214 SOILS AND FERTILIZERS 



one or two of the courses. It is desirable to make the rela- 

 tively heaviest applications for the crops having the greatest 

 money value. If the hay crop represents the largest pos- 

 sible returns, the crop should be well fertilized. Another 

 reason for giving liberal applications to the hay crop is that 

 the sod is thereby increased and furnishes a larger supply 

 of organic matter to be plowed under (see § 204). Corn 

 is the crop of greatest importance in some localities, in 

 which case it should be well fertilized. Farm manure is 

 usually the best fertilizer for corn, but farm manure should 

 be supplemented by phosphoric acid either in the form of 

 acid phosphate, basic slag or floats. Oats will seldom give 

 a profitable response to fertilizers which may be dispensed 

 with for that crop, but should be applied in the fall in prep- 

 aration for wheat. It is hardly necessary to say that winter 

 wheat should have the nitrogen applied in the spring in the 

 form of nitrate of soda, while the phosphoric acid and potash 

 should be harrowed in before planting. 



272. Methods of applying fertilizers. — The distribution 

 of fertilizers by means of machinery is much more satis- 

 factory than is broadcasting by hand, because the former 

 method gives a more uniform distribution. Cereal and 

 other crops are now usually planted with a drill, or a planter 

 provided with an attachment for dropping the fertilizer at 

 the same time that the seed is sown, the fertilizer being, by 

 this method, placed under the surface of the soil. Broad- 

 casting machines are also used, which leave the fertilizer 

 uniformly distributed on the surface of the ground, thus per- 

 mitting it to be applied and harrowed in a sufficient time 

 before the seed is planted to prevent injury to the seed 

 through the chemical activity of the fertilizer. 



Corn-planters with fertilizer attachment deposit the ferti- 

 lizer beneath the seed, so as not to bring the two in contact. 

 Grain drills do not do this and if the quantity of fertilizer 



