FERTILIZERS 251 



Commercial fertilizers are sold under the inspection of the state chemists. 

 They are sold according to the amounts of nitrogen (ammonia), phos- 

 phoric acid and potash which they contain. The dealers have found that it 

 pays to make up special brands for special crops containing such vary- 

 ing amounts of the three important elements as may seem to be of 

 special benefit to the crop to be grown. They are, therefore, put up in 

 bags and labeled with special reference to the crop they are suited to. 



The manuring of any crop must always be with reference to the 

 fertility of the piece of land being used. If the soil is almost devoid of 

 organic matter nothing much but trees and shrubs will grow upon it 

 and these make but poor growth. If plenty of water can at all times 

 be supplied, commercial fertilizers will give good results where the hu- 

 mus content of thesoilislow, but under ordinary conditions the commer- 

 cial fertiUzersdobest where there is an abundance of organic matter. 

 It is always advisable, when possible, to use all three of the different 

 kinds of fertilizers. 



The most expensive element in fertilizers is the nitrogen. For this 

 reason do not buy cheap or low priced fertilizers. Crops like early 

 Potatoes, Cabbage, Lettuce, Beets, Tomatoes, Sugar Corn, Spinach, 

 Egg Plant, Peppers, Melons, Cucumbers and Squash should be fertil- 

 ized with a fertihzer that contains at least five per cent, of nitrogen,, 

 seven or eight per cent, of phosphoric acid and five or six per cent, of 

 potash. For Beans and root crops and all fruit trees or bushes, fertili- 

 zers containing two per cent, of nitrogen, eight per cent, of phosphoric 

 acid and four or five per cent, potash will be found good. 



Any of these commercial fertilizers can be supplied at the rate of 

 two ounces to the square yard of land before planting the crop. The 

 material should be well mixed in with the soil. If the land is quite 

 poor, and has had no other manure, the same amount can be scattered 

 over the soil around the plants when they are half grown, and hoed or 

 cultivated in. 



Bonemeal 



Raw animal bonemeal is a good fertilizer. It contains both nitrogen 

 and phosphoric acid and can be used at the rate of a quarter-pound to 

 the square yard. This is a good fertilizer to keep on hand as it does not 

 lose its value by being stored. It is quite dry and if kept in a dry 

 place, it will not get into hard lumps like some of the other fertilizer 

 ingredients. It is somewhat slower in its action than a fertilizer made 

 up to analyze the same from acid phosphate and nitrate of soda. 



