Market-Garden Crops 287 



the peculiarities of growth of the different plants, as well 

 as the different objects of their growth, distinctions should 

 be made in reference to the kinds and amounts of plant- 

 food applied, and these distinctions should be borne in 

 mind, in order that the most profitable returns may be 

 secured. Market-garden crops may, however, be grouped 

 according to -similarity, both in character and object of 

 growth, and each group fertilized in a similar manner, 

 which obviates the necessity of extra labor in the prepara- 

 tion of fertilizers. 



A basic fertilizer for market-garden crops. 



A good basic fertilizer for market-garden crops may 

 consist of : 



Nitrate of soda 250 Ib. 



Ammonium sulphate 100 Ib. 



Dried blood 150 Ib. 



Ground fish 100 Ib. 



Acid phosphate, 16% A.P.A 1000 Ib. 



Sulfate of potash 400 Ib. 



A mixture of these materials of standard quality would 

 show an average composition of 4 per cent nitrogen, 8 per 

 cent phosphoric acid and 10 per cent potash. Such a 

 mixture is an excellent basic formula for such crops as 

 asparagus, cucumbers, onions, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, 

 eggplant, melons, peppers, squashes and the like, but any 

 mixture of the composition 4-8-10 which supplies the 

 plant-food constituents in good forms may be used as a 

 basic formula for all market-garden crops, leaving the 

 specific needs of the different plants to be met by top- 

 dressings, or applications of the other constituents. The 

 fertilizer ingredients, nitrogen and phosphoric acid, should 

 preferably consist of the different forms, rather than to 



