jersey station, who has given much 

 study to this matter, recommends a formula for market garden 

 use in general of 4 per cent nitrogen (to be derived both from 

 nitrate of soda and organic matter), 8 per cent phosphoric acid 

 (to be derived from acid phosphate and ground bone), and 10 

 per cent potash (as muriate) . He recommends this as a basal 

 fertilizer, and to add for the specific needs of the plant by top 

 dressing very generally in the form of nitrate of soda and muri- 

 ate of potash. 



The fruit grower is confronted by a somewhat different 

 problem than is the ordinary farmer. The latter usually sows 

 his crop in the spring and harvests it in the fall. The fruit 

 grower on the contrary grows his crop for several years before 

 he harvests. He must fertilize in the first place for growth with- 

 out expecting fruitage, and afterwards for growth and fruitage 



