FERTILIZERS 25 



between the actual value of fertilizing ingredients 

 and the cost of the ready-mixed article. 



Cost of Fertilizers for an Acre. The amount of 

 fertilizer applied an acre varies greatly in different 

 localities. It is difficult to state the quantities ap- 

 plied in so many pounds, and such statement would 

 mean little owing to the great variation in the 

 composition of different brands of similar formulas. 

 The grower is inclined to figure closely upon the 

 cost of producing a crop and prospective growers 

 will appreciate the quantity of fertilizers necessary 

 if expressed in dollars rather than in pounds to the 

 acre. The celery growers in Florida apply as much 

 as $150 or $160 worth of fertilizing materials to 

 each acre under cultivation every year the land is 

 planted. This is applied in the form of 20 to 40 

 cart-loads of barnyard manure, preferably rotted 

 cow manure, plowed under; two tons of high grade 

 complete fertilizer, one ton broadcast and worked 

 into the soil and one ton drilled under the rows; 

 1,000 pounds of nitrate of soda applied in three or 

 four top dressings during the growing period. 

 Occasionally wood-ashes are substituted for a por- 

 tion of the high grade fertilizer. During the time 

 the land is not occupied with the celery it is often 

 planted to cowpeas and the crop turned under for 

 green manure. The soil is given a dressing of lime 

 every three years, except when wood-ashes are 

 extensively used. The ashes take the place of the 

 liming to a great extent. 



In the northern and western celery fields it is 

 unusual to find the growers applying so large 



