16 
BULLETIN 43, U. S, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
period of growth. In South Carolina, peppers grow until the killing 
frosts begin: therefore cultivation is continued until the harvesting 
of the crop is begun in July. 
FERTILIZERS. 
Except in very fertile soils, fertilizers should be used, for. like most 
crops, peppers thrive best in soils rich in organic matter. The addi- 
tion of stable manure is found to be very beneficial. Very satisfac- 
tory results have also been obtained by the application of 500 to 
1.000 pounds of a mixture containing two parts of cottonseed meal, 
two parts of acid phosphate (14 per cent), and one part of kainit. 
Excellent results also followed the application of about 600 pounds 
of a complete fertilizer containing 4 per cent of ammonia, 8 per cent 
I 
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Fig. 6. — A paprika pepper field, showing the arrangement of the plants. 
of phosphoric acid, and 4 per cent of potash, reinforced by 100 pounds 
of sodium nitrate per acre. Half of this complete fertilizer, together 
with the sodium nitrate, was used in two side applications to the crop, 
the first being made about the last of May and the second about the 
last of June. The best results were obtained by im application, pre- 
vious to transferring the plants to the field, of 500 pounds per acre of a 
mixture of two parts of cottonseed meal (IT per cent ammonia), two 
parts of acid phosphate (14 per cent), and one part of kainit (12 
per cent). In June an application was made of 500 pounds per acre 
of the same mixture, together with 100 pounds of 18 per cent sodium 
nitrate, to each side of the rows of peppers just previous to cultiva- 
tion. Side applications of available fertilizers are to be recom- 
mended for this crop on account of its long period of growth. 
