1510 The Vegetable Indtjstby in Xew York State 



ent fields on the same farm need different fertilizers. The first 

 essential is to have a good sod as a foundation ; then vary the 

 analysis according to how the land has been treated previous to 

 the sod condition, and, if a fertilizer is deemed necessary, let the 

 percentage of phosphoric acid predominate. Still, many advocate 

 high-grade goods and use them, such as 4-8-10 and 4-10-4. The- 

 oretically, this formula should give results ; practically, the ex- 

 pected results do not always materialize. 



I recall two fields of white marrow beans growing on opposite 

 sides of a highway this past season. They were both given about 

 the same start as to soil and preparation. On one field a 10-8 

 fertilizer was used and on the other barnyard manure was spread 

 during the fall and winter and no fertilizer used. The first field 

 ripened early and yielded about ten bushels to the acre. The 

 second field was about a week later in ripening and yielded 

 twenty-three bushels to the acre. This field was planted the 

 twelfth of June. 



I have talked with a great many bean growers and have asked 

 them this question : " When you left strips across your fields 

 where the fertilizer was not used, did you notice any difference 

 in appearance or yield between these rows and those where you 

 used the fertilizer?" The answer has invariably been, " Xo, but 

 I have seen the crop injured in dry seasons by fertilizers."' Then 

 I ask: " Have you been using it in this way on wheat \ " The 

 answer is, " Oh, yes, and could see good results even on the grass 

 that follows the wheat." This confirms my own experience, and 

 right there is the place to use the fertilizer ; we always get re- 

 sults from its use. But for beans, the place to use it is on the 

 sod previously, not directly on the bean crop. Let the nitrogen 

 or ammonia get toned down by the grass crop. Then the three 

 ingredients of a complete fertilizer will be present — nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid and potash. Enough of the latter will be ren- 

 dered available for the requirements of the growing crop. 



If a fertilizer is used let it be drilled over the whole surface of 

 the field previous to planting the crop. It is the general experi- 

 ence with us, in this section of the bean belt, that land that has 

 always been wet and unproductive will, after drainage, produce 

 heavy yields of beans. Usually a crop of corn is raised the first 

 year on such lands, for this has always been the great pioneer crop. 

 It seems to whip the soil into its normal condition. I have one 



