Cheap Artificials Proprietary brands of artificial fertilisers, lawn sand and
de- composition agents are often, like bath salts, nothing but the simplest chemicals under a fancy name. Gardeners, with slight trouble and considerable saving, can mix their own. Com- mercial lawn sand is, for example, simply a mixture of 12 to Is parts of fine sand, part sulphate of iron and II parts sulphate of ammonia. It is quick and effective in action. A perfect general fertiliser may be made of 4 parts of superphosphate of lime to I part each of sulphate of ammonia, sulphate of potash and steamed bone flour. This is excellent for fruit, flowers and vegetables, and particularly good for potatoes if sprinkled in the rows at planting time. A dusting of sulphate of ammonia and superphosphate on decaying refuse will do all that a proprietary decomposing agent can. Those who like their hydrangeas blue should remember, too, that common alum is the basis, and per- haps the whole, of the colouring powders sold in expensive tins.
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