THE 
GARDEN YARD 238 
there are times when commercial fertilizers are 
absolutely necessary if only to start the growth, 
but we should be sure what we are getting. 
When we try to find out something about 
fertilizers, we get such technical and compli- 
cated explanations about phosphates and ni- 
trates and other “ates,” that the ordinary ama- 
teur or beginner just takes some one’s advice; 
while the professionals mostly stick to what they 
have been doing. But the subject is clear enough 
if it is clearly stated. 
Nitrogen and potash are about the best ele- 
ments in artificial fertilizers and perhaps the 
hardest to retain. We have learned that 
nitrogen can be best and cheapest added to the 
soil by means of certain cover crops, or crops 
sown only to be turned back into the ground as 
green manure. It is also present in large quan- 
tities in stable manure, if it has not leached 
away before being put on the field. But this 
book could scarcely tell you all about the best 
ways of handling manure to get the best re- 
turns. The Government, however, has done 
this, in Bulletin 192, and you cannot do better 
than send for it and study it carefully. You 
will learn from it the immense importance of 
taking proper care of the manure you have, and 
how to get the best possible results from its 
