114 THE BOOK OF CORN 



of all food constituents, but that they shall be of a 

 highly available character. 



The mineral elements may be derived from the 

 same source as those recommended for field and forage 

 corn. The nitrogen should be obtained from quick- 

 acting materials, and preferably in organic forms, 

 though part may be obtained from nitrate of soda. An 

 application of five hundred to eight hundred pounds 

 per acre of a mixture showing : nitrogen four per cent, 

 phosphoric acid (available) six per cent, and potash 

 eight per cent would furnish on most soils suitable for 

 the crop a sufficient abundance of the constituents. For 

 the central and eastern conditions of climate, one-third 

 at least of the nitrogen may be in the form of nitrate 

 of soda or sulphate of ammonia, the remainder in or- 

 ganic forms, as dried blood, dried fish, cottonseed meal, 

 etc ; for the southern conditions, all of the nitrogen may 

 be derived from cottonseed meal, though where this 

 material is the entire source of nitrogen, a larger appli- 

 cation should be made. Sweet corn may be regarded 

 as a crop belonging to the second class, or possessing a 

 high commercial value, and, therefore, much larger 

 applications can be afforded than in the case of the 

 field corn. 



In all of these recommendations care has been 

 exercised in the suggestions to keep well within prac- 

 tical limits. The principles are well defined ; it rests 

 with the farmer intelligently to apply them to his con- 

 ditions. Corn growing can be made profitable by the 

 judicious use of fertilizers, in a reasonable rotation, 

 and in connection with the proper saving and using of 

 manures. 



