A Fi;\V REMARKS AP.OUT !• KRTILI/.KRS 139 



Potash is very (luickly tixod in the soil by the double silicates, 

 so that it is difficult to distribute it evenly. Potash may be 

 applied sometime before planting so that the plowing and har- 

 rowing may help to mix it with the soil and insure a uniform 

 distribution. 



In mixed fertilizers we have found that any combination' of 

 fertilizer materials may enter into their composition. There 

 may be nitrate of soda, organic materials, superphosphates, and 

 potash salts present in these fertilizers and so in the application 

 of them we must consider the properties of all the fertilizer 

 materials. It is generally best to apply these fertilizers in the 

 spring. Sometimes an additional application during the grow- 

 ing period will help to force the crop. When much fertilizer 

 is to be applied, especially on sandy soils, part of it may be 

 applied in the spring and part later on when the cro]) may be 

 backward or need forcing. 



Crops like wheat which are sown in the fall need fertilizer 

 at that time and also a light dressing of some nitrogenous fer- 

 tilizer in the spring to help it recover from the winter. Some 

 of the market garden crops require fertilizer at planting time 

 and at short intervals during the growing period. 



How Fertilizers are Applied. — Fertilizers are usually broad- 

 cast, partly broadcast and partly in the drill or hill, and in the 

 drill or hill. When heavy applications are applied, broadcast- 

 ing is perhaps the best 'method. The fertilizer may be applied 

 after the last plowing and harrowed into the top part of the sur- 

 face soil with a wheel harrow or some kind of a cultivator. In 

 this way the fertilizer will become well mixed with the soil. If 

 a broadcast distributor is not used, one-half of the fertilizer 

 may be applied by walking north and south and the other half 

 by walking east and west. In this way the fertilizer should be 

 imiformly applied. When home mixtures containing farm 

 manure or fertilizers mixed with manure are used, the manure 

 spreader may be employed to distribute the fertilizer. 



Some farmers apply fertilizer partly by broadcasting and part- 

 ly in the drill or hill. This is an excellent practice for some 



