394 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



stances, only one is needed; in others, two; in yet oth- 

 ers, all three. Dressings that are suitable for Con- 

 necticut soils may not he suitable for those of Caro- 

 lina; and dressings that may be suitable for soil in 

 one field may not be suitable for soil which is different 

 in an adjoining field or in the same field. The farmer, 

 therefore, who does not know the precise needs of his 

 land should experiment upon small areas, until he ascer- 

 tains which fertilizers and how much it will pay him to 

 apply. 



Usually not more than 100 to 200 pounds of nitro- 

 gen fertilizer is used per acre during one year. Two 

 separate dressings of 50 to 100 pounds each are pre- 

 ferred to one dressing of 100 to 200 pounds ; the first 

 being given soon after growth begins and the second, 

 during some moist season in the summer. When ap- 

 plied in a very dry time the food in the fertilizer does 

 not reach the j)lants until rain comes and when ap- 

 plied at a time of too much moisture, or when growth 

 is stagnant, the plant food may too soon leech out of 

 the soil. Finely ground bone or phosphatic rock is 

 a favorite dressing for grass pastures in the unreduced 

 or reduced form. In the latter form, they act more 

 quickly but for a period less prolonged. The dress- 

 ings are usually applied in the early spring. They 

 seldom exceed 200 pounds per acre and frequently not 

 more than half that quantity is used. Potash is also 

 applied in the spring and in some instances the har- 

 row follows the application, as in the case of phos- 

 phoric acid. AVood ashes are commonly applied at the 

 rate of about 50 bushels per acre in the unleeched form 



