Fertilizer'?--Tlieii' ^elecliion and U?e. 



Few farmers need be reminded of the necessity of ap- 

 plying fertilizers in some form to their soils in order to 

 maintain their fertility and to increase their crop pro- 

 ducing power. The question is not ''Shall I fertilize?" 

 but rather ''What fertilizers shall I use?" It is proposed 

 in this brief discussion to offer a few suggestions which 

 it is hoped, will be of some value in this connection. 

 These must be taken as suggestions merely, and not as 

 absolute guides in solving the problem. In the present 

 state of knowledge of the science of agriculture, it is im- 

 possible to state any general principle of soil fertiliza- 

 tion which will be of universal application, so complex 

 are the conditions and requirements to be considered. 

 The character of the soil and the method of its cultiva- 

 tion, the crop to be grown, the season — all these are to 

 be considered in devising any rational system of fer- 

 tilization . 



A soil is fertile when it contains ail the materials nec- 



(84) 



