CHAPTER XXVI 

 MIXING FERTILIZERS AT HOME 



Home-mixing of fertilizers now is a much discussed 

 question. So much good sense is in the proposition, so 

 closely is it allied with savings and profits, so reasonable, 

 too, is the preliminary cost no farmer can afford to 

 ignore a careful study of the simple principles upon 

 which it is based. 



A few farmers have adopted the plan of purchasing un- 

 mixed ingredients and of mixing them at home. They 

 have been doing this a long time. They like the plan. 

 They find it pays. But you need to give some study, 

 some care, and some knowledge to the work of home- 

 mixing, if you would get the best results. 



The fact that all standard fertilizing materials may be 

 purchased readily, and mixed together, producing a fer- 

 tilizer equal in worth to a similar factory-mixed brand 

 that sells for from $5 to $15 a ton more than the home- 

 mixed fertilizer, suggests the wisdom of this home-mixing 

 plan. 



Poor mixing: the chief disadvantage. The chief ob- 

 jection to home-mixing of fertilizers is poor mixing. 

 Knowledge of this fact has led the agent of factory-mixed 

 goods to advance strong arguments in favor of his prod- 

 uct, as against the farmer doing the work himself. 



I admit that the factory is peculiarly prepared to mix 

 fertilizing materials in the best way, but there is no rea- 

 son why the farmer should not do the work equally as 

 well. I will admit that many farmers do mix their ma- 

 terials poorly, but that is not a sound objection to the 



