1302 The Vegetable Industry ix New Yoke State 



soils. In such cropping it is usually a large development of fruit, 

 roots or tubers that is desired rather than a rapid succulent vege- 

 table growth. Also the crop has a much longer time to grow than 

 early garden crops and so can use more slowly available plant 

 food. This applies to the growing of such crops as potatoes, 

 onions, late cabbage, and tomatoes and other crops used for can- 

 ning. 



In case of early garden crops where large amounts of soluble 

 fertilizers are needed, they can be used more profitably when the 

 soil is well supplied with organic matter than otherwise. These 

 quickly growing crops do not make very efficient use of the slowly 

 available forms of plant food in the soil, and organic matter makes 

 the soil more retentive of ' soluble nitrates and potash; making 

 their use more profitable. 



Fertilizers for muck soils 



In this state muck land is used mainly for truck growing rather 

 than market gardening, and fertilizer recommendations are made 

 with that in mind. Where muck consists mainly of organic mat- 

 ter, as is usually the case, potash is the first important constituent 

 of fertilizer to be used, and may be applied at the rate of 100 to 200 

 pounds per acre of muriate or sulphate, or 300 to 600 pounds of 

 kainit. When potash is not available manure will take its place 

 to some extent. Manure is always profitable on muck land, al- 

 though it might at first be supposed that on account of the high 

 nitrogen and organic matter content of muck this would not be the 

 case. But the fresh decomposing organic matter of manure stimu- 

 lates further decomposition of the muck and makes nitrogen 

 available. Phosphorus is second in importance to potash on muck 

 soils, but more necessary than additional nitrogen. Where com- 

 mercial fertilizers alone are used on muck a mixture may consist 

 somewhat as follows : 



200 lbs. nitrate of soda or dried blood 



500 lbs. acid phosphate 



200 lbs. muriate or sulphate of potash 



The mixture will analyze approximately 3-8-10 and may be used 

 at rate of 500 to 1500 pounds per acre, depending mainly upon 

 acre value of the crop to be grown. 



