JO VEGETABLE GARDENING 
potash. (Dr. Edward B. Yoorhees calls a mixture of this 
composition the basic fertilizer.) The nitrogen should 
be derived from at least two sources, say nitrate of soda, 
and an animal product, as dried blood. To make a more 
simple example, we will suppose that the nitrogen is to 
be derived from nitrate of soda, the phosphoric acid from 
acid phosphate and the potash from muriate of potash. 
It simplifies matters to think of percentages, as pounds. 
Four per cent of nitrogen means four pounds in each 
hundred pounds or 80 pounds for the ton. As nitrate o-f 
soda contains about 16 per cent nitrogen, it is readily 
seen that 500 pounds of this salt will be required to fur- 
nish the required amount of nitrogen. We will suppose 
that the acid phosphate is 17 per cent available, and 160 
pounds of phosphoric acid are needed. By dividing 160 
by . 17 , we learn that 941 pounds of acid phosphate are 
required. Muriate of potash contains 50 per cent of 
actual potash. By calculating in the same manner it is 
ascertained that 400 pounds of this ingredient is required 
to supply the potash. These three materials aggregate 
1,841 pounds. To make a ton it is necessary to add some 
foreign matter, as sand. The sand would be known as the 
filler, and is of no value, but it increases the cost of 
freight, drayage and application to the land. A filler 
may be of benefit as a “drier” if it will serve to keep the 
mineral materials from taking up moisture and lumping. 
Tankage or ground fish scrap are valuable “driers.” 
The home mixing of fertilizers is a very simple opera- 
tion. The grower should be provided with short-handled 
square shovels ; and a sand screen with a l /\- inch mesh, 
not less than 3 feet wide, 5 feet long, and mounted on a 
frame that may be propped up at any angle to the floor. 
It is not convenient to mix more than half a ton at a 
time. The various materials are weighed and spread in 
a flat pile, each ingredient constituting a separate layer. 
The sand screen is placed conveniently near the pile and 
