HOW TO USE CONCENTRATED FERTILIZERS. 19 



We have ourselves experimented with guano, blood 

 and bone, and bone flour, with, nearly like results, and as 

 a top dressing for grass, we think the advantage of mix- 

 ing is even more marked. When fertilizers are applied 

 to corn, potatoes, tomatoes, etc. , in hills or drills, it is 

 not only more economical to mix in this manner, but 

 much safer in inexperienced hands ; for when any strong 

 fertilizer is used pure, injury is often done to the roots 

 by their coming in contact with it in too great quantity 

 in the raw state, owing to imperfect mixing in the hill 

 or drill, while, if composted as advised above, the danger 

 is much less. We are often asked as to the quantity to 

 be applied to different garden crops. Taking guano as 

 a basis, we would recommend for all vegetable crops, if 

 earliness and good quality are desired, the use of not less 

 than 1,200 lbs. per acre, (an acre contains 4,840 square 

 yards, and cultivators for private use can easily estimate 

 from this the quantity they require for any area), mixed 

 with two tons of either of the materials recommended. 

 This quantity is used broadcast by sowing on the ground 

 after plowing, and deeply and thoroughly harrowing in, 

 or if in small gardens, forked in lightly with the prongs 

 of a garden fork or long toothed steel rake. When ap- 

 plied in hills or drills, from 100 to 300 lbs. should be 

 used to the acre, according to the distance of these apart, 

 mixing with soil, etc. , as already directed. 



In regard to which of the fertilizers is most desirable, 

 we find but little difference, provided each is pure. Gu- 

 ano at $80 per ton, is relatively as cheap as blood and 

 bone fertilizer at $65 ; bone flour at 850, or superphos- 

 phate at 840 ; for in the lower priced articles we find we 

 are obliged to increase the quantity to obtain the same 

 results, so that the cost is nearly alike whichever be 

 used. The all important point is the purity of the arti- 

 cle, a matter that few working farmers or gardeners ever 

 attempt to decide except by the results in culture, hence 



