IDEAL FERTILIZER'S 81 



an individual more hardy in every way than the seed 

 which can barely germinate. Good seed will bring re- 

 sults in a field as markedly as will good blood in a herd 

 of cattle. The hardy young plant will have a much better 

 chance for its life than 'its weaker brother, for being 

 unable to change their environment they must do the 

 best they can with the conditions provided by the weather 

 clerk and the grower. Generally speaking, though, the 

 grower can to an extent overcome weather disadvantages. 

 But suppose the grower fails to do his part; suppose the 

 ground is water soaked and sour and the moisture con- 

 stantly passing into the plant or tree is laden with poi- 

 sonous substances. Is it strange that a "digestive" dis- 

 turbance takes place? Or, suppose the materials con- 

 taining the plant food create such conditions or the 

 ground is so hard the roots are restricted in their de- 

 velopment, and therefore fail to furnish the right amount 

 of nourishment; or, suppose there is comparatively no 

 available nourishment at hand, or that the roots have 

 been bruised and torn by deep cultivation and through 

 the drying out following that cultivation are left with 

 no moisture within their reach. Will not some disar- 

 rangement or "breaking down" be likely to occur? Die- 

 back in the citrus grove and white-bud of corn and straw- 

 berries are such instances. When the plant becomes 

 weakened physically its enemies seem to hasten to take 

 possession and only by strict attention can normal con- 

 ditions be established. Sanitation is as essential in the 

 field as in the home. 



