IMPKOVEMENT OF THE SOIL 85 



There is also some prejudice against using it with 

 fruits and vegetables. In the highest grades of 

 fertilizers, therefore, the sulphate of potash is usually 

 employed altliough it is slightly more expensive 

 than the muriate. Some growers of cigar tobacco 

 go even farther and only use the still more expen- 

 sive carbonate. 



Commercial fertilizers are usually rather caustic, 

 and if improperly used they may do much harm. 

 Many kinds of seed will fail to germinate or the 

 young plantlets will be killed if planted in direct 

 contact with commercial fertilizers. Usually the 

 best way to apply them is to open a furrow where 

 the row is going to be, and scatter them in and 

 cover from one to two weeks in advance of planting 

 the seed. If more than four hundred or five 

 hundred pounds per acre are used, the fertilizer 

 should be mixed Avith the soil before covering by 

 running a small shovel plow in the bottom of the 

 furrow. If more than eight hundred or a thou- 

 sand pounds per acre is used, only a part should be 

 put in the furrow and the balance should be broad- 

 casted and harrowed in. Where large quantities of 

 very soluble fertilizers are used or where a crop 

 has a very long growing season, it may be best to 

 divide the amount and make two or three applica- 

 tions at considerable intervals. In most cases, how- 

 ever, this extra expense would not be justified and 

 all should be applied in advance of planting. Some 

 seeds like corn are quite resistant, and small quan- 

 tities of fertilizer may be sown in the drill with the 

 seed with safety. There are many seed drills in the 



