The Function of Manures and Fertilizers 35 



The fact that fertilizers may now be easily secured, 

 and the ease of application, have encouraged a careless 

 use, rather than a thoughtful expenditure, of an equivalent 

 amount of money or energy in the proper preparation of 

 the soil. Of course, it does not follow that no returns 

 are secured from plant-food applied under unfavorable 

 conditions, though full returns cannot be secured under 

 such circumstances. Good plant-food is wasted, and the 

 profit possible to be derived is largely reduced. 



Again, because farming, in its strict sense, is the 

 conversion of three essential elements into salable prod- 

 ucts, the time to apply plant-food must be governed 

 largely by its cost and the kind of crop upon which it 

 is applied. 



