THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE Gift of THE HONNOLD LIBRARY COMPLIMENTS OF WILLIAM S. MYERS, Director Chilean Nitrate Committee 25 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK FOOD FOR PLANTS New Edition With Supplementary Notes EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM s. MYERS, D. sc. F. c. s., Director, Chilean Nitrate Propaganda. Late of New Jersey State Agricultural College. 25 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK PREFACE This is the eleventh edition of Food for Plants and, after repeated and extended revisions, the work has come to have a standard place in our American farm literature. It now includes results of original investi- gations and experiments on Highlands Experimental Farms. The main purpose of all the within recorded ex- periments has been to demonstrate the value of Nitrate of Soda in the scheme of rational fertilization on a practical scale. The investigations have covered more particularly the questions of amount of Nitrate and other chemicals to be employed, time of application for most profitable results and practical methods for the preparation of grass lands and the harvesting of the hay crop. These recorded experiments conclude the field work intended as demonstrations in farm practice of what may be' accomplished by the rational use of Nitrate of Soda under average farm conditions in a typical dairy section of New York State. The earlier results have appeared from time to time in former editions of "Food for Plants," "Grass Growing for Profit," and "Growing Timothy Hay for Market," all practical farm books of value, based on actual scientific and sound practical data. Studies having been made of methods of crop growing, from the preparation of the land to handling and marketing the crops, it is believed that these volumes have unique and unusual value. WILLIAM S. MYERS. FOOD FOR PLANTS Nitrate is a powerful plant tonic, food and ener- gizer. It is not a stimulant in any sense of the word; a very small quantity does a very large amount of work. We never recommend the use of Nitrate of Soda alone, except at the rate of not more than one hundred (100) pounds to the acre, when it may be used without other fertilizers. The phosphate fertilizers may gener- ally be applied in connection with Nitrate of Soda at the rate of about two hundred (200) pounds to the acre. This rate will be found generally profitable for all crops. Nitrate is best applied as a Top-dressing in the spring soon after vegetation begins to grow. It will be found quite satisfactory also in its after-effect in perceptibly sweetening sour land. It is well known that animals, and especially the young ones, must have all the food they can digest in order to properly develop fQ^pi a ^ S and grow. This is equally true of plants. Plants will manage to live on very little food, but to grow, thrive and bear fruit they also require an abundance of food. The Food of Plants consists of a number of ele- ments, including Nitrate, phosphate, lime and potash. Nearly always two of these are lacking in adequate quantities to produce crops, especially is Nitrate want- ing in the vast majority of instances. In this case the normal growth and ._ K^ u e 4.1, -n u r -4. j it 1S yield oi the crop will be limited only by the quantity of Nitrate it can properly assimilate. There might be an abundant supply of all the other elements, but plants can never use other kinds of food without Nitrate. Nitrate Nitrogen is the food that isjnearly always deficient. The ques- Nearly 6 Always tion that presents itself to the farmer, Deficient, gardener and fruit grower is, How can F Piants ^ su PPly m y plants with Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and - potash, in the best forms and at the least expense? We will try to throw some light upon this question in the following pages. We will take first, Phosphoric Acid. ..... There are several sources of phos- Phosphoric Acid. , .j ., i i_ i phone acid, the principal being bones and rock phosphate. Of these, the rock phosphate is the cheapest source. A prevailing impression exists that superphosphate made from rock phosphate is not as good as that made from bones. It has been shown by many experiments that this idea is entirely without foundation. What the plants want is available phos- phoric acid, and it makes little or no difference from what source it is derived. The largest deposits of rock phosphates exist in South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. These beds of phosphate are supposed to be composed of the petri- fied bones and excrements of extinct animals. When this substance is ground and mixed with a sufficient quantity of sulphuric acid, the larger part of the phos- phoric acid which it contains becomes soluble in water, and hence available as plant food. This fact was one of the greatest agricultural discoveries of the age. When the rock phosphate is thus treated with sul- phuric acid, it becomes what is commercially known as superphosphate, or acid phosphate. The same is true if ground bone is treated in the same way. Good super- phosphate, or acid phosphate, contains 14 per cent, of soluble phosphoric acid. p , , The best sources of potash are sulphate of potash and unleached wood ashes, which latter contain from 3 to 5 per cent, of potash in the form of carbonate. They also contain from 1 to 2^ per cent, of phosphoric acid. They are worth usually, as plant food, from $7.00 to $11.00 per ton, not to mention the valuable lime they contain. . Nitrate is the most important and effective element of plant food, and at the same time, as stated, is the one that is generally deficient in the soil. Lands must have meals, that is, food cooked for them in advance. The sun will help do this cooking, as its heat and light promote nitration which is really p? od . for a process of cooking and also pre-digestion. When the plant food is cooked and prepared for use it is Nitrate, hence Nitrate of Soda is in a class by itself, different from all other plant foods. There are a great many sources of Nitrogen, such as dried fish, cotton-seed meal, dried blood, and tank- age. But none of these furnish Nitrogen in the Nitrate form in which it is taken up by plants. This can only be furnished to plants in the form of Nitrate of Soda. Nitrogen applied in any other form must be first con- verted into Nitrate before it can be used by plants at all. Nitrate of Soda contains the Nitrogen that is neces- sary for the growth of plants, and is the best form in which to furnish Nitrogen to plants. When we say the best form we mean as well the best practical form. Nitrate of Soda not only furnishes Nitrogen in its most available form, but it furnishes it at a lower price than any other source, because 100 per cent, of it or all is available. No other form containing so much available plant food is also capable of unlocking the latent potash in the soil. How Nitrate Benefits the Farmer. Nitrate of Soda, from the stand- point of the agricultural chemist, is a What Nitrate i * j i . i . . . . Looks Like ; Its substance formed by the union or nitric chemical oxide and soda. In appearance it re- Properties, sembles coarse salt. In agriculture, it is valuable chiefly for its active Nitrogen, although it is also a soil sweetener and is frequently capable of rendering available potash in the soil. Commercially pure Nitrate con- What it is in tains about 15 per cent, of Nitrogen, Agriculture, equivalent to 18.25 per cent, of Am- monia, or 300 pounds of Nitrogen to the ton. Fo df ? r Nitrate of Soda is