18 FFRTILIZERSAND 
to remain inert, inactive, in most soils. Only a com- 
paratively few soils contain the specific organisms 
known as sulfofying bacteria, that oxidize the sulphur 
and render it available for plant uses. Fortunately it 
does not cost much to inoculate sulphur with the bac- 
teria. Rains convey from seven to ten pounds of sul- 
phur per acre, and in localities where a great deal of 
soft coal is burned, more than forty pounds of sulphur 
per acre will be deposited on the land by rains. Un- 
luckily, more sulphur is carried off from drainage than 
is supplied by the skies. This is proven by marked 
increase in crops where sulphur is added to the soil by 
the farmer. Used in large enough quantities sulphur 
will render a soil so acid that certain kinds of worms 
and insects are killed, and weeds in paths and tennis 
courts destroyed. The acidity can afterwards be en- 
tirely neutralized by the use of lime. 
Competent and veteran growers, experts, differ 
in their convictions and practices with fertilizers. 
This is inevitable, for climate, soil, location, length of 
growing season, all enter into the problem. But any- 
where, any time, there is nothing better than bone 
meal, adding potash enough for color and tubers. Bone 
meal never "burns"; never washes out of the soil; 
never hurts when used exceedingly liberally; never 
disappoints; always promotes stockiness of growth, 
health of plant, and profusion of blooms; giving good 
results the first year, is apt to prove more profitable 
