260 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Fertilizer: Kind and Amount. 



The onion field has to be enriched by the use of commercial 

 fertilizer. Barnyard manure is seldom used because of the 

 weed seeds which it carries, as this material in the soil would 

 interfere in a measure with the use of the wheel hoes and hand 

 cultivators, and also because the onion grower does not have 

 it to use; so it is a question of commercial fertilizer. Opinions, 

 both with regard to the brand and the amount of fertilizer, 

 are as varied as there are different growers. A grower is very 

 apt to try again the brand that has raised him one good crop, 

 or that has raised his neighbor a good crop! There are growers 

 who buy the chemicals and mix their own fertilizer, but others, 

 and probably the majority, buy ready-mixed goods. Both 

 methods are in vogue and there are arguments in favor of each. 

 An analysis of 3.30 nitrogen, 8 phosphoric acid, 7 potash 

 (actual) is about the popular goods used in the valley, and 

 nearly all the fertilizer companies make a brand of this or 

 similar analysis. Hundreds of carloads are used annually in 

 the onion section. 



The growers all know that there must be no shortage of 

 plant food for the crop. The up-to-date farmer understands 

 that his overhead charges are fixed, that is, he has to stand the 

 expense of plowing, fitting, cultivating and harvesting; that 

 the cost is about the same whether an average crop is grown 

 or a bumper crop, and that up to a certain point the profit 

 increases with the increased yield; so it is a vital error of 

 judgment to hazard chances of a profit by being "penny wise 

 and pound foolish" in skimping the fertilizer. The Connecti- 

 cut valley grower sows one and one-half tons of fertilizer to 

 the acre, and is not at all backward about putting on an 

 extra half ton if he thinks that it is necessary. This is 

 usually applied at one time, but some large growers are 

 trying the experiment of keeping one-half ton to apply in 

 mid-season. 



After the fertilizer is applied there is probably no better tool 

 to use in harrowing it in than the Acme harrow, and after all 

 is done that can be done with this or similar tools there is 

 nothing that will put on the finishing touch and leave the land 



