FERTILIZERS 3^ 



400 pounds muriate of potash, containing 50 per 

 cent, potash. This gives 8.25 per cent, nitrogen, 

 5.6 per cent, available phosphoric acid, and 10 per 

 cent, potash. 



Each of the above formulae is based upon the 

 supposition that liberal dressings of nitrate of soda 

 will be applied during the growing season. Nitrate 

 of soda should not be stored in bags or in a damp 

 place. The bags from which the nitrate of soda 

 has been emptied should not be thrown in a heap, 

 as spontaneous combustion may result. One point 

 which should be borne in mind is that any mix- 

 ture should not contain large quantities of both 

 nitrate of soda and muriate of potash, as these in- 

 gredients are both inclined to draw moisture and 

 render the whole mixture difficult to handle. 



In mixing fertiUzer ingredients great care should 

 be taken that the work is thoroughly performed. 

 The usual method on the farm is to dump the 

 ingredients together in the right proportions upon 

 a floor and then mix by shoveling over several 

 times. Screening or sifting will assist in securing 

 a uniform mixture. 



When mixing the highly-concentrated fertilizer 

 ingredients it is often advisable to employ a filler 

 in order to increase the bulk and secure a dry com- 

 bination that may be easily handled. Materials 

 suitable for this purpose are often difficult to obtam 

 and should be provided and stored in a dry place 

 until used. Road dust, peat, light sandy soil, 

 sifted coal ashes, leached wood-ashes, ground shells, 

 ground limestone, tobacco dust, gypsum or land 