found in vast Fo^nd 6 l quantities in Chile. The beds of Ni- trate, or "Caliche," as it is called in Chile before it is refined, are several thousand feet above the sea, on a desert plain extending for seventy-five miles north and south, and about twenty miles wide, in a rainless region. The surface of the desert is covered with earth or rock, called "costra," which varies from three to ten or more feet in thickness. Under this is found the "Caliche," or crude Nitrate. The layer of "Caliche" is sometimes eight or ten feet thick, but averages about three feet. This "Caliche" contains on the average about 50 per cent, of pure Nitrate of Soda. There is ample Nitrate now in sight to last, it is calculated, upwards of two hundred years. The "Caliche" is refined by boiling in water to dissolve the Nitrate. This hot water is then run off Method of and allowed to cool in tanks, when the Refining. Nitrate forms in crystals like common salt. The Nitrate is then placed in bags of a little over two hundred pounds each and shipped to all parts of the world. How these beds of Nitrate were formed has been the subject of much speculation. The generally accepted theory is, that they were formed by the gradual decomposition and natural manurial fermen- tation of marine animal and vegetable matter, which contains a considerable amount of Nitrogen. The pro- cess of refining is an expensive one. The same wise Providence that stored up the coal in the mountains of Pennsylvania to furnish fuel for people when their supply of wood had become ex- hausted, preserved this vast quantity of Nitrate of Soda in the rainless region of Chile, to be used to furn- ish crops with the necessary Nitrate when the natural supply in the soil had become deficient. The enormous explosive industry of this country Its U could not be conducted without Ni- trate of Soda, and glass works are de- pendent upon it. In fact, glass works and powder works usually have Nitrate on hand. Nitrate of Soda has a special bearing on the prog- ress of modern agriculture, being the most nutritious form of Nitrogenous or ammoniate plant food. While the action of micro-organisms with . . certain crops (legumes) combines and ^Modern* 1 makes effective use of the inert Nitrogen Agriculture, of the atmosphere, such action is far too slow and uncertain for all the requirements of modern agriculture, for it is not available for use for a whole year or even longer. The rapid exhaustion of combined Nitrogen has several times been noticed by eminent scientific men, with reference to food famine, because of a lack of the needful Nitrogenous plant food. It has been estimated under the present methods of cropping the rich lands of our Western States, that tor every pound of Nitrogen actually used to make a wheat crop, four to five pounds are utterly wasted. In other words, our pioneer agriculture has proceeded as though fertility capital could be drawn upon forever. This injudicious waste is already reducing the yield of many of the best lands, rendering the use of at least a small application per acre of Nitrate both profit- able and necessary. The agricultural value of Nitrate of Soda has had the Eminent Scien- attention of the foremost agricultural sts ^L w A rld i ,-f. f Pi ii Over Well Ac- and scientific specialists or the world, quanted with the including such men as Dr. Wagner Great Value of and Professor Maercker, of Germany; Nitrate. Lawes and Gilbert, Sir William Crookes, Dr. Dyer, Dr. Hall and Dr. Voelcker, in Eng- land; Professors Grandeau, Cassarini, Migneaux, and Cadoret, in France; Professors Bernardo and Alino, in Spain; and Drs. Voorhees, Brooks, Duggar, Ross, Patterson, Hilgard and Garcia in America. The re- sults obtained by these officials may be summarized as follows: 1. Nitrate of Soda acts very beneficially and with great certainty upon all straw-growing plants. 2. It is of special value for forcing the rapid de- velopment and early maturity of most garden crops. 3. It is of great importance in the production of F Di d f J su g ar beets, potatoes, hops, fodder crops, fiber plants, iii and tobacco. 4. It is exceedingly valuable in developing and maintaining meadow grass and pasture lands. 5. In the early stages of development it produces favorable results upon peas, vetches, lupines, clover, and alfalfa. 6. It has been applied with much advantage to various kinds of berries, bush fruits, vineyards, orchards and nursery stock, and small fruits generally. 7. It provides the means in the hands of the farmer, for energizing his crops so that they may better withstand the ravages of drought, or the onslaughts of plant diseases or insect pests, such as boll weevil, and others. T _. 8. It may be used as a surface ap- plication to the soil, from time to time, as the plants indicate a need of it by their color and growth. 9. It is immediately available, and under favor- able conditions its effect upon many crops may be noticed within a few days after its application. 10. It may be used either as a special fertilizer, or as a supplemental fertilizer. 11. The best results are obtained from its applica- tion when the soil contains ample supplies of available phosphoric acid and potash. It should always be re- membered that it furnishes the one most expensive and necessary element of plant food, namely, Nitrogen, and of the various commercial forms of Nitrogen, Nitrate is the cheapest. 12. Its uniform action seems to be to energize the capacity of the plant for developing growth. Its action is characterized by imparting to the plant a deep green, healthy appearance, and by also causing it to grow rapidly and to put out numbers of new shoots. 13. The immediate effect of an application of Nitrate of Soda, therefore, is to develop a much larger plant growth and its skillful application must be relied upon to secure the largest yields of fruits and grain. 14. Under favorable conditions of moisture and cultivation, these effects may be confidently antici- od for pated upon all kinds of soils. 15. All of the plant food contained in Nitrate of XI Soda is available and existing in a highly soluble form. The farmer should understand that it is not economical to apply more of it than can be utilized by the crop ; one of the most valuable qualities of this fertilizer being that it need not lie dormant in the soil from one season to the next. 16. The best results are secured when it is applied during the early growing period of the plant. If applied too late in the development of the plant, it has a tendency to protract its growing period and to delay the ripening of the fruit, as the energies of the plant are immediately concentrated upon developing its growth, after a liberal application of Nitrate of Soda. This is true with some exceptions. 17. The farmer must not expect it to excuse him from applying proper principles of land drainage, or cultivation of the soil, nor should Nitrate of Soda be used in excessive quantities too close to the plants that are fertilized with it. For most agricultural crops, an application of one hundred pounds to the acre is sufficient when it is used alone. 