and cover fertilizer in advance of the seed. Where the machine 

 does this thoroughly, it is one of the cheapest and best ways 

 to apply fertilizer for many crops. Some farmers furrow their 

 land and then sow the fertilizer along the furrows and kick 

 earth over it where the seed is dropped. When it is applied 

 directly in the hill, it should never be thrown in handfuls in 

 one spot, but scattered over the ground where the hill is to 

 be, and earth kicked over it before the seed is dropped. 

 After a little practice one gets the knack of successfully apply- 

 ing fertilizer by hand or with machines. 



Frequent applications: Where fertilizers are used in heavy 

 doses and exclusively, farmers frequently apply a portion at 

 seeding time and the remainder between the rows or drills as 

 the crop is cultivated. This is particularly recommended for 

 many hoed crops and especially on light soils with a tendency 

 to leaching. "Feed the crop a little at a time and often" is 

 not a bad motto, especially when it can be done without much 

 extra cost for labor. This course is being followed in many 

 sections when the crop is backward or when it needs to be 

 forced in the middle of the season. More and more fertilizer 

 is being used in this way. 



Caution 



Apply 

 More 

 Than 

 Once 



Where to Use Manure and Where to 

 Use Fertilizers 



As a rule, it will not pay to buy and haul manure to the 

 farm, but what is produced on the farm as a by-product should 

 be used about as follows: 



First: As manure is bulky and heavy for the plant food 

 which it contains (not over 50 lbs. in a cord, weighing not less 

 than two tons), it is best to use it near the barn or on fields 

 easily accessible, and fertilizers on fields which are some dis- 

 tance off or hard to reach. It is difficult to compare fertiHzers 

 and manure, but, generally speaking, one bag of good fertilizer 

 contains more plant food than a big cartload of manure. 



Second: As the bulk of manure is humus, organic matter 

 (hay and straw), it is also good practice to use it in larger 

 quantities on heavy soils which need Hghtening and warming 

 up, and also on light, gravelly soils which need the humus 

 of the manure to improve texture and to retain moisture. Ma- 



37 



Don't Cart 

 Manure 

 Too Far 



Use 



Manure to 

 Lighten 

 Soil 



