FERTILIZERS AND FERTILIZING 8 1 



SALT AS A FERTILIZER 



Salt is but little used now by commercial asparagus 

 growers, though it has been recommended for this 

 crop from time immemorial. About the principal ad- 

 vantage to be derived from its use is that of killing 

 weeds without injuring asparagus, although it may be 

 applied in sufficient quantities to injure the asparagus. 

 The indire(5t fertilizing value of salt is mainly due to 

 the fa(5t that it has the power of changing unavailable 

 forms of plant food into available forms ; but this 

 objecft may be secured cheaper and better by the use 

 of kainit. In sandy soils it may encourage the supply 

 of moisture, but on naturally moist and retentive soils 

 heavy dressings of salt may do more harm than good. 



Much of the benefits to asparagus for which salt 

 gets credit is its use in a small way in the home 

 garden, due to the fa (51 that not dry salt, but the brine 

 and residue of the pork and corned beef barrels is 

 applied to the asparagus beds. This brine is rich in 

 animal matter extradled from the meat, and usually 

 also in saltpeter, which has been used in pickling. 

 The latter substance alone, without the addition of 

 salt, exerts a strong fertilizing effecft upon the plants. 



After a series of carefully conducfled experiments 

 by Mr. Charles V. Mapes, he writes : 



' ' Salt was only effe(5lual as a fertilizer in propor- 

 tion as the soil contained accumulated supplies of 

 plant food, either from previous manurings or from 

 natural strength. Asparagus, unlike nearly all other 

 crops, will stand almost unlimited quantities of salt 

 without injury. It also thrives near the seashore, 