18. It may be applied to either agricultural or garden lands by sowing it broadcast upon the land, or by means of any fertilizer-distributing machine in use. If applied in the dry state, in order to insure uniform distribution, a convenient method is to mix it with twice its weight of air-slacked lime, land plaster, or even with dry loam or sand before applying it. It can be applied to the surface, and without cultivation will be absorbed by the soil, or it may be cultivated into the soil by some light agricultural implement, such as a harrow, weeder, cultivator or horse hoe. The capillary movement of the soil waters will distribute it in the soil, and the capillary attraction of the soil when in good tilth will retain it safely until the plant uses it. Accepting the conclusions of these scientific men, the use of Nitrate of Soda in agriculture ought to increase proportionately to the dissemination of the knowledge of its usefulness among our farmers. An Fo d f ? r increase in the consumption of Nitrate giants its Use is i , m Increasing. amon g growers of tobacco, fiber plants, sugar beets, the hop, grape, grass and small fruits, has been most notable of late. The ele- ment of plant food first exhausted in soils is Nitrogen, and in many cases a marked increase in crop is obtained through Top-Dressing of Nitrate alone. "Complete" fertilizers are generally rather low in Nitrogen, and most expensive, and Nitrate may be wisely used to supplement them, as it is practically the cheapest form of plant food Nitrogen. By "complete fertilizers," is meant "Complete fertilizers containing Nitrogen, phos- "K^p e hates^ d P lloric acid and P tasn ' These fertil - the Most Expen- i zers are often called "phosphates," and sive Plant Food, people have fallen into the habit of call- ing any commercial fertilizer a "phos- phate," whether it contains phosphate or not. Many so-called "complete fertilizers" are merely low grade acid phosphates with insignificant amounts of the other essential plant foods. They are unprofitable and ill balanced rations for all crops. The value of these "phosphates," no matter how high sounding their names, is usually mostly in phos- phoric acid and potash. The Nitrogen contained in these "complete fer- tilizers" is often in a form that is neither available nor useful to the plants until it has become converted into Nitrate. The time required to do this varies from a few days to a few years, according to the temperature of the soil and the kind and condition of the material used. Statistics gathered by the Experiment Stations show that many millions of dollars are spent annually in the United States for "complete fertilizers." Con- sidering that the average "complete fertilizer" costs 25 per cent, more than it is worth, it is -evident that farmers pay immensely more for their fertilizers than they get value in return. And this state of things is the same all over the country. The farmers of this country are paying out many millions of dollars annually to the manufacturers of "complete fertilizers," which they could very easily save by the exercise of a little care and foresight. Would you not think a man very HOW to Save I3 unwise who should buy somebody's Money on "Complete Prepared Food," at a high Fertilizers, price, when he wanted feed for his horses, instead of going into the market and buying corn, oats and hay, at market prices? The "Complete Prepared Food" would probably be composed of corn, oats and hay mixed together, and the price would be, perhaps, twice as much as the corn, oats and hay would cost separately. It is the same with plant food. It is always more economical to buy the different fertil- ^ Buy izing materials and mix them at home than to purchase "complete" fertilizers as they are often called. Some do not wish to take pains to get good materials and mix them, and prefer to purchase the "complete" fertilizers. If this be done, special attention should be given to ascertaining in what form the Nitrogen exists. Many of the manufacturers do not tell this, but the Experiment Stations analyze all the fertilizers sold in their respective States and publish the results in bulletins, which are sent free to anyone asking for them. These analyses should show in what form the Nitrogen is. The "complete fertilizers" that contain the most Nitrogen in the form of Nitrate are the ones to use, and the ones which do not contain Nitrate or which do not give information on this vital point should not be purchased. If you have on hand a "complete fertilizer" containing a small percentage of Nitrogen, and only in organic form, such as cotton- seed, "tankage," etc., it will be of great advantage to use one hundred pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda in addition to this fertilizer. No fertilizer is really complete without Nitrate of Soda. Are the Farmers of Little Europe More Intelligent Than Those of America ? It certainly seems so. The English and European farmers instead of buying their Nitrogen in complete Fo pi d f * r fertilizers and paying over 25 cents per pound for it, use - annually over eight hundred thousand (800,000) tons H of Nitrate of Soda as a fertilizer, while yet only a few thousands of American farmers are using it at a cost generally of less than 20 cents per pound. American farmers, gardeners and fruit growers are supposed to be ready to "catch on" to a good thing. And as soon as our Agricultural Press let them know the facts in regard to the great value of Nitrate of Soda as a Fertilizer our farmers will not be slow to use it. The reason why so little is said about Nitrate of Soda is simply owing to the fact that there is "no money in it for the trade." It is an article that everybody can sell, and consequently no one can afford to advertise it. The real friends of agriculture, however, will be pleased to know that there is a decided increase in the demand for Nitrate of Soda in this country. As soon as the farmers demand it, the dealers in fertilizers will be glad to keep the Nitrate for sale, and sooner or later will advertise it. In the mean time, if your agricul- tural paper does not tell you about Nitrate of Soda and how to use it, take a paper that keeps up with the science and practice of the age. It is now known that the Nitrogen in organic matter of soil or manure is slowly converted into the Nitrate form by a minute organism. This cannot grow if the soil be too cold, or too wet, or too dry, or in a sour soil. As a general rule, soils must be kept sweet and the other conditions necessary for the con- version of the Nitrogen into the Nitrate form are warm weather and a moist soil in good physical condition. In the early spring the soil is too wet and too cold for the change to take place. We must wait for warm weather. But the gardener does not want to wait. He makes his profits largely on his early crops Guided only by experience and tradition, he fills his land with manure, and even then he gets only a moderate crop the first year. He puts on 75 tons more manure the next year, and gets a better crop. And he may con- tinue^ putting on manure till the soil is as rich in Nitro- gen as the manure itself, and even then. he must keep on manuring or he fails to get a good early crop. Why? The Nitrogen of the soil, or of roots of plants, or dung, is retained in the soil in a comparatively inert condition. There is little or no loss. But when it is slowly converted into Nitrate during warm weather, the plants take it up and grow rapidly. How, then, is the market gardener to get the Nitrate absolutely necessary for the growth of his early plants? He may get it, as before stated, from an excessive and continuous use of stable manure, but even then he fails to get it in sufficient quantity. One thousand pounds of Nitrate of Soda, will furn- ish more Nitrogen to the plants early in the spring than the gardener can get from 100 tons of well-rotted stable manure. The stable manure may help furnish Nitrate for his later crops, but for his early crops the gardener who fails to use Nitrate