KIND OF MEADOWS TO FERTILIZE 



341 



While considerable soluble material is found in the manure, yet 

 it can be put on without great danger of loss during the winter 

 months, unless the ground is too steep. 



Reasons for Fertilizing Grass Land. It is a very common 

 practice for farmers to reserve all manure for cultivated crops, as 

 corn or potatoes. Recent investigations, however, have shown that 

 greater profit can be expected from applying the manure or fertilizer 

 mainly to hay land. Not only is the hay crop largely increased, but 

 the crops following are generally increased as much as though the 

 manure or fertilizer had been reserved for the cultivated crop. This 



Fia. 153. Experimental plots showing growth of timothy on fertilized and unfertilized 

 plots (N. Y. College of Agriculture.) 



plan probably would not be practical except where a large proportion 

 of the land is in hay. 



Kind of Meadows to Fertilize. All meadows do not respond 

 well to fertilizer. The principal matters to observe are: 



1. That there is a good stand of grass roots. . Many old meadows 

 have so little good grass that there is no opportunity for good results. 



2. Meadow must naturally be fairly productive (Fig. 154). 

 Generally meadows so poor that they will not yield one ton per acre 

 do not respond profitably to fertilizer. Other faults should prob- 

 ably be corrected first, as acidity, drainage, or humus content. 



