J. H. Shivers Plant Farms, Allen, Maryland 
3 
Stable manures are the best fertilizers I have found. They not 
only furnish the necessary plant food, but also make the heavier soils 
of finer texture, and the light sandy soils of greater water holding 
capacity. This may be applied in the fall and plowed in or spread on 
land after plowing and worked in the soil, well. The best results I 
have ever obtained is by opening the rows and putting some fine 
manure in the row during the winter. 
However if coarse manure is not convenient you can get very 
good results from commercial fertilizer. A mixture composed of 
1,500 pounds dissolved bone and 500 pounds super phosphate. The 
analysis of this mixture is about 3-10-0. Use about 500 or 600 pounds 
of this per acre in the drill before plants are set, or alongside of the 
plants, and thoroughly work in with hoe or cultivator soon after set¬ 
ting the plants. Where applied in the drill, it should be worked in 
thoroughly, going at least twice to each row with a horse and cul¬ 
tivator to mix it in. If applied broadcast, 1,000 pounds or more per 
acre of this mixture thoroughly harrowed in before the plants are set, 
can be used without injury and possibly to advantage. If this amount 
is to be used, however, I would much prefer to put five or six hundred 
pounds in the drill and use the balance as a side dressing in late 
summer. Not more than six hundred pounds should be used in the 
drill. I have used as much as seven hundred pounds without injury, 
but have seen severe injury from 1,000 pounds in the drill, not thor¬ 
oughly mixed with the soil. In no case should nitrate or potash salts 
ever be used in any mixture drilled under the plants. Contact of any 
of these materials with the roots will surely burn them. In the past 
many thousands of plants have been killed by such methods. As a 
top dressing to be used in late summer, or in early spring before 
growth starts, I have seen 4-8-4 and 7-6-5 fertilizer give excellent 
results. In a very dry season on very light soil, I have seen fertilizer 
applied in early spring cut down the yield by producing a heavy growth 
of foliage which sucked out the scanty supply of moisture. 
WHEN TO PLANT 
The best time to plant is sometime during March or April, or as 
soon as ground can be made ready for planting. Order your plants 
as early as possible; plants set early start quicker and make a more 
vigorous growth of plants. I begin shipping about March 1st. 
Many inquiries come in regards to planting in August. Plants 
at that season of the year are not matured enough to permit digging 
or shipping without too much waste. Therefore Spring is the most 
natural and successful time for planting. Some gardeners and grow¬ 
ers insist on setting some during the late summer and early fall be¬ 
fore our regular shipping season. If you wish plants at this time we 
will furnish them. Write for our late summer prices. 
