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to other farm crops ; i.e., it ought to provide for the return of 

 those essential articles of plant food which the grass crop in an 

 exceptional degree has removed from the soil upon which it has 

 been raised. It is to be remembered that wherever the grass crop 

 is still the main source of coarse fodder for farm live stock the 

 product of the fertility of grass lands is constantly turned to ac- 

 count for the improvement of the lands used for the cultivation of 

 other farm crops. This once universal practice of manuring farm 

 lands has ceased to be advisable or even excusable, since a well- 

 developed trade in commercial fertilizers provides amply the needed 

 remed}^ — more manure. Its ruinous influence on the original 

 productiveness of the farm lands in all civilized countries, ours not 

 excepted, wherever important farm products, as grains, etc., have 

 been largely sent to market without any return of the plant 

 food they contained, is fully recognized. 



The grass crop contains on an average one part of phosphoric 

 acid to four of potash and three of nitrogen. In case of newly 

 laid down grass lands it is well to adhere to that proportion. In 

 case of old grass lands with an abundance of vegetable decayed 

 matter the amount of nitrogen may be safely reduced one-half. 

 It is not possible to state more definitely the exact amount of 

 nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash which will secure the best re- 

 sults, on account of the widely varying condition of grass lands 

 as far as their state of fertility is concerned. Taking two tons of 

 hay as an average yield per acre as the basis, from twenty to 

 twenty-five pounds of available phosphoric acid, one hundred 

 pounds of available potassium oxide, with thirty pounds of avail- 

 able nitrogen per acre, would fairly meet the average condition. 

 This fertilizer can be secured to-day at about from eight to nine 

 dollars in the best form for immediate action. It is not advisable 

 to reduce the nitrogen in our grass manures to too small quantities, 

 for the best grass crops contain the largest amount of valuable 

 nitrogen compounds. 



No single article of plant food acts independently of the rest ; 

 a liberal amount of nitrogen assists in the liberal assimilation of 

 phosphoric acid and potash ; these elements have a close relation 

 to each other in many of our fodder crops. A fair state of fertil- 

 ity of the soil is an indispensable requirement for a successful 

 production and propagation of our most valuable grasses. 



Quite frequently the entire character of the growth upon grass 

 lands has been improved by changing from a scant to a liberal 

 manuring, without any assistance from new seeds. Those grasses 

 which are best adapted to the altered conditions of the soil take 

 the lead. 



