FERTILIZERS FOR GARDEN CROPS 227 



Per cent. 



Nitrogen 4.00 



Phosphoric acid 8.00 



Potash . 10.00 



This and similar fertilizers can be applied at the rate 

 of looo pounds per acre. To meet the requirements 

 of special crops, as spinach and cabbage, an additional 

 dressing of nitrate of soda may be used. Asparagus 

 should preferably be fertilized after harvesting the 

 crop so as to encourage new growth and the storing 

 up of reserved builing material in the roots for next 

 year's growth. 



For early maturing garden crops, a fair but not 

 excessive amount of nitrogen should be applied, 

 also a more liberal supply of phosphates will be 

 found advantageous. Some garden crops, as cu- 

 cumbers, pumpkins and squash thrive best when 

 their food is supplied in organic forms, as the humate 

 compounds derived from farm manures. A continu- 

 ous supply of available plant food is thus furnished to 

 the growing crop. Onions are benefited by a gener- 

 ous dressing of soluble nitrogen. Celery also should 

 be well supplied with soluble nitrogen combined with 

 soluble forms of mineral food. Tomatoes require 

 general fertilizing ; for early maturity, nitrogen, as 

 nitrate of soda, is beneficial, but an excess should be 

 avoided ; for late maturity, farm manures and com- 

 mercial fertilizers containing less nitrogen can be 

 used. For general garden purposes, a complete fertili- 

 zer is preferable to an amendment, as a better bal- 

 anced growth is secured which favorably affects both 

 yield and the quality of the crop. 