of Soda is blind to his own interests. A given quantity of Nitrate will produce a given amount of plant sub- 25, V 1 ^ ^ PI, I IN itra. te DHOUIQ stance. A ton or wheat, straw and j, e used. grain together, contain about 1,500 pounds of dry matter, of which 25 pounds is Nitrogen. To produce a ton of wheat and straw together would require, therefore, 170 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, in which quantity there is 25 pounds of Nitrogen. A ton of cabbage, on the other hand, contains about 43/2 pounds of Nitrogen. To produce a ton of cabbage, therefore, would require 30 pounds of Nitrate of Soda. There are no crops on which it is more profitable to use fertilizers than on vegetables and small fruits, provided they are used rightly. Failures with chemi- cal fertilizers are caused usually by lack of knowledge. There is no doubt but yf^ that stable manure is valuable as a fer- small Fruits. tilizer, and in some cases may be indis- pensable, but at the same time the quantities necessary to produce good results could be greatly reduced by using chemical fertilizers to supply plant food and only enough manure to give lightness and add humus to the soil. Food for What Fertilizers For crops like cabbage and beets, ! J> u !f for Gar - that it is desirable to force to rapid 16 maturity, the kind of plant food, -espe- cially of Nitrogen, is of the greatest importance. Many fertilizers sold for this purpose have all the Nitrogen they contain in insoluble and unavailable form, so that it requires a considerable time for the plants to get it. Another fault is that they do not contain nearly enough Nitrogen. Stable manure con- tains on the average in one ton 10 pounds Nitrogen, 10 pounds potash, and only 5 pounds phosphoric acid, while the average "complete" fertilizer contains more than twice as much phosphoric acid as Nitrogen, a most unnatural and unprofitable ration. A ratio of 2 Nitrogen, 4 potash, and 10 of phosphoric acid, is frequent in many of the so-called "complete fertilizers," which are really incomplete and unbalanced as well. A fertilizer for quick-growing vegetables should contain as much Nitrogen as phosphoric acid, and at least half this Nitrogen should be in the form of Nitrate, which is the only immediately available plant food. Some interesting and valuable Comparative experiments were made at the Con- Nitrogen in necticut Experiment Station, to ascer- Various Forms. tain how much of the Nitrogen con- tained in such materials as dried blood, tankage, dry fish, and cotton-seed meal, is available for plants. The experiments were made with corn, and it was found that when the same quantity of Nitrogen was applied in the various forms the crop increased over that where no Nitrogen was applied, as shown in the following table: Increase of Crop from Same Quantity of Nitrogen from Different Sources. Relative Sources of Nitrogen. Crop Increase. Nitrate of Soda 100 Dried Blood 73 Cotton-seed Meal 72 Dry Fish 70 Tankage 62 Linseed Meal . . 78 The above table shows some interesting facts. It is evident that only about three-fourths as much of the Nitrogen in dried blood or cotton-seed meal as in Ni- 1 7 trate of Soda is available the first season. The Nitro- gen in tankage is even less available, only a little over half being used by the crop. These experiments were made with corn, which grows for a long period when the ground is warm and the conditions most favorable to render the Nitrogen in organic substances available, and yet only part of it could be used by the crop. When it is considered that Nitrogen in the form of Nitrate of Soda can be bought for as little or less per pound than in almost any other form, the advantage and economy of purchasing and using this form is very apparent. Nitration as studied by means of the drainage water of 6 plots of land, each 300 square yards in area, during 4 years, shows that the loss of Nitrogen in the drainage water was very small and practically negli- gible. Even when Nitrogen was applied in the spring the losses were not large unless heavy rains occurred at the time. The Nitrogen is apparently rapidly taken up by the young growing plants at this season of the year and only a small portion is free to pass into the drainage. The greatest losses may occur in the fall, when the soil is bare and heavy rains occur, the Ni- trates having accumulated in large quantities during the warmer period of the year. Large losses at this season are, however, prevented by the growing of cover crops. Chile's Supply of Nitrate. Investigation Proves It Sufficient, in all Likelihood to Last Several Centuries. A good deal has been said in this country and in Europe about the probability of the Nitrate beds of Chile being exhausted within twenty to twenty-five years. The matter has been the subject of a native government investigation with the result that the in- Fo pi d f ? r vestigators report enough to last for several centuries - yet. 18 Of interest in connection with the report of a new process for the cheap commercial extraction of Nitrogen from the air, for use in making fertilizers, is a recent (Chilean) government report on the Chilean Nitrate beds. It is estimated that the state still possesses nearly 5,000,000 acres of Nitrate grounds, which con- tain about 1,000,000,000,000 pounds of Nitrate. Tak- ing half this figure as the total available supply, and assuming an annual export of 8,000,000,000 pounds, which is more than twice the amount ever sent out of the country in any one year, it would require upwards of 125 years to exhaust the beds. If to these govern- ment beds there be added those belonging to private persons, the final exhaustion of the supply will not be for another two or three hundred years. The reported imminency of the failure of the Chile beds has been one of the reasons urged for the development of an artificial process of manufacture, up to this time a failure com- mercially. So many sensational statements have been made of late which would lead one to suppose that the ex- haustion of the supplies of Chilean Nitrate is imminent, that I am asking you to help dissipate the prevailing opinion that very little Nitrate of Soda is now left in Chile for fertilizer or other purposes. First of all, there is a vast amount of unsurveyed Nitrate ground on the Chilean pampas that is, never- theless, known to contain immense quantities of Nitrate of Soda. Second, grounds already surveyed still contain enormous quantities of Nitrate. There are probably, in round numbers, one billion tons of Nitrate in the de- posits of Chile, and, without doubt, large supplies also exist on lands now but incompletely prospected. The surveyed and certified tonnage opened up at the present time ready for extracting is fully 250,000,000 tons. The probable life of the surveyed deposits is up- wards of 200 years, even allowing for a steadily in- creasing annual rate of consumption. Moreover, there remains the interesting question p? od t for as to whether by the end of the ensuing century we may not find that nature shall have by that time manu- X 9 factured an immense additional amount of Chilean Nitrate for the uses of the world. Sir William Crookes' prophecy that the world would starve for lack of bread as soon as the Chilean Nitrate supplies were exhausted has for some years led the chemical public to believe that a wheat famine was in sight, but that time is so far distant that no one living to-day need have misgivings on the subject. Hints for Right Use of Nitrate. The points to be observed in the use of Nitrate of Soda are: Avoid an