20 



WHAT TO USE AND WHEN TO APPLY FERTILIZERS. 



The experiments are not yet conclusive enough to show the amount 

 of the various ingredients that can profitably be used on the different 

 soils, nor is it known how often the fertilizers ought to be applied, but 

 for the sandy soils the ratio of 10 pounds nitrogen, 20 pounds potash, 

 and 8 pounds phosphorus per 1,000 plants seems to give good results. 

 On the loam soils the nitrogen may often be omitted and the amounts 

 of phosphorus and potash cut to one-half. As to the time of applying, 

 it was found that the plants made the most uniform growth and kept 

 in the best condition when the fertilizers were applied in small quan- 

 tities and as often as every three to six weeks. This is what might be 

 expected from applying the fertilizers in the leaf axils, because during 

 the rainy season the salts will wash down in a short time, while in the 

 dry season the leaf base solution will be much too concentrated for the 

 plants to feed upon if the amount applied is very large. Whether the 

 frequent applications will pay for the extra cost of labor is not yet 

 known, but it seems probable that the first crop should receive not less 

 than four applications and the succeeding crops not less than two. 



The fertilizer formulas given here are intended for the ordinary 

 sandy soils and will be found useful whether the fertilizers are made 

 in a factory or at home. If made at home, the fertilizer should not 

 be mixed any length of time before needed, because there is always a 

 possibility of ammonia escaping. The basic slag should under no 

 consideration be mixed and left standing together with the blood, 

 tankage, or cotton-seed meal, because it will induce a liberation of 

 ammonia, which will be lost. 



FIRST APPLICATION. 



As the pineapple starts to take up nourishment shortly after plant- 

 ing, the first application can safely be made immediately after the 

 plants are set. This should consist of some nitrogenous organic 

 material only, such as cotton-seed meal, tankage, or dried blood, 

 which may be advantageously mixed with tobacco dust if that can 

 be obtained. A quantity sufficient to fill up the whole cavity should 

 be dropped into the heart of each plant. 



SECOND APPLICATION. 



The second application should be made from two to three months 

 later in the following quantities, which will supply 4 pounds nitro- 

 gen, 4 pounds potash, and 2 pounds phosphorus per 1,000 plants: 



30 pounds dried blood. 



8 pounds high-grade sulphate of potash. 



Or 



16 pounds low-grade sulphate of potash. 

 10 pounds steamed bone meal. 

 7 pounds acid phosphate. 



