1890.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 13 



nitrogen and phosphoric acid, with some lime and magnesia. 

 The forms in which the first-named three are furnished, their 

 proportions and aggregate quantities, are those that spe- 

 cially concern us. Barnyard manure, which is composed of 

 average hay and grain after having been ground up by the 

 animal, and a small percentage of its soluble matters taken 

 out of it for the sustenance of the same, contains all three 

 in about these proportions per ton : potash, ten pounds ; 

 nitrogen, nine pounds ; and phosphoric acid, four pounds. 

 There is no better fertilizer for the production of hay and 

 grain than barn3^ard manure, which is a complete fertilizer. 

 For* some special crops it is necessary for the best results to 

 supplement it with variations of some of its leading con- 

 stituents. Some of the objections to its use by the 

 orchardist are : it usually cannot be spared from other 

 crops ; if bought, it is too costly; if used, it involves for its 

 best utilization cultivation of the surface, which is not 

 desirable; it is slowly soluble, and does not minister most 

 to the demands of the trees when most needed ; and, finally, 

 its proportion of nitrogen is too large for fruitfulness, 

 although right for young growing trees. For some years 

 past I have adopted a plan of management which has given 

 me much satisfaction. The trees stand in sward. As soon 

 in the spring as the frost is completely out of the ground 

 and it is free from surplus water, I spread from a cart a 

 compounded fertilizer. I wish to furnish for each acre 

 about seventy-five pounds of potash, thirty pounds of 

 nitrogen, and twenty-five pounds of phosphoric acid, as the 

 leading constituents, deeming that a fair annual application 

 to promote growth and productiveness and holding the best 

 proportions that experience indicates. The formula used 

 the past season was made up as follows : — 



Cotton-seed meal, 225 pounds. 



Muriate of potash, 140 



South Carolina floats, 75 



Sulphate of ammonia, 60 



Nitrate of soda, 20 



Ground plaster, 80 



Total, 600 



