MANAGING THE SOIL 



481 



able on the heavier soils. Wherever this quickly available 

 nitrogen is used, certain detrimental results may occur, if 

 applications are too heavy and especially if the early season is 

 wet. Thus, too vigorous a growth of stems and leaves may 

 occur, delaying the ripening of the crop and causing the 

 berries to be soft and green. 

 Such fruit carries very 

 poorly if it is shipped long 

 distances to market. 



When the practices of 

 the best growers and recent 

 experiment-station investi- 

 gations are studied, it ap- 

 pears that, after provision 

 is made for incorporating 

 organic matter in the soil, 

 fertilizers are often applied 

 at three different times. 

 These periods vary with 

 the different regions. Fer- 

 tilizers may be applied: 



(a) at time of planting; 



(b) during the first sum- 

 mer; and (c) just prior to 



blossoming in the fruiting 



T . Fig. 188. Applying fertilizer during the 



season. In some regions, „ . ^i, t 



to 7 growing season. After the application, 



growers make only appll- ^ sack is dragged over the row to brush 

 cation (a) , in others, (a) the fertilizer from the foliage, 

 and (c), and in some sec- 

 tions all three. A total application of 1000 to 2000 pounds per 

 acre is customary. Consult the findings of the local experi- 

 ment station and study the practices of the better growers. 



Some fertilizers, as nitrate of soda and muriate of potash, 

 are caustic and should not be put in actual contact with the 

 plants, unless the plants are dormant at the time of applica- 

 tion. It is customary to apply fertilizers by hand (Fig. 188). 



