633 



TO THE READER. 



This work is designed expressly for those 

 who are forced to use fertilizers and yet have 

 not the time to investigate the subject as they 

 would like to. It is intended to be brief and 

 suggestive of thought to the reader rather 

 than complete and final. 



Technicalities are avoided and illustrations 

 simplified as much as possible. 



All the facts and deductions contained are 

 based on the highest authorities on the sub- 

 jects mentioned, and largely on the results of 

 actual experience in California. 



The author hopes that the matter here given 

 will aid the farmer to choose and purchase his 

 fertilizers most wisely, and help him to get the 

 best possible results from their use. There is 

 no final authority in Nature. Every farmer's 

 problems are his own and he must do his own 

 thinking. The author has tried to present 

 only the well established facts and general 

 PRINCIPLES. A fuller knowledge of these, 

 properly applied, will lead to better results 

 and larger profits. 



CARROLL B. SMITH. 

 Redlands, California. 



579459 



