148 AGRICULTURE ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE 



drills, the fertilizer is also often put in a furrow made 

 before seeding, and then covered with some earth, 

 upon which the seed is put. Most fertilizers should 

 not touch the seed, as they may kill it; they should 

 always be well mixed with earth first. 



Worthless stuff is often sold at high prices for fer- 

 tilizer. To prevent this some states (California, 

 Oregon, Washington, and others) have fertilizer laws. 

 In these states the buyer can find out just what the 

 fertilizer is worth from an analysis which is made by 

 the state officials and which must be pasted on each 

 sack. 