excess; do not sprinkle the wet foliage with dry Nitrate; and in general Nitrate must not be allowed to come in contact with the stems or leaves of plants. Nitrate of Soda is immediately avail- able as plant food. Applications of Nitrate of Soda may be made at the rate of 100 pounds per acre at inter- vals of two or three weeks during the growing season. Nitrate of Soda comes from South jjow to Mix and America in 224-pound bags, and is usu- Apply Nitrate of ally thus sold. The Nitrate looks much Soda and Other like coarse salt. The lumps should be Fertilizers, broken, which can easily be done by turning the Nitrate out on the barn floor and breaking them with the back of a spade. The Nitrate should then be run through a sieve with a mesh not larger than three-eighths inch. It will then be ready for use. When fertilizers are to be mixed together, pour the right quantity of each in a pile on the floor and turn them over two or three times with a shovel until they are thoroughly mixed. It is a good plan to run the whole through a sieve, which will completely mix the fertilizers. The mixing should not be done more than a week before the fertilizers are to be used, as the mix- ture may attract moisture and get hard if left too long after mixing. In Europe small hand machines are used by farmers for grinding and mixing, and cost about twenty-five dollars. They are also in use in America. Fo d f T In applying fertilizers it should be Ph* W *h f remembered that any form of phos- 20 Fertilizers? phoric acid, such as acid phosphate, dissolved bone-black or bone meal is only partially soluble, and will not circulate in the soil. These fertilizers should therefore be evenly distributed over the soil and well mixed with it. This is usually best done by applying broadcast before sowing the seed and before the ground is thoroughly prepared. In this way it gets well mixed with the soil. Nitrate of Soda, on the other hand, will diffuse itself rapidly and thoroughly throughout the soil wherever there is enough moisture to dissolve it. It can therefore be applied by scattering on the surface of the ground as soon as the plants are up. This latter method, called "Top-Dressing," is usually the best. Since Nitrate of Soda and salts of How and potash are brought to this country by FertilSine Uy sea ' anc ^ P nos phate is usually trans- Materials, ported from the mines in vessels, all these materials, as a rule, can be pur- chased at the seaports cheaper than in the interior. New York is the largest market for these materials, but Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, New Orleans, Galveston, and San Francisco are also ports of entry. Lower prices can be obtained by buying fertilizing materials in car-load lots. A car-load is not less than ten tons. If you cannot use a car-load yourself, get your neighbors to join with you. Much money can often be saved in this way. In buying always consider the percentage of avail- able fertility. The various "brands" of fertilizers are composed, for the most part, of substances such as plaster, fillers, superphosphate, etc., which can be manufactured for much less than the prices charged for these substances in so-called "complete fertilizers." The freight charges on these are just as high as on the essential constituents, so that every extra hundred weight of "filler" is useless expense. Food for Cost of Transportation of Fertilizers. Plants A striking illustration of the difference in the cost 2I of transportation by four different ways is given below : Cost of Transportation per Ton. Horse power, 5 miles $1 .25 Electric power, 25 miles 1 . 25 Steam cars, 250 miles 1 . 25 Steamships on the lakes, 1,000 miles 1.25 RETABULATION SHOWS THAT: $1.25 WILL HAUL A TON 5 miles on a common road, 12}/2 to 15 miles on a well-made stone road, 25 miles on a trolley road, 250 miles on a steam railway, 1,000 miles on a steamship. It will be seen that the same amount of money it takes to haul a given amount of produce five miles on a public highway of the United States will pay the freight for 250 miles on a railroad and 1,000 miles on a steam- ship line on the lakes. This is too great a difference, as will be admitted by all, and when we think of the fact that the railroad companies are ever at work repair- ing and improving their highways while the farmer is apparently so little awake to his own interests in re- gard to furnishing himself with better roads, we wonder why it is. The lesson seems plain and clear, and, as farmers, let us continue to aid the good road move- ment throughout the country. Nitrate of Soda is essentially a seaboard article; supplies at interior points are not always available, hence the ports of entry are indicated to you as the best sources of supply. It has been the custom of the railroad companies to discriminate heavily against Nitrate of Soda by charg- ing prohibitory chemical rates, and it is hoped by cor- rectly designating the material, the discrimination will not be practiced. Farm newspapers generally, are quite willing to publish wholesale quotations on all those things which the farmer has to sell, and they have not, as a rule, Fo pf f ? r published wholesale quotations on those articles which - he has to buy. Among the latter, agricultural chemi- 22 cals occupy a position of prime importance, not only as to actual effect on farm prosperity, but as to the actual amount of cash which the farmer has to spend, for his produce comes out of the soil and its amount and quality is determined by the character of the chemicals he puts in it. Agricultural journals generally, which profess to be friends of the farmer, should make a continued effort in the direction of enhancing his purchasing power, by endeavoring to make him more prosperous. This cannot be done under old conditions of helping to make him, at the outset, pay such a large bonus for agricultural chemicals under one pretext or another. The improvement of our water-ways, so long urged by us, seems at last to be in sight; and farm chemicals at lower rates may ultimately be expected, even at in- terior points. You should buy your plant food in the best arid cheapest forms, and feed it to the plants as they re- quire it. You can buy available Nitrogen in Nitrate of Soda for about 18 cents per pound. In so-called "complete fertilizers," Nitrogen costs from 20 to 30 cents per pound, and even then only part of it is likely to be available. Nitrate of Soda is the best form in which to buy Available Nitrogen, cheapest also be- cause quickest acting. One would not think of buying raw, unground phosphate rock for phosphatic plant food; why, then, should one ever seriously consider buying the most expensive plant food, viz.: Nitrogen in the raw and indigestible forms, which many manufacturers and dealers endeavor to foist on our farmers. Abstract of United States Experiment Station Record. From Massachusetts Station Report, 1905. Availability Tests. Mixed oats and peas were grown this year in con- nection with comparative tests of different sources of Nitrogen, and on the basis of yields secured the ma- terials ranked as follows: Nitrate of Soda, dried blood, sulphate of ammonia, and barnyard manure. Based 2 3 on the increase of all the crops since the beginning of the experiments the relative rank was: Nitrate of Soda 100, dried blood 68.72, sulphate of ammonia 60.78, barnyard manure 80.58. On the grass lands receiving different fertilizer treatment in rotation the average yield of hay was at the rate of 4,840 Ibs. per acre for all 3 systems of man- uring. The average yield in this