Sick Soils not Influenced by Parasites 33 



practiced in very shallow layers. It is recommended 

 only where the layer is over sixteen inches deep. 

 Frequent cultivation is also very beneficial and pro- 

 vides aeration which favors a more rapid decay of 

 the organic matter. It helps to keep down weeds. 



The Choice of a Crop. On newly reclaimed peat 

 soils, the best crops to plant are timothy, sudan grass, 

 or alsike clover, which may be pastured to advantage. 

 Peat soils cannot be surpassed for trucking purposes. 

 They seem especially adapted for onions, celery, 

 tomatoes, and potatoes. 



Use of Fertilizers. The application of certain 

 chemical fertilizers to peaty soils is decidedly bene- 

 ficial. The kind of fertilizers will depend largely on 

 the nature of the crop grown. Conner and Abbot 

 present interesting data on the effect of fertilizer on 

 onions. This is summarized in Table 6. 



Table 6 



Results of Field Fertilizer Tests with Onions on Various 



Peat Soils 



1 4-8-10 formula indicates 4 per cent, nitrogen, 8 per cent, phos- 

 phoric acid, and 10 per cent, potash made from dried blood, acid phos- 

 phate, and sulphate of potash. Minus sign ( ) indicates decrease. 



