166 One Thousand Questions in Agriculture 



them to the land for the growth of a grain or forage crop, plowing 

 in the stubble and using the land for potatoes the following year. 

 If you wish to fertilize directly for potatoes, the use of a commercial 

 fertilizer containing a good amount of potash would be a better 

 proposition. 



Fertilizer for Sweet Potatoes and Melons. 



/ have sandy soil that has been used for sweet potatoes until it is 

 worn out for that crop, and would like your advice as to the best fertiliser 

 to use. Also, what fertiliser zvould be best for melons on land that has 

 been planted to melons for the past three years? 



There is not much difiference in the plant food required by the 

 two crops you mention, but both evidently need a freshened soil 

 and an increase of humus. We should apply a half ton to the acre 

 of a complete fertilizer, of which any dealer can give you descriptions 

 and prices. If you wish to do a good job, start a growth of peas or 

 vetches or burr clover, and sow the fertilizer evenly with the seed. 

 Plow the growth under in February and roll (as the soil is sandy) 

 to close down and promote the decay of the green stuff, which 

 ought to be so well accomplished by the date that it is safe to 

 plant sweet potatoes or melons that it will give no trouble in 

 summer cultivation. 



An Abuse of Grape Pomace. 



/ got in an argument with a neighbor of mine zvho stated that grape 

 pomace is not a fertilizer. Is it so? My neighbor says that two years 

 ago he had two apricot trees in his yard, and they ivere fine bearing and 

 healthy trees. After making his wine he put the pomace on the ground 

 and they died. Could that be the cause? 



Yes, probably. He used too much fresh pomace and the re- 

 sulting fermentation of its products may have killed the trees. But 

 grape promace, after going through fermentation and in the process 

 of decay, makes humus in addition to giving potash and other desir- 

 able substances to the soil. 



Manuring Vineyard. 



Does barnyard manure have any injurious effect on the vines if 

 applied on my vineyard? One of my neighbors claims barnyard manure 

 burned his vines so he got no crop wherever he spread the manure, and 

 nothing would now induce him to use it again. 



Barnyard manure can be safely used in a vineyard at the be- 

 ginning of the rainy season, working it in with the plowing, but 

 not using too much. Wine grapes are sometimes injuriously af- 

 fected in flavor by the use of such fertilizer, but the growth of 

 the vine itself can be stimulated by the rational use of it. Your 

 neighbor apparently either used too much or made the application 

 at the beginning of the dry season or made some other mistake. 



