Use of Commercial Fertilizers. 41 



hz carried on that is not as fine as the soil upon which 

 it is to be spread. It is undoubtedly advantageous to 

 conform to this rule as far as is reasonably possible. 

 However, green manure may be applied in the fall 

 and covered in with the fall ploughing, in which case 

 the fermentation, when it occurs, takes place within 

 the soil, making it mellow and rich. At this stage, 

 and until the warm weather of the following spring 

 induces fermentation, there can be no waste of the 

 manure by soakage of water, because it is still insol- 

 uble. 



The case is different with fine compost, or with the 

 ordinary pulverized commercial fertilizers, the benefit 

 from which must be secured in a crop taken the same 

 season or it may never be obtained. 



In case three crops are to be grown and the third 

 crop is to be cabbage or celery, the application of 

 about one half ton of some good commercial fertilizer to 

 each acre would be very beneficial. It should be put on 

 when the third crop has made about half its growth. 

 In many snnilar cases, guano, superphosphate, bone- 

 dust, and the like may be used in combination with the 

 stable manure already in the soil, with excellent results. 



This use of commercial fertilizers in connection with 

 stable manure has become quite common with market 

 gardeners during the past few years. Some people even 

 have an idea that, by the u^e of commercial fertilizers 

 and without any other manuring, land can be kept in a 

 proper state of fertility and condition to grow crops, 

 year after year. Possibly this might at times be dons, 

 on some soils, and where only one crop each year was 



