COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS 
67 
amount of fertilizer will make up for poor tillage, insuffi- 
cient soil moisture and a small percentage of vegetable 
matter. More than this, the fertilizers applied will not 
be of full value unless all other conditions are satisfac- 
tory. It is impossible to incorporate fertilizer thoroughly 
in a poorly prepared soil. If the moisture content is in- 
sufficient the fertilizer cannot decompose or enter into 
solution to become available to the growing plants. 
Again, soils lacking in organic matter cannot continue to 
FIG. 12. WHEELBARROW FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTOR 
produce large crops even with the lavish use of fertilizers. 
Harmony of all conditions must exist before it is possible 
to harvest maximum crops of high quality. 
112. Methods of application. — In vegetable gardening 
commercial fertilizers should be applied aftei plowing 
and before much harrowing has been done. The ferti- 
lizer will then be mixed thoroughly with the soi, in mak- 
ing preparations for sowing or planting. 
Various drills and distributors have been placed on the 