test from 1893 to 1905, inclusive, was 6,479 Ibs. An application of Nitrate of Soda, after harvesting the first crop of grass, gave but a relatively small increase in yield, but, in one instance, where applied at the rate of 150 Ibs. per acre an increase of nearly 1 ton of rowen, or consider- ably more than sufficient to pay the cost of the fer- tilizer, was obtained. The results in determining the relative value for garden crops with fertilizers supply- ing respectively Nitrogen and potash, when used with manure, show that on the basis of total crops produced the standing of the different Nitrogen fertilizers is, for the early crops, Nitrate of Soda 100, dried blood 95.67, sulphate of ammonia 63.08, and for late crops Nitrate of Soda 100, dried blood 98.77, sulphate of ammonia 79.52. For 15 years the relative standing of the fer- tilizers supplying potash is, for early crops, sulphate of potash 100, muriate of potash 94.66, and for late crops, sulphate of potash 97.09, and muriate of potash 100. From United States Experiment Station Record, November, 1906. The results of plot experiments with wheat here reported indicate that the Nitrate alone in 2 applica- tions was more effective than a mixture of Nitrate of Soda and sulphate of ammonia. Fo pi d aSs How to Use Chemical Fertilizers *4 to Advantage. Crops grow only in consequence of Grow r ^ ^ e fd placed at their disposal; prac- tically, the plant foods consist of cer- tain combinations or mixtures of Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. All soils .contain some of these plant foods, and few soils contain them in very large quan- tities. Fortunately for the permanence of agriculture, nature does not permit these natural supplies to be drawn upon freely, and any attempt to over-force the soil by injudicious farming is met by a temporary ex- haustion. The so-called "artificial ma- As to the Na- nures" are simply chemical or organic cal Manures substances which contain one or more of the three elements of plant food. The use of Nitrate of Soda is well Nitrate as a known as a top-dressing for small grains. Top-Dressing Wheat on strong clay will repay an ap- rl oc .I^T> plication of 100 pounds of Nitrate per Grasses, Root- . , , ,, .,. r Crops, Pas- acre, even it already heavily iertilized. tures, Soiling For Roots 100 pounds at seed time and Crops. 100 pounds after thinning is found profitable. The form of Nitrogen most active as How Nitrate plant food is the nitrated form, namely : WhelTcrops. Nitrate of Soda. All other Nitrogens . must be converted into this form before they can be used as food by plants. Sir John Lawes wisely remarks: "When we consider that the applica- tion of a few pounds of Nitrogen in Nitrate of Soda to a soil which contains several thousand pounds of Nitro- gen in its organic form, is capable of increasing the crop from 14 to 40 or even 50 bushels of wheat per acre, I think it must be apparent to all that we have very con- vincing evidence of the value of Nitrate." The Nitro- gen of Nitrate of Soda is immediately available as plant food, and it should therefore be applied only when plants are ready to use it. By such a ready supply of available plant food, young plants are able to estab- lish such a vigor of growth that they can much better resist disease, and the attacks of insects and parasites. The famous experiments of Lawes and Gilbert at Rothamsted have demonstrated that cereals utilize more than three times as Nitf ate Corn- much of the Nitrogen in Nitrate of g^lSi Soda as of the Nitrogen contained in Manure farmyard manure; in practice, four and one-half tons of farmyard manure supply only as much available plant food as 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda. Catch-crops are recommended to prevent losses of available plant food a c rops * after crops are removed. Rape, Italian rye grass, rye, thousand-headed kale and clovers are suitable. All these should be top-dressed with from 100 to 200 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda, depending upon the exhaustion of the soil. In the remarks on the use of Nitrate in this sketch, we have taken it for granted that our readers fully understand that in all cases where Nitrate has been recommended in large amounts, potash and phosphates may be used also unless the soil already contains ample supplies of both. Nitrate of Soda Niter in Fertilizing. (Bulletin 24, California State Mining Bureau.) By Dr. Gilbert E. Bailey. All plants require light, air, heat, water, cultiva- tion, and a fertile soil. Every crop removes from the soil a portion of the plant food contained therein, and continuous cropping will, in time, exhaust the richest soil, unless the nutritive elements are restored; there- fore, the truly economical farmer will feed the growing plant or tree with a generous hand. The literature on this subject is so scattered as to be difficult of access to the general reader, and the following notes are added in order to give some general idea of the value of Nitrate of Soda in fertilizing. Food for The most important material used to supply Nitrogen, in the composition of commercial fertilizers 26 is Nitrate of Soda. Nitrate of Soda is particularly adapted for Top-Dressing during the growing season, and is the quickest acting of all the Nitrogenous fertilizers. Dried blood, tankage, azotine, fish scrap, castor pomace, and cotton-seed meal represent fertilizers where the Nitrogen is only slowly available, and they must be applied in the fall so as to be decomposed and available for the following season. Nitrogen in the form of Nitrate of Soda is available during the growing and fruiting season, possessing, therefore, a decided advantage over all other Nitrogen plant-foods. The following table shows the number of pounds of Nitrogen removed in one year from one acre by the crop specified: Crop. Nitrogen. Wheat 35 bushels. 59 Ibs. Rye 30 bushels. 51 Ibs. Barley 40 bushels. 46 Ibs. Oats 60 bushels. 55 Ibs. Corn 50 bushels. 67 Ibs. Buckwheat 30 bushels. 35 Ibs. Potatoes 200 bushels. 46 Ibs. Sugar Beets 15j^ tons. 69 Ibs. Mangel-wurzel 22 tons. 150 Ibs. Meadow hay 2^ tons, dry. 83 Ibs. Green corn llj^ tons. 85 Ibs. Alfalfa 8 tons. 113 Ibs. Hops 600 Ibs. seed. 84 Ibs. Tobacco 1,600 Ibs. 89 Ibs. Grapes ". . . . 2 tons. 32 Ibs. Cabbage 31 tons. 150 Ibs. Oranges 10 tons. 24 Ibs. In the following tables the quantities given are merely selected to express the average equivalent amount of Nitrate of Soda which may be removed by the average crops taken from any soil in one season. It is not intended to thereby recommend that the same amount of Nitrate of Soda should be put on the soil each season, but merely to show the great rate at which soil exhaustion of Nitrates proceeds. Fertilizer Nitrogen Fertilizer Food for Nitrogen Plants Soda. pounds. Soda. pounds. 27 Artichokes. . . Per acre 500 Ibs. Per cent. 18 Mint Per acre. 700 Ibs. Per cent. 28 Asparagus. . . 500 22.5 Oats 100 10 Barley 300 5 Beans 100 14 Oranges 3 4 Beets, sugar. Buckwheat. . 300 100 60 9.0 Peas Per acre. 200 20 Cabbage 500 60.0 Potatoes, Irish 150 21 Carrots. . . . 300 15.0 Radishes 240 15 Celery 700 18.0 Rape 2,800 24 Corn 150 13.75 Raspberry. . . . 300 21 Cotton 100 18 Rice. 300 13 5 Cranberry . . . 200 12.0 Squash 200 64.0 Currants 300 16.5 Strawberry. . . . 300 45.0 Egg-Plant. . . . Hemp 400 200 80.0 44.00 Sunflower Tobacco 300 600 60.0 54.00 Hops 400 30.00 Tomatoes 1,400 36.00 Horseradish. . Lettuce. 300 300 24 50 Trees, general . Turnips. 300 200 8.00 2 5 Melons 300 36.0 Wheat. 