MANURES AND THEIR MODES OF APPLICATION. 199 



In reply to questions that I receive by the hundred each 

 season, asking whether or not it is worth while to use the 

 so-called special fertilizers, claimed to be suited to the 

 wants of particular plants, such as the " Potato Fertilizer," 

 "Cabbage Fertilizer," "Strawberry Fertilizer," "Rose 

 Fertilizer," etc., I can only give this general answer, 

 that while these manures may suit the plants they are 

 claimed to be " special " for, I have no doubt that either 

 one would suit equally well for the others; or, if all were 

 mixed together, the mixture would be found to answer 

 the purpose for each kind of crop, just as well as if kept 

 separate and applied to the crop it was named for. These 

 hair-splitting distinctions are not recognized to be of any 

 value by one practical farmer or gardener in every hun- 

 dred; for a little experience soon shows that pure Bone 

 Dust or well-rotted Stable Manure answers for all crops 

 alike, no matter what they are. These special fertilizers 

 for special crops are gradually increasing in number, so 

 that some dealers now offer fifty kinds, different brands 

 being offered for plants belonging to the same family. 

 There is an ignorant assumption in this, and any culti- 

 vator of ordinary intelligence cannot fail to see that the 

 motive in so doing is to strike as broad a swath as possi- 

 ble, so that a larger number of customers may be reached. 



One of my neighbors called the other day, and informed 

 me that his Lettuce crop, in his green-house, was failing, 

 and asked me what I thought of the Lettuce Fertilizer 

 that was offered in a circular that contained some fifty 

 other "specials." An inquiry developed the fact that 

 he had been keeping his Lettuce crop at a night tempera- 

 ture of 65 in January, so that there was just about as 

 much chance of the Special Lettuce Fertilizer helping 

 the crop as there would be of giving health to a man by 

 feeding him beefsteak in the last stages of consumption. 



