Here's a grass test. Alphano Humus was spread on the terraced part, and the customary barnyard manure on the rest. The Alphano, being in powdered form, was raked in. 

 The manure, being characteristically lumpy and full of litter, eventually had to be raked off, carrying along much of its worth. Three days before this photograph was taken, all 

 the grass was cut. The very marked contrast in the height and evident depth of color of the grass between the two portions tells its own story of the real worth of Alphano Humus. 



A Talk to Those Who Are Not Awake to the Merits 



of Alphano Humus 



Humus is the very back bone of any productive soil. The greater its Humus content, the higher its pro- 

 ductive power and the longer its fertility endures. The difference between freely workable, fertile top soil 

 and "packey" or "gravelly," unproductive sub-soil is the difference in the amount of Humus it contains. 



Humus itself is just simple, plain, every day de- 

 cayed vegetable matter. 



When you walk in the woods it's the Humus that 

 gives that soft, springy feeling. It's the Humus 

 that fills itself full of water and gradually liberates 

 it, feeding the springs and streams. It's Humus 

 in the wood soil that plays so important a part in 

 preventing the rains from rushing down the hills 

 and mountain sides, filling the streams and caus- 

 ing flood disasters. 



Humus it is that makes a heavy soil lighter and 

 light soils heavier. It's Humus that absorbs the 

 nitrogen and other plant foods and combines them, 

 making readily available foods for plant growth. 

 It's Humus that holds the moisture in soil, forti- 

 fying it against the Summer's protracted heat. 

 Without Humus, soils are sterile. So much for 

 Humus in general; now a word about Alphano 

 Humus in particular. 



Up at Alphano, New Jersey, are deposits of 

 Humus, varying in depth from 18 inches to 5 feet. 

 Scientific authorities estimate that it has been 

 thousands of years in forming. They state it to 

 be composed of highly decayed vegetable matter, 

 with which is mixed the remains of fish and animal 

 life, together with the mineral matter washed 

 down from the neighboring hills. 



When this deposit is dug up and put in piles, it 

 "heats." This proves beyond all dispute that it 

 is far from inert, but lively with the bacteria of 

 ferment, so essential for rendering the nitrogen 

 available as well as increasing'the activity of the 

 bacteria already in any soil. 



A Connecticut Estate had some side hill 

 [and so void of Humus it 'would scarcely 

 grow beans 5 inches high. Alphano Humus 

 was spread on and plowed in. This celery 

 grew on that very same land that very same 

 year. 



$12 a ton. $8 per ton by the carload 

 F. O. B. Alphano, N. J. 



This bacterial action is highly important in 

 aerating the soil, and in the uniting of the various 

 soil properties to increase their availability for 

 plant roots. 



This Alphano Humus, of Nature's own make, 

 we dig, dry, and prepare in a powdered form, al- 

 ready for your use. 



It is rich in nitrogen, carrying as much as from 

 3 f ( to 4%; against one half of one percent con- 

 tained in barnyard manures. It analyzes high in 

 phosphates, lime and the various other plant life 

 giving properties. 



Being in powdered form, you can easily incor- 

 porate it in the soil. Being odorless, you can use 

 it at any time, anywhere, absolutely without ob- 

 jection. Being entirely sanitary, it overcomes the 

 menace of disease distribution, ever present with 

 animal manures. 



Being so much stronger than such manures, and 

 lasting so much longer than chemical fertilizers, 

 it has distinct advantage over either. Being so 

 reasonable in price, you can use it freely, and know 

 that you are not only stimulating the soil, but 

 giving to it a long enduring fertility. 



W e welcome the opportunity to prove what 

 Alphano Humus will do for you, based on what it 

 has done, and is doing, for others. 



Use it this Spring on your lawn — rake it in — not 

 off, as you do with barnyard litter. Dig it around 

 your shrubs — use as a mulch for rhododendrons — 

 garden with it. Give it a fair trial. 



Send for the Humus Book; it tells all about Hu- 

 mus in general and Alphano Humus in particular. 



Alphano Humus Company 



942 Whitehall Building, New York City 