100 3 Chemical fertilizers are used freely by the fruit growers of California, and their use among the farmers is steadily increasing. One reason why they are not used more extensively is that they have to be imported from the East. It is also a fact that the total amount now used is only a small percentage of what should be employed. Everyone will admit that the use of fer- tilizers in this State is small compared with their use in Germany, where they are employed more exten- sively than by any other nation. Soiling Crops. "Soiling" is rapidly becoming recognized as the most economical method of stock feeding; practically, soiling means keeping stock confined, and using green- cut food. It is now known to be much more eco- nomical than pasturing, not only that more stock can be kept per acre, but the feeding results are more profitable. The crops chiefly used are vetches, the clovers, rye, buckwheat, spurry, fodder corn, stock F pfants ^ ee ^ s ' cow P eas > e tc. A succession of crops should be - grown, the earliest in most sections being crimson 28 clover, sown the previous summer, and followed by red clover, corn, etc., and ending with cow peas and the vetches. The silo is used to store green food for the winter months, fodder corn being most commonly used in the silo. A rank growth of forage is required, and the maturity of the crop is not a consideration. The soil should be made very fertile and fertilizers used with a free hand. Farmers can easily test the value of heavy fertilizer applications in soiling, by comparing different parts of the same field, differently fertilized. Apply per acre, just before, or even with the seed, from 400 to 800 pounds of phosphate, and as soon as the plants are well up, top-dress with Nitrate of Soda, using 300 pounds per acre. Top-dress in quite the same manner for second crops. It is a quick, rank growth of green substance that is wanted, and for this purpose no other form of Nitrogen is as quick-acting as Nitrate of Soda. How Money Crops Feed. The substance of plants is largely Food is 6 water and variations of woody fiber, yet these comprise no part of what is com- monly understood as plant food. More or less by acci- dent was discovered the value of farm yard manures and general farm refuse and roughage as a means of increas- ing the growth of plants. In the course of time, the supply of these manures failed to equal the need, and it became necessary to search for other means of feeding plants. The steps in the search were many, covering years of careful investigation, and it is needless to go into a lengthy description here; but, as a result, we have the established fact that the so-called food of plants consists of three different substances, Nitrogen, Potash, and Phosphates. These words are popular names, T . t>_;_,.;_ a t 5? od * for , i j. .1 P .1 Its Principal Plants and are used tor the convenience ot the Elements, general public. Nitrate of Soda con- Nitrate, 29 tains an amount equivalent to about Phosphoric 15 per cent, of Nitrogen, 300 pounds Acid Potash, to the ton, and cotton-seed meal, for example, about six per cent. More than three pounds of cotton-seed meal are necessary to furnish as much available Nitrogen as one pound of Nitrate of Soda. We value the plant food on the amount of Nitrate Nitrogen it contains, and on this account Nitrate has become a standard name for this element of plant food. In like manner, phos- phoric acid and potash are standards, hence the im- portance of farmers and planters familiarizing them- selves with these expressions. We always should think of fertilizers and manures as just so much nitrate, phosphoric acid and potash, as we can then at once compare the usefulness of all fertilizer materials. No doubt other substances are necessary for the proper development of crops, but soils so generally supply these in ample quantities that they may safely be neglected in a consideration of soil needs and plant foods. The food of plants may therefore be understood to mean simply Nitrate, Phosphoric Acid and Potash. Farmyard manure acts in promot- ing plant growth almost wholly because Why Farm- it contains these three substances; yard Manure green manuring is valuable for the SbdudiMtt* same reason and largely for that only. Valuable. Various refuse substances, such as bone, wood ashes, etc., contain one or more of these plant food elements, and are valuable to the farmer and planter on that account. The Quality of Manures and Fertilizers. While plant food is always plant food, like all other things it possesses the limitation of quality. Quality in plant food means the readiness with which plants can make use of it. In a large sense, this is dependent upon the solubility of the material contain- plants 01 m & * ne Pl an t fd n t merely solubility in water, but - solubility in soil waters as well. Fertilizer substances S freely soluble in water are generally of the highest quality, yet there are differences even in this. For example, Nitrate of Soda is freely soluble in soil liquids and water, and is the highest grade of plant food Nitro- gen ; sulphate of ammonia is also soluble in water, but of distinctly lower quality because plants always use Ni- trogen in the Nitrate form, and the Nitrogen in sulphate of ammonia must be Nitrated before plants can make use of it. This is done in the soil by the action of certain organisms, under favorable con- Defects and ditions. The weather must be suit- Us^of Ordinary & kl e > the soil in a certain condition ; and Nitrogens. besides, there are considerable losses of valuable substance in the natural soil process of Nitrating such Nitrogen. By unfavor- able weather conditions, or very wet or acid soils, Ni- tration may be prevented until the season is too far advanced, hence there may be loss of time, crop and money. The quality of nitrogens, such Intrinsic Values as cotton-seed meal, dried fish, dried blood, and tankage, is limited by condi- Nttrateas the tions similar to those which limit sul- Standard. phate of ammonia. With these sub- stances, the loss of Nitrogen in its natural air and soil conversion into Nitrate is very great. Perfectly authentic experiments, and made under official supervision, have shown that 100 pounds of nitrogen in these organic forms have only from one-half to three-fourths the manurial value of 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda. Special Functions of Plant Food. As stated before, plants must have Unusual a u tnree o f tne plant f ood elements Ni- Nttrate ni trate '. Ph sphates and Potash but notwithstanding this imperative need, each of the three elements has its special use. There are many cases in which considerations of the special functions of plant food elements become important. For example, a soil may be rich in organic ammonia from vegetable matter turned under as green manure, and through a late wet spring fail to supply the avail- 31 able Nitrate in time to get the crop well started before the hot, dry, summer season sets in. In this case the use of Nitrate of Soda alone will force growth to the extent of fully establishing the crop against heat and moderate drouth. This method of manuring is simply Top-Dressing, familiar to us all. Nitrate as plant food seems to in- fluence more especially the develop- Special Influ- ment of stems, leaves, and roots, which on^EcTble Value are the framework of the plant, while O f piant. the formation of fruit buds is held in reserve. This action is, of course, a necessary pre- liminary to the maturity of the plant, and the broader the framework, the greater the yield at maturity. The color of the foliage is deepened, indicating