10 JOHNSON & STOKES 
ashes, South Carolina rock, kainit, etc., are examples of in- 
complete fertilizers. 
Barnyard Manure — Barnyard manure is the best of all 
known fertilizers. Not only is it complete in character, but 
it has the highly valuable property of bulk. It is rich in 
humus or humus-forming materials. It opens and ventilates 
the soil, and improves its mechanical condition to a remark- 
able degree. Humus is a name for decaying organic matter. 
American market gardeners deem it entirely safe to use 
fifty to seventy-five tons of barnyard manure to the acre of 
ground in their intensive cultural operations. American 
farmers seldom apply more than ten or fifteen tons of such 
manure to the acre in the open field. 
The manufacture of artificial fertilizers had its origin in 
the fact that cultivators could not get enough manure from 
natural sources, and, hence, were compelled to go into the 
market and buy nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash in 
other forms. 
Closer Economy — With the increase of competition and 
consequent fall of prices a closer economy in cost of produc- 
tion is necessary. Prices have fallen most in respect to com- 
modities that will bear long-distance freight transit and less 
in respect to the more perishable products of the soil. Hence, 
farmers have widely turned attention to small fruits and 
vegetables for money crops, instead of grains, and are now 
studying how to fertilize these crops in the most effective 
and economical manner. 
It is very evident that while great quantities of fertility are 
demanded by the new crops, there is no such margin of 
profit in their culture as to warrant wasteful methods, and 
no losses of home-produced fertility can be tolerated. 
As to Saving Manure — A penny saved is a penny 
earned. A half ton of manure saved is a dollar earned; and, 
conversely, a half ton of manure wasted is a dollar wasted. 
