GROUP OF FINE SANDY SOILS. 
43 
ticed it will be less difficult to maintain the supply of the essen¬ 
tial elements of plant food—phosphorus, potassium, and nitro¬ 
gen. But even when stock is maintained it is very probable 
that the moderate use of some form of phosphorus fertilizers 
will be found profitable, and some means for increasing the or¬ 
ganic matter in addition to the use of stable manure should be 
made use of as far as practicable. The growth of a crop of 
soybeans or clover, occasionally, all of which is to be plowed 
under as a green manuring crop, will be found very profitable 
in its effect on the succeeding crop of corn or grain. 
When these soils are used for the growing of potatoes or other 
special crops to a considerable extent the use of commercial fer¬ 
tilizers containing phosphorus and potassium will be found nec¬ 
essary to maintain the soil productivity. Clover or some other 
legume must be grown regularly in the rotation to maintain the 
nitrogen and organic matter, and part or all of this should be 
plowed under. It is often desirable to use the commercial fertil¬ 
izers containing phosphorus and potassium in order to secure a 
good growth of this clover, and there is little loss in so doing, 
since essentially all of the phosphorus and potassium applied 
to the soil for the clover becomes available to the succeeding 
crop through the decomposition of the organic matter. 
The use of lime in some form and also the inoculation of the 
soil is of the utmost importance when alfalfa is to be grown, and 
will be found helpful on the older fields even for the growth of 
medium red or mammoth clover. 
While the use of commercial fertilizers containing phosphorus 
and potassium is desirable in the management of these soils, it 
must not be considered that this is an indication that they have 
less value than heavier soils which are relatively higher in these 
elements, for the growth of potatoes and other special crops. 
The fact that these soils become dry and warm early in the sea¬ 
son makes them less subject to local frosts and the finer tilth 
which these fine sands develop fit them especially well for the 
growth of potatoes and some other root crops, since they are 
practically free from checking and cracking. The cost of these 
fertilizers is a comparatively small part of the total cost of 
^rowing these crops. For further suggestions on the manage- 
ment of these soils and for information regarding source and 
use of fertilizers consult Bulletins 204, 230 and 341 of the Ex¬ 
periment Station. 
