The Carlisle independent., 1920-02-26

tion of fertilizers is made CT soils lacking in plant food. Humus can not do everything put other factors c4n not functionaproperly where nlnus IS lacking. A field that has been planted to berries for q number of seasons, should be piowed up and planted to COW peas. After attaining a good growth, the peas should be turned under and planted to corn and COW peas next spring. Then if the corn stalks and COW peas are turned under in the fall and q light dressing of ma nure and phosphoric acid added, the | field is again ready for berries aud will produce just as good crops 1.s it ever did
 Barnyard manure and commercial fertilizers will give good resalts for berries. Barn yard manure should be applied before or at the time the plants are set, where old land is enl- ployed, but Is usually not needed on new land. In using fertilizers, tsey should be applied and worked into the soil before the berries are set and d light application made as soon as | the fruit is harvested each seasoa. Nitrate of soda should be used spar ingly if at all. Acid phosphate has given better results, when used alone, than any other fertilizer. Too much nitrogen in any form is inju-ious 0n account of the vigorous foliage growth which follows.
 A good fertilizer to use before the plants are set is an 8-3-2 mixture ap- piled at the rate of 600 to 500 pound per acre or use fertilizer esntais- ing about 24 pounds of ammonia, G4 pounds of phosphoric acid aud 16 pounds of potash per acre. This can be secured by using 400 pounds of acid phosphate, $50 pounds of cotton seed meal and 32 pounds of potassium sulfate or $50 to 400 pounds of un- leaehed wood ashes. In applying fer tilizer to growing plants care must be taken to keep wood ashes, potassium sulfate and nitrate of soda of the plants or from coming in close con- tact with the roots. Acid phosphate, bone meal, dried blood or cotton seed meal may be sprinkled close to or on the plants without burning.
 After the field has been established any nitrogenous fertilizers used should be applied in the summer after the fruit has been harvested, or at the very latest, early in the spring as soon as any growth starts. Nitrogen applied shortly before the plants bloom will usually decrease the bloom because of the heavy growth Of foli- age. Fertilizers benefit cannot be estimated by the amount of vine growth produced. Where the fertili- ger is applied in the summer a small amount of Nitrate of Soda may be used provided there is plenty Of T1Ois- ture in the soil
 If the season is dry it should not be used nor should potassium sulfate be used. When the summer season is dry better results will be had by de feTring the application of fertilizers until the soil becomes moist. When applied in the summer the same con- plete fertilizer may be used which is recommended for plants when first set. When fertilizer is not applied until the following spring it is us- ually best to use only bone meal alone or acid phosphate and dried blood or cotton seed meal.
 Cultivation during the first season and after harvest thereafter will go long way toward insuring crop and keeping the rows full of plants for several years. Many berry field suffers great deal more from lack of cultivation than from lack of fer tilizers
 Mulching, although not needed to prevent winter injury as it is in the North, will afford considerable pro tection from drought, and will insure cleaner berries. Drought often cuts the yield down great deal by short ening the bearing season. A good mulch will prolong the picking sea son several days. It has often made difference of 50 crates to the acre in yield.
 It is often impracticable to mulch or to give intensive cultivation on large areas but when we find men who employ these methods on small areas making greater net returns than the larger fields are affording, we cannot but question the business judgment of the man who plants more than he can properly care for.