SOME PHASES OF MARKET GARDENING. 75 



the fertilizers put on the market are true to the percentages 

 marked on the bag, but the price is so high now that we are 

 driven to lessen the consumption. 



Hon. Aaron Low expressed his appreciation of the lecture. 

 The great problem in market gardening, he said, is the production 

 of crops at low cost. If we cannot get the price necessary to pay 

 expenses, we must have lower-priced labor. We want to get our 

 money's worth in everything, and he did not see why a farmer 

 could not mix his own fertilizers. All understand what is needed 

 by the plants — ■ nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acid. Apply 

 nitrate of soda first, then muriate of potash, and finally some 

 form of phosphoric acid ; apply separately and harroAv. The 

 progress now being made does not lessen the labor much. 

 Products are continually bringing lower prices, while the labor 

 required remains the same. Agricultural industry is depressed 

 all over the country ; this is caused by over-production, and also, 

 to a great extent, by the reduction in prices. Our foreign popu- 

 lation hawk around produce of inferior quality on our streets ; 

 this has a bad effect, reducing the prices of good articles. If the 

 farmer cannot use manufactured fertilizers and make them pay, he 

 must use something else. The speaker uses fertilizers a good 

 deal, being so situated that he cannot get anything else. Each 

 must answer the questions as to what fertilizer he shall use, and 

 whether he shall get them separately and apply them separately, 

 or mix first, or whether he shall get them all mixed. 



Another gentleman said all soils are different; he tries to 

 restore the original elements to the soil. He always asks himself 

 how he can best restore the fertility of his soil and bring it back 

 to the original condition. 



Joshua C. Stone said he did not believe fertilizers all humbug. 

 He lives near the abattoir and knows that all done there is done 

 openly. It costs them thirty-six dollars a ton to make their fer- 

 tilizer and they will sell it for thirty-eight. Others might buy 

 what they think best for themselves ; he would not give up 

 manufactured fertilizers. You can put manure on one-half of an 

 acre of land and fertilizer on the other, and if the fertilizer does 

 not give better crops the manufacturer will return your money. 

 He called that honest. They also admit that there is no fertilizer 

 equal to barnyard manure. He did not like to see them handled 

 in this way when they were not present. 



