260 SEEDING AND PLANTING 



just before the peas mature, and the seedbeds and transplant beds 

 formed the following spring. At the Pilgrim Creek nursery sheep 

 manure is applied just before the formation of the beds at the 

 rate of 3.1 cubic feet per 100 square feet of seedbeds, and from 

 4 to 5 cubic feet to an equal area of transplant beds. At the 

 Garden City nursery stable manure is applied before growing cow r - 

 peas as a soiling crop in rotation with nursery crops. 



The author has been very successful in growing successive crops 

 of coniferous seedlings on sandy loam by the application of well- 

 rotted cow manure, bone meal, and hardwood ashes. The fertilizer 

 is applied in alternate years prior to the formation of the seed- 

 beds and in the following amounts. 



Cow manure 10 to 30 tons per acre 



Bone meal 5 to 8 cwts. per acre 



Unleached hardwood ashes 8 to 16 cwts. per acre 



The cow manure and one-half of the other fertilizers are uniformly 

 spread over the soil and turned under in the early spring. The 

 remainder of the bone meal and ashes are worked into the surface 

 soil when the beds are formed. Experience shows that it pays to 

 apply fertilizer in sufficient quantity to sustain vigorous growth in seed- 

 lings when grown in dense stands. 



Van Slyke 1 recommends for general nursery practice the follow- 

 ing amounts of various commercial fertilizers per acre to overcome 

 any marked deficiency in nitrogen, available phosphoric acid and 

 potash. 



For deficiency in nitrogen use one of the following: 



Lbs. 



a. Nitrate of soda 60-120 



b. Sulphate of ammonia 50-100 



c. Dried blood 100-200 



For deficiency in available phosphoric acid use one of the fol- 

 lowing: 



Lbs. 



a. Acid phosphate 200-400 



6. Dissolved bone 175-350 



c. Bone meal '. 250-500 



For deficiency in potash use one of the following: 



Lbs. 



a. Nitrate of potash 60-120 



b. Sulphate of potash 60-120 



c. Kainit 240-480 



1 Van Slyke, L. L.: N. Y. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 94 (new series). 



