Manures and Fertilizers 



growing: Super-phosphate containing 14 to 15 per cent, of available phos- 

 phoric acid, 130 pounds; sulphate of ammonia, 13 pounds; nitrate of soda, 

 31 pounds; sulphate of potash, 26 pounds. This is dissolved at the rate of 

 one ounce to one gallon of water, and applied once each week at the rate of 

 two quarts per square yard, for three or four weeks, until the plants have 

 taken on a heavy growth, and then the quantity and time of application are 

 regulated according to the needs of the plants. 



It may be stated as a general principle, that in applications of liquid chem- 

 ical manures the plant should have become well established before the fer- 

 tilizers are applied. The first application should be rather weak, and others 

 made at considerable intervals apart, until the plants have shown, by active 

 growth, that they are assimilating the fertilizers, at which time the applica- 

 tions may be more frequent. 



So far as our experiments have extended, it has been demonstrated that to 

 get the best practical results from the use of chemical fertilizers, it is neces- 

 sary to have considerable vegetable fiber incorporated with the soil. In 

 dense mineral soils, devoid of vegetable fiber, the application of chemical 

 fertilizers should be made with extreme caution, as the results obtained in 

 such soils will probably be entirely different from those obtained in soils 

 rich in vegetable fiber, under the same treatment. In applying all classes of 

 liquid fertilizers, the condition of the soil must be carefully observed, and 

 whenever an acid condition becomes apparent, the application of the liquid 

 manures should be suspended and the acidity corrected by a top dressing of 

 lime, or by a liberal application of lime water. 



In using liquid fertilizers care must be taken not to overfeed the plants, 

 as fatal results may be caused thereby. A curious yet serious result from 

 overfeeding with chemical fertilizers is described in the proceedings of the 

 American Carnation Society for 1896, by Prof. J. C. Arthur: 



"A very interesting abnormal development of the flowers of the Carna- 

 tion was recently brought to my attention by Mr. Fred. Dorner, who also 

 kindly furnished me material for a preliminary study. The variation from 

 normal habit first manifests itself by a failure of the full grown buds to ex- 

 pand into open flowers. The enlargement of the petals continues as usual, 

 but they do not separate from one another. When the bud is forcibly pulled 

 open, it is found that the petals have adhered by their surfaces so firmly 

 that they are torn, like pieces of paper pasted together that split before the 

 mucilage will give way. This splitting of the petals is easily seen, as the 

 color, which gives them brilliancy, is wholly in the surface layer of cells, 

 while the tissue within is quite colorless or white, and clearly evident when 

 exposed. 



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