101 



phur in this formula, as well as the bluestone and other sub- 

 stances (soda, etc.) in the other formula, is entirely superflu- 

 ous and unnecessary, and supplies but another evidence of 

 the untrustworthiness of such recipes. 



The presence of caustic alkalies in the second formula, 

 along with ammonia salts would of course lead to an almost 

 total loss of this last ingredient, while the proportions in 

 wliich it is recommended that these mixtures should be ap- 

 plied, would furnish extremely small quantities of the im- 

 portant fertilizing ingredients to the soil. 



For instance, the commercial value of the materials in 

 formula No. 1, would be only about $1, though one of these 

 ingredients, phosphoric acid, is not on the market in a free 

 state, as the formula might lead one to suppose. 



The commercial value of the fertilizing constituents in 

 formula No. 2, is even less than that in No. 1, and the mix- 

 ture is as equally untrustworthy. 



It is to be hoped that the sellers of these formulas have 

 met with but little success, and that the farmers will pre- 

 pare their composts or home mixed manures out of the 

 crude materials wliich they have at hand, used in con- 

 junction with acid phosphate, kainite, etc. 



GKEEN MANURES. 



The pT-actice of green manuring, or the plowing under of 

 certain green crops grown especially for this purpose, is one 

 of the oldest systems of fertilization at present in use, and 

 has been followed in the South with advantage for many years, 

 though only one or two particular crops have been utilized 

 for this purpose. While it has been long known that the 

 cow pea and many other leguminous plants possessed in a 

 most marked degree the capacity of collecting and assimi- 

 lating large quantities of the chief fertilizing constituents, 

 and particularly, nitrogen, nothing has been definitely known 

 as to the causes underlying their remarkable properties as 

 nitrogen collectors until within quite recent years. 



