Sorts anp Ferrinizers ror VEGETABLES 1301 
ing on Long Island, conducted by the Geneva Experiment Station, 
it was found that 1000 pounds per acre of a complete fertilizer 
gave greater net profit than any heavier application when potatoes 
sold at 50 cents per bushel. And in some experiments with onion 
growing on muck soil near Florida, Orange county, it was found 
that the use of more than 1000 pounds per acre of 4-8-10 fertilizer 
was seldom as profitable as that amount, with onions at $1 per 
hundred pounds. But in the growing of market garden crops 
where earliness and quality are prime considerations and value 
per acre of the crop high, very liberal amounts of fertilizer are 
important. This applies to early beets, early tomatoes, early cab- 
bage, early canteloupe, early sweet corn, asparagus, early turnips, 
cucumbers, early sweet potatoes and others. In these cases 10 to 
15 tons per acre of manure may be applied in the fall, winter or 
early spring. At the time of preparing seed-bed there can be 
used 1000 to 2000 pounds per acre of a fertilizer high in phos- 
phorie acid and potash, with perhaps some nitrogen in organic 
form, making a mixture of — say 2-8-10. At time of setting or 
planting use in addition 100 to 200 pounds per acre of nitrate of 
soda, and three or four weeks later another similar application. 
The nitrate of soda especially promotes rapid growth and im- 
proves quality; also increases the yield. For most crops it can be 
used to best advantage in the early stages of growth, and where a 
second application is made it should not be put off more than a 
few weeks from time of planting. A late application may delay 
maturity. In case of sweet corn a dressing of nitrate may be 
made when ears are beginning to form. 
A general rule as regards fertilizers for general farm crops on 
the great majority of soils is that phosphorus is the first import- 
ant element to be added in commercial form. If organic matter 
is used in fair amounts, nitrogen and potash need be purchased 
only in small quantities or can be done away with entirely. 
Organic matter furnishes nitrogen and helps to make available 
more potash from the large reserves of that element contained in 
most ordinary soils; but as the limitations of nitrogen and potas- 
sium are thus removed, the use of larger amounts of phosphorus 
becomes profitable. These same principles apply quite gener- 
ally to the growing of vegetables as field crops on any but muck 
4 
