82 The Sugar-Beet in America 
materials in special cases, but their general use is not 
recommended, since they add no plant-food and their 
temporary benefit may have a later and undesired re- 
action. 
HOME-MIXING OF FERTILIZERS 
Many farmers would rather pay more for fertilizers 
that are already mixed than to take the trouble of mix- 
ing them. This is largely because they do not realize how 
much more they have to pay for the various elements 
when purchased in the commercial brands of fertilizer 
than if obtained as the simple fertilizing materials, such as 
sodium nitrate, acid phosphate, and potassium sulfate. 
Fertilizer manufacturers possess no special secrets that 
cannot be learned by any farmer who will study the 
subject a little. It is a poor policy to pay hundreds of 
dollars every year for a fertilizer about which nothing is 
known except what is told by asalesman. Better economy 
would lead the farmer to spend a few dollars buying books 
on the subject, as the information obtained from any 
good book on fertilizers may make possible a saving of 
25 to 50 per cent of the fertilizer bill. Any farmer can, 
with but little expense, prepare a place in which to mix 
fertilizers. Then by purchasing the materials best 
suited to his conditions, he can mix them himself and 
thereby obtain a much more effective fertilizer at the same 
cost. 
FARM MANURE FOR SUGAR-BEETS 
In every beet-producing section an effort should be 
made to utilize fully all farm manure that can be obtained. 
