difference in favor of home mixtures of 31 per cent.; in other ^^^^ ^°^ 



words, an amoimt of plant food in a mixture that would cost 



on the average $100 when bought in the form of raiu materials ^75 

 and mixed at home would, on the average, cost $IJI when 

 bought in the usual manner in the form of manufactured brands. 



"The best forms of fertihzing materials are used in the 

 preparation of these formulas, as they will probably be found 

 to be the cheapest in the majority of cases. These are, as a 

 rule, in good mechanical condition, and can be bought direct 

 from the leading dealers or manufacturers, and should in all 

 cases be accompanied by a guaranteed composition. It is 

 important that the materials should be evenly mixed. This 

 can be easily done by forming on the barn floor or other dry 

 and level place, a series of layers of the different materials, 

 and working the heap over from the edge outward, breaking 

 all the lumps in the process; a few turnings will suffice to 

 answer the purpose. Screening is also advisable if suitable 

 apparatus is at hand. It is not claimed that the buying of 

 raw materials and mixing at home is the best and cheapest 

 method of getting fertilizers under all conditions; however, 

 the important points in favor of the system will bear repeat- 

 ing, viz.: 



"i. That a definite knowledge of the quality of the 

 materials is secured; and 



"2. That where farmers know what they want, and unite 

 in purchasing car lots, there is a decided saving in the cost 

 of plant food." 



The elaborate investigations of the New Jersey Experi- 

 ment Station plainly indicate that there is a decided saving 

 in the cost of plant food by buying the unmixed raw materials 

 and mixing them at home. 



Farmers and farmers' clubs should give the method a 

 practical trial. They will have tiie ready co-operation of 

 their State experiment stations in so far as it may be neces- 

 sary to test by analyses the materials to be used. 



A matter of paramount importance in purchasing raw 

 materials for home mixture is to take advantage of market 

 fluctuations in laying in a season's supply. Marked variations 

 in cost occur, and a saving of from 10 to 20 per cent, is often 

 the result of buying early in the year before the spring work 

 has fully begun, and there is no better time for mixing than 

 during the idle winter months. 



