No. 4.] COMMERCIAL PLANT FOOD. 87 



I shall he, very cautious and slow of a1>andoning a standard 

 which I know has succeeded, and taking up some arl)itrary 

 standard of which I am doul)tful. 



Now, one word as to the associations of plant food. Dr. 

 Goessmann tells us that sulphate of ammonia and muriate 

 of potash brought into the same cond)ination is not suc- 

 cessful, and proves it by experiments. Dr. Fisher of 

 Fitchburg, one of the clearest and most careful investi- 

 gators, not only bases his formulas upon the analysis of the 

 crop and its wants, but is particularly careful to have the 

 right associations, and he recommends sulphate of potash in 

 some cases and muriate in others. He is very successful 

 in growing fruit. Down in Connecticut Mr. Hale is very 

 successful in growing peaches. I do not know that he is a 

 believer in special fertilizers, but in practice he has found 

 that a special mixture for the peach orchard, very rich in 

 nitrogen, is what he needs for a profitable crop, and the 

 analysis of the crop must have been his starting-point. 

 Moreover, I think he prefers certain forms of nitrogen to 

 others. Even Professor Jordan, in the formulas which he 

 recommended for Maine, prescribed certain forms of plant 

 food. He did not recommend as much potash as some do ; 

 but right across the line in New Hampshire another State 

 chemist, Professor Whitcher, recommends a formula very 

 rich in potash. When doctors disagree, what are the lay- 

 men going to do? We cross the line into Massachusetts, 

 and Dr. Goessmann, our State chemist, practically rec- 

 ommends special manures. In his great paper on " Grass," 

 read at Springfield several years ago, he laid down the 

 quantity exhausted by a ton of hay. He has repeatedly 

 spoken of the importance of the form and association of 

 plant food, especially in fruit growing. We cross the line 

 into Rhode Island, and there we find a bright young 

 doctor, at the head of the experiment station, who is 

 recommending lime. He almost has it on the Ijrain. 

 Hasn't he, Professor? 



Professor Jordan. I will explain that later. 



Mr. BoAVKER. We cross over into Connecticut, and we 

 find Dr. Johnson, the father of them all, also speaking in 

 high terms of lime in connection with other plant-food 



