52 AROUND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN 



and the fermentation never allowed to stop. In using com- 

 post from this heap enough should always be left, if possible, 

 to keep it "going." 



Manure is good for both light and heavy soils and for 

 most crops. It is rich in nitrogen, but phosphoric acid and 

 potash should be added from other sources. Get it well 

 mixed under the soil of the garden, or it will interfere 

 throughout the season with the various other operations 

 of planting and cultivating. Where it is impossible to 

 obtain manure, commercial humus may be used, in con- 

 nection with fertilizers, to maintain the humus content in 

 the soil. 



How to Buy Fertilizers 



Actual plant foods may be bought more cheaply in com- 

 mercial fertilizers than in manure. But these have no prac- 

 tical effect upon the physical condition of the soil and add 

 no humus. They may be classified in three separate groups, 

 which the gardener should learn to distinguish and to use 

 according to his need: First, ready-mixed complete fer- 

 tilizers; second, the raw materials or original sources of 

 plant food, which are used largely for making the mixed 

 goods; and third, indirect fertilizers or soil improvers or 

 amendments, such as lime and gypsum. All these things 

 vary greatly both as to amount of plant food contained and 

 as to availability of that plant food. Most gardeners buy 

 the ready-mixed complete fertilizers, getting a bag, or 

 several bags, as may be required by the size of the garden. 

 This is the easiest way, but it is also the most expensive. 

 Whether it will pay you to get your fertilizers in that form 

 or to get the materials and mix up your own will depend 

 upon how much time you may have and how much fer- 

 tilizer you use. The saving, if you use the latter method, 

 will amount to thirty to fifty cents a hundred-pound bag. 



If you buy the ready-mixed sort, however, remember the 

 higher the price a ton, as a general rule, the less the cost of 

 the actual plant food. You can see, if you stop to think a 

 minute, that it is cheaper to buy two hundred pounds 



