Food for Plants. 57 



pliatc may he used to each 200 square feet of surface, 

 making 300 pounds per acre, provided excessive quan- 

 tities of barnyard manure have not been used. It is 

 important to thoroughly work these fertihzers into the 

 soil. 



The use of rotted stable manure as a source of green- 

 house plant food has been the custom for many years. 

 Manure, however, supplies its plant food very irregu- 

 larly and the Nitrogen which it contains is not nitrated, 

 hence for forcing plants it cannot be fully relied upon. 

 It should be supplemented by the use of commercial fer- 

 tilizers such as Nitrate of Soda and acid phosphate. 



For Plants in Pots. 



Water once every four days, during early active 

 growth, with a solution of one-half an ounce of Nitrate 

 of Soda to one gallon of water — avoid wetting the 

 foliage. This will produce dark green color in the 

 leaves, which, when obtained, indicates that for this 

 most important period, a sufficient amount of Nitrate of 

 Soda has been used. Do not put dry Nitrate on wet 

 fohage 



For young fruit trees in the nursery, from one-quar- 

 ter to one pound of Nitrate of Soda per acre may be 

 used, according to age. It is important in this case that 

 the fertilizer should be thoroughly worked into the soil. 



LAWNS AND GOLF LINKS. 



Good lawns are simply a matter of care and rational 

 treatment. If the soil is very light, top-dress liberally 

 with clay and work into the sand. In all cases the soil 

 must be thoroughly fined and made smooth, as the seed, 

 being very small, requires a fine seed bed. In the South, 

 seed to Bermuda grass or Kentucky blue grass; in the 

 North, the latter is also a good lawn grass, but perhaps a 

 little less desirable than Rhode Island bent grass (Agros- 

 tis canina). Avoid mixtures, as they give an irregularly 

 colored la^^^l under stress of drouth, or early frosts, or 

 maturity. For Rhode Island bent grass use 50 pounds 

 of seed per acre, Kentucky blue grass 40 to 45 pounds. 



