LARGE BLOOMS 
and not particularly enriched by animal manures, are 
treated right when one part, by bulk, of nitrate of soda, 
two parts sulphate of potash, and four parts of bone meal 
are used. The potash, of course, is for heightening 
color, and for tuber production. 
Apart from fertilizers it must be remembered that 
location and soil affect color. A position where there 
is always light, and never shade, gives different color 
effects than a position where trees or buildings, or even 
fences, cut off the direct light part of the day. Heavy 
soils always give less high, brilliant color, than light 
soils; and the more sunlight the plants have, the better 
and more intense is the color. 
Careful and scientific experiments at the various 
State agricultural colleges have established the fact 
that sulphur is an important element of fertilizer. Cab- 
bage removes 39.2 pounds of sulphur per acre from the 
land; turnips 36.9 pounds, alfalfa 26 pounds. Dusting 
dahlia tubers with dry sulphur after cutting in the spring 
prevents decay and mold, and adds a fertilizer. The 
dry sulphur can be sprinkled lightly in the holes, or 
furrows and its action in the soil produces sulphuric 
acid, which in turn provides phosphoric acid out of 
materials in the soil. Sulphur can also be supplied 
by iron pyrites, gypsum, and superphosphates. It has 
been definitely established that no plant growth is 
possible without sulphur. But ordinary pulverized 
"flowers of sulphur" is more likely than otherwise 
