CHAPTER III 



FERTILIZERS 



In the growth of plants, four constituents are 

 needed, which are likely to become exhausted in 

 the soil. These must be suppHed to most gardens 

 after brief use and to all gardens after continued 

 cultivation. They are nitrogen, lime, phosphates, 

 and potash. When the needs of the crop expected 

 are understood, the farmer can, by supplying these 

 essential constituents, prepare most soils to produce 

 good results. 



A few years ago a man bought a large tract of 

 land at a low price, on the northern end of the island 

 of Newport, Rhode Island. Those famiHar with the 

 soil laughed when they heard that he planned to 

 grow peaches there. They declared that the soil 

 was so poor it would not even grow grass, which 

 was true. 



" All I want of the soil is to hold up the trees," 

 he repHed. " I'll feed them." 



He did, and today a most profitable peach orchard 

 flourishes on that barren strip. Being surrounded 

 by the warm water of the bay, it is free from frost 

 — the dread of peach growers. 



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