CRIMSON CLOVER 249 



sary that there shall be a considerable amount of 

 plant food in the soil that is readily available. Farm- 

 yard manure when it can be spared or secured will 

 supply the need. But the results will probably be 

 more satisfactory where the manure has been ap- 

 plied to the previous crop, as, for instance, to pota- 

 toes or corn, and for the reason, probably, that in 

 the relatively dry season at which the seed of this 

 plant is sown, the residue of the manure still in 

 the soil is more readily available than freshly ap- 

 plied manure would be. Good crops have been 

 grown on land thus manured, when at the same time 

 seed sown on land under similar conditions and sim- 

 ilar in other respects failed to give satisfactory 

 yields. 



In a majority of instances farmyard manure can- 

 not be spared for such a use. When it cannot, if 

 necessary, commercial fertilizers may be applied. 

 Those rich in phosphoric acid and potash are usually 

 most needed, but sometimes nitrogen also is necessary. 

 When nitrogen is used, it may be best applied on 

 the growing crop and while it is young. Phosphoric 

 acid and potash may be fitly applied when the land 

 is being prepared, and in a way that will incorporate 

 them with the surface soil. These may be used in 

 the form of wood ashes, bone meal, Thomas' slag, 

 Kainit, sulphate or muriate of potash, South Caro- 

 lina rock and acid phosphate. Acid phosphate and 

 muriate of potash stand high in favor with some 

 growers when applied in the proportions of 9 and 

 I parts and at the rate of, say, 200 pounds more or 

 less per acre, 



