Fertilizers 55 



a big rain drop, which each parade of it makes in 

 the dry soil. Nitrate of soda may also be used 

 safely in solution, at the rate of i pound to 12 

 gallons of water. I describe its use thus at length 

 because I consider it the most valuable single chemi- 

 cal which the gardener has at command. 



Muriate and Sulphate of Potash are also 

 used by themselves as sources of potash, but as a 

 general thing it will be best to use them in combina- 

 tion with other chemicals as described under "Home 

 Mixing." 



Lime will be of benefit to most soils. It acts 

 largely as an indirect fertilizer, helping to release 

 other food elements already in the soil, but in non- 

 available forms. It should be applied once in three 

 to five years, at the rate of 75 to 100 bushels per 

 acre, after plowing, and thoroughly harrowed in. 

 Apply as long before planting as possible, or in the 

 fall. 



MIXED FERTILIZERS 



Mixed fertilizers are of innumerable brands, and 

 for sale everywhere. It is little use to pay attention 

 to the claims made for them. Even where the 

 analysis is guaranteed, the ordinary gardener has 

 no way of knowing that the contents of his few bags 

 are what they are labeled. The best you can do, 

 however, is to buy on the basis of analysis, not of 



