Fertilizers for Various Special Crops 355 



may be applied at the rate of four pounds to the square 

 rod of area, and well worked into the soil previous to set- 

 ting the plants. The after fertilization may contain a 

 larger portion of the soluble phosphoric acid, which is 

 more readily distributed. The need for nitrogen is indi- 

 cated by a yellow, rather than a bright green, color in the 

 foliage. Nitrogen may be supplied by light dressings 

 (i to 1 pound to the square rod) of the active forms of 

 this element, preferably nitrate of soda, because of its 

 ready distribution. In the preparation of soils for these 

 plants in the house, the mixture may be applied at the 

 rate of 2 pounds for every 100 square feet of surface, the 

 after application to consist of the more soluble forms as 

 recommended for the hardy plants. An even mixture of 

 nitrate of soda and acid phosphate may be used at the 

 rate of one pound for every 100 square feet of surface 

 once in two weeks, if the plants do not show vigorous 

 growth. 



Lawn grasses. 



The fertilization of lawns is also important in a sense, 

 because proper fertilizing obviates the necessity of the 

 home manures, which, although excellent as sources of 

 the constituents, are frequently offensive. The use of 

 manure also involves considerable labor, both in the ap- 

 plication and the consequent removal of the coarse part 

 in the spring, besides resulting in the introduction of 

 weed seeds. In the preparation of the soil for a lawn, 

 it must be supplied with an abundance of all of the neces- 

 sary fertilizer ingredients previous to seeding, and of these 

 phosphoric acid and nitrogen are especially important. 

 Too great an excess of potash encourages the development 

 of the clovers rather than the grasses. This preparatory 



