24G GARDENING FOR PHOFIT. 



purpose, often to be had in special localities, such as the 

 refuse hops and "grains" from breweries, which should 

 be used in the same manner and in similar quantities as 

 stable manure; while fish guano, whalebone shavings, 

 or shavings from horn, when pulverized so as to be in 

 proper condition for plant food, are nearly equal in value 

 to ground bone. Wood ashes alone, spread on at the rate 

 of five or six tons per acre, will usually give excellent 

 results. 



It is well to keep the fact in mind that it will always 

 be more profitable to fertilize one acre of Onions well, 

 than two acres imperfectly. If thirty tons of stable ma- 

 nure or one ton and a half of concentrated fertilizer are 

 used to an acre, the net profits are almost certain to be 

 larger, than if that quantity had been spread over two 

 acres ; for in all probability nearly as much weight of 

 crop would bo produced upon the one well-manured acre 

 as upon the two tluit li-sd been imperfectly manured, 

 besides the saving of seed and labor in cultivating cue 

 acre instead of two. 



PREPARING THE GROUND. 



In preparing the ground for the reception of the seed 

 (if it has been plowed the fall previous), plowing should 

 be begun as soon as the land is dry enough to work, first 

 having spread over the land well-rotted stable manure, at 

 the rate of thirty tons to the acre. This should be lightly 

 turned under, plowing not more than five or six inches 

 deep, and covering the manure so that it will be three or 

 four inches under the surface. For this reason the ma- 

 nure must be well rotted, otherwise it cannot be well 

 covered by the plow. If concentrated fertilizers are to 

 be used, it is best to plow the land up roughly, sow the 

 fertilizer at the rate of one to two tons per acre, accord- 

 ing to its fertilizing properties ; then harrow thoroughly, 



