Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-07-06
FERTILIZERS FOR GARDEN CROPS.
General Considerations For the Growers Of
Vegetables For Market.

General Considerations For the Growers Of
Vegetables For Market.
The Massachusetts state experiment
station i'll report on special fertiliza-
ton with reference to prominent indus
trial crops, presents these general con-
siderations to garden farmers;
Garden crops have usually a short
period Of growth and for this reason
need a soil rich in available plant food
Of various kinds to meet periodical
wants. An excessive accumulation of
half decayed vegetable matter, as stable
manure and compost prepared from the
healthy refuse material Of the garden,
should be guarded against, in order to
prevent, as far as practicable, the devel
opment of Objectionable parasitic
growths. Both sources of manurial mat
ter are very valuable i'll their way if
used in limited quantities and properly
supplemented by chemical manures and
commercial fertilizers to meet the spe-
cial wants of the crops under cultiva-
ton. A liberal use of commercial ferti-
lizers and chemical manures for the pro-
duction of garden vegetables and fruits
deserves commentator, for they en-
able us to meet more directly the special
wants of any soil for the production of
crops raised in succession during the
same season on the same lands An eX-
cessive accumulation Of soluble salines
has however to be avoided, for some
garden vegetables, as lettuce, etc, are
very sensitive to their influence
1t is advisable wherever practicable to
change the position Of different garden
crops from season to season to regu-
late the accumulation Of the various es-
sential constituents of plant food by
raising vegetables consuming them in
different proportions. Wherever the
quality of a crop controls its economical
and commercial value it seems advisa-
BILE that care should be taken to secure
the exclusion Of an accumulation of sol
uble saline substances not called for by
the crop. This circumstance deserves
particular attention in cultivation under
glass, where the body of soil is limited,
and the removal of such substances by
percolation to the lower layers offers but
little chance of relief.
There are no unfailing recipes for a
general fertilizer mixture best adapted
to all kind Of soil for the production of
field and garden crops, yet there are GER
tain relative proportions of the essential
articles of plant food which seem to rec
ommend themselves for the raising of
vegetables for the market. A mixture
containing the proportion of 24 per cent
potassium oxide, IL per cent phOsphoric
acid and II per cent nitrogen deserves a
careful trial In some cases it has been
found advisable to add nitrogen at diff
ferent times in small quantities III the
form of nitrate Of soda. This should be
added at different stages of growth and
has been found desirable i'll the case of
cabbages, turnips, cucumbers, onions,
lettuce, asparagus strawberries, grapes,
fruit trees, etc. Peas, beans and all le
guminOus crops need no such addition,
for after reaching a certain size they
are qualified, by bacterial action upon
their roots, to benefit by the elementary
nitrogen of the atmosphere i'll sufficient
amounts to secure success
A regular periodical addition of a
moderate amount Of organic animal and
vegetable refuse matter, as barnyard
manure and vegetable compost may
form an efficient part of the system of
manuring adopted. 1t has been found
advantageous, i'll starting the cultiva-
ton of garden vegetables and orchards
upon new lands, to enrich the lower
layers of the soil by deep blowing, to-
gether with the addition of liberal
supply of natural and commercial phos-
pilates South Carolina, Florida or odor-
less phosphates, etc J, treatment which
may be repeated from time to time
whenever practicable.
A periodical application of burnt lime
or carbonate Of lime is as a rule adj
vantageous to lands used for the cult
walton of garden vegetables wherever an
excessive accumulation of organic vege'
table moth is apt to occur