by filtering plants) broadcast lightly on the bed 
and raked just under the surface is excellent. 
FINELY GROUND SULPHUR incorporated in the 
soil at the rate of 3 lbs. per 100 sq. ft. (less if a lot 
of wood’s earth is used, or if the soil is more acid 
as mountain and coastal lands) is adequate for 
Piedmont soils) ALUMINUM SULPHATE, if avail- 
able, is a good acidifying agent. 
COPPERAS is perhaps the best acidifier. If your 
azalea leaves turn yellowish during the growing 
season, it is a sign that they lack acid or iron, or 
both, COPPERAS provides both, COPPERAS 
(ferrous sulphate) is greenish-yellow, and must not 
be confused with copper sulphate (bluestone) 
which is fatal to plants. Mix COPPERAS in the 
proportion of 2 Ibs. to 100 gals. of water (1 tea- 
spoon to 2 gals.) and thoroughly soak the ground 
with this solution by sprinkling on the plants. The 
yellowing leaves will turn green within a few days 
(a mulch of fresh shavings turns gray). 
Use only ACID FERTILIZERS (never alkaline). 
COTTONSEED MEAL, lightly sprinkled around 
the plants is excellent. Too much will kill them. 
The more used the more watering in dry seasons 
will be required. A MORE BALANCED FERTIL- 
IZER is a mixture of 10 lbs. of cottonseed meal 
(or tankage), 4 lbs. of superphosphate (acid), and 
2 lbs. of sulphate (or muriate) of potash. Apply in 
the spring at the ratio of % to % Ibs. per sq. yd. 
or 2 lbs. per 100 sq. ft. If this is broadcast over 
the azaleas, wash off immediately with sprinkler. 
It is wise to mix chemicals in the soil and wait ten 
days after a rain (or soaking) before planting, be- 
cause the chemical reaction after wetting may burn 
the roots. This is particularly true of small 
azaleas, and with cottonseed meal. 
NO CHEMICAL FERTILIZER CAN TAKE THE 
PLACE OF ACID PEAT OR HUMUS. The more 
chemicals you use the more humus you need 
in the soil. Well rotted dairy compost (3 years old) 
is ideal in very acid soil, but compost is alkaline 
, and needs to be counteracted with plenty of acidi- 
fying agents, as alum or superphosphate (the latter 
could be used in breaking down the compost). One 
could use vinegar diluted in water and soak the 
beds. The thriftiest azaleas the writer has seen 
were in a plot 25 x 50 ft. on which 600 lbs. of Flor- 
ida humus, 200 lbs. of granulated peat-moss, 100 
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