COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS 69 



out knowing the source of the various materials which 

 enter into the composition of the brands used. 



114. The home mixing of fertilizers. — Home mixing of 

 fertilizers is increasing in popularity. The following ad- 

 vantages may be mentioned: (i) The grower knows ex- 

 actly the kind and amount of each ingredient used; (2) 

 he can adapt the mixture to the needs of the different 

 classes of crops to be grown; (3) he can adapt the mix- 

 ture to the needs of the particular soil to be cropped ; (4) 



FIG. 14. LIME SPREADER 



he usually saves several dollars a ton; (s) he becomes 

 more intelligent every year in the application of the prin- 

 ciples relating to plant nutrition. 



Numerous experiments have proved that home-mixed 

 fertilizers are fully as valuable as factory-mixed goods 

 of equivalent composition. 



The arithmetic of home mixing is very simple. Sup- 

 pose fertilizer is wanted that will contain 4 per cent of 

 nitrogen, 8 per cent of phosphoric acid and 10 per cent of 



