412 Report oF THE HorTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
and may be entirely different in some other locality or on a different 
soil. The ground may be in need of nitrogen, potash or phos- 
phoric acid, or may lack humus, 7. e., decaying organic matter. 
Humus may be supplied by stable manure or by the plowing under 
of plants of various kinds, clover crops being especially desirable as 
they tend to supply nitrogen. If the plants do not make sufficient 
growth an application of nitrate of soda or of dried blood at the 
rate of from one hundred to two hundred pounds per acre may be 
beneficial. A lack of potash may be supplied by applications of 
wood ashes or of muriate of potash using the latter at the rate of 
about five hundred pounds per acre; and phosphoric acid may be 
supplied by applications of acid phosphate at the same rate.. There 
are various other fertilizers that might be named. Attention is 
called to the desirability of making tests of different fertilizers 
leaving check rows to determine the actual need of the particular 
soil. Applications of fertilizers may be given during the first sea- 
son’s growth, and these should be made early or in midsummer 
rather than in late fall. Under some conditions an application the 
second Spring as growth starts may also be beneficial. 
Selection of varieties As with other fruits there is a wide 
variation in the behavior of varieties under different conditions, 
and for commercial plantings only those varieties should be set 
extensively that have made a good record locally; newer varieties 
should be tested in a small way and their value definitely determined 
before setting them in the plantation. 
Sex of plants.— Attention is also called to the sex of the plants. 
Rows of imperfect blooming kinds should alternate with perfect 
bloomers to secure pollinization of the imperfect blossoms. If only 
those varieties which are imperfect, 7. e., in which the blossoms con- 
tain no stamens in addition to the pistils, such as Cardinal, Kansas, 
President, etc., be planted the result is usually a failure and unless 
there are a sufficient number of blossoms nearby of perfect bloomers, 
such as Marshall, Ridgeway, Rough Rider, etc., the incomplete 
fertilization is indicated by an abundance of nubbins, berries with 
hard, greenish, undeveloped apex. The kind of pollen does not ap- 
pear to influence the character of the fruit. For instance — the 
fruit of Kansas (imperfect) always seems the same in size, shape, 