health and activity in the forces at work on the structure of the plant. Nitrates also show markedly in the economic value of the crop; the more freely Nitrates are given to plants the greater the relative proportion in the composition of the plant itself, and the most valuable part of all vegetable substances, for food purposes, is that produced by Nitrate of Soda. Nitrate is seldom used in sufficient quantities in the manufacture of "complete fertilizers." Hence the general dissatisfac- tion with their use. Potash as plant food seems to influence more par- ticularly the development of the woody parts of stems and the pulp of fruits. The flavor and color of fruits is also credited to potash. In fact, this element of plant food seems to supplement the action of Nitrate by filling out the framework established by the latter. Phosphoric Acid as a plant food seems to influence more particularly the maturity of plants and the pro- duction of seed or grain. Its special use in practical agriculture is to help hasten the maturity of crops likely to be caught by an early fall, and to supplement green manuring where grain is to be grown. It is frequently used in unnecessary excess in "complete" fertilizers. The natural plant food of the soil comes from many F pilnts sources ' but chiefly from decaying vegetable matter and the weathering of the mineral matter of the soil. Both 3* these processes supply Potash and Natural Plant P nos P nor i c Acid, but only the former Food. supplies Nitrate. Whether the soil has been fertilized or not, there are certain signs which indicate the need of plant food more or less early in the growth of the crop. If a crop appears to make a slow growth, or seems sickly in color, it does not greatly matter whether the soil is deficient in Nitrate or simply that the Nitrogen present has not been Nitrated and so is not available; the remedy lies in top-dressings of the immediately available form of Nitrate of Soda. FERTILIZERS EMPLOYED AS A SOURCE OF NITROGEN. Nitrate of Soda. This is probably the best known and most popular source of nitrogen amongst farmers. Its origin is the extensive deposits of crude Nitrate of Soda discovered in the rainless districts on the west coast of South America. Since all nitrogenous compounds must first be con- verted into nitrates before being assimilated by plants, Nitrate of Soda contains its nitrogen in an easily assim- ilable form, and is, therefore, quick in action. Owing to this fact, it almost invariably gives best results when applied in two or more applications, the first being given at the commencement of growth, and the succeeding ones at intervals of from two to three weeks. Sulphate of Ammonia. The origin or source of this material is coal, which contains 1^ to 2 per cent, of nitrogen. It is chiefly a by-product of gas works. It is slower in its action than Nitrate of Soda, since, in order to render the ammonia available to plants, it must first be converted into a nitrate, which process is performed by certain soil bacteria. Lime Nitrogen (Kalkstickstoff ) . A new nitro- genous fertilizer is produced by combining the free nitrogen of the atmosphere with lime and carbon. 33 1. Kalkstickstoff is an exceedingly fine black powder, which character renders it difficult of appli- cation. 2. If mixed with other fertilizers, such as acid phosphate, the mixture rapidly generates a great heat and gases are given off, some nitrogen being lost as ammonia and oxides of nitrogen. 3. In storing, it must be very carefully protected from moisture for the above reason. 4. Being at first rather poisonous to plants, Kalk- stickstoff is totally unsuited for application to a grow- ing crop, and should always be applied to the land at least two weeks before seeding. If these precautions are observed, Kalkstickstoff may give results equal to Nitrate of Soda and sulphate of ammonia on most crops and soils. Some of the slower acting sources of nitrogen are: Red Dried Blood, containing 13 to 14 per cent, nitrogen. Black Dried Blood, containing 6 to 12 per cent, nitrogen. Hoof Meal, containing 12 per cent, nitrogen. Tankage, containing 4 to 9 per cent, nitrogen. Concentrated Tankage, containing 10 to 12 per cent, nitrogen. The above are all produced from slaughter-house refuse. As will be seen, the lower grades of these substances, viz., Black Dried Blood and Tankage (ordinary) are very variable in composition. There are numerous other sources of nitrogen, such as the various fish manures, some of which are valuable, if they do not contain too much oil, which is detrimental to the soil, as it hinders decomposition. Then there are others, such as leather meal, wool and hair waste, and horn meal. The nitrogen in these is, however, so slowly available that their value as fertilizers is small. It is none the less necessary, however, that the farmer should know of these sources of nitrogen, as Fo pfants ^ ne y are l ar g e ly used in fertilizer mixtures, for, as - already mentioned, nitrogen is the most expensive 34 ingredient in a fertilizer, and it is a great temptation . to the less scrupulous fertilizer manufacturer to get his nitrogen from the cheapest source, and in a mix- ture it is difficult for a farmer to detect the various substances of which that mixture is composed. In Nitrate of Soda, Sulphate of Ammonia and Dried Blood, we have three nitrogenous fertilizers, placed in the order of the availability of their nitrogen. Dried Blood is the slowest acting form. . . . Nitrate of Soda is exceedingly quick acting, and, therefore, ought not to be applied long before the crop is ready to assimilate its nitrogen. In its rate of action, Sul- phate of Ammonia is intermediate between the two. . . . The special virtue of Nitrate of Soda is due to the fact that it provides a readily available supply of nitrogen to the young plant at a time when nitrifica- tion in the soil is only commencing. Top-Dressings. Top-Dressing, as commonly under- stood, means simply the application of plant food after seeding, and after the crop has made some growth. It has various objects, but chief among them is the fact that fall sown crops should make an early start in the spring in order to establish an extensive root system (foraging both for food and water), and to protect the soil by shading before the hot, dry days come. The earlier growth of crops is largely a matter of Nitrate plant food, but in the spring the soil is usually wet and cold, both con- ditions unfavorable for the action of organisms which convert the stored plant food into Nitrates. A very late spring may prevent the natural and usual Nitration of this kind of plant How Nitrate food though large quantities may have Saves Time, been applied in the form of organic Money, and the ammoniates and other crude manures, rop ' so that the warm weather finds the crop very backward and a full crop cannot be made. An application of Nitrate of Soda, the most quickly available form of plant food in commercial use as a 35 fertilizer, soon after the crop shows the fresh green color of new growth in the spring, prevents this loss of time and establishes the crop so as to resist drouth and reach and make use of the plant food necessary for the ma- turity of its stalk and the ripening of its seed. Top-Dressings are also made to ad- vantage on fruits and vegetables from -prn'^ which the proportion of valuable prod- uce to stalk or vine is so great. With these crops there must be no check in the regular growth of the plants, and Nitrate of Soda alone insures this. With other forms of Nitrogen plant food, rains or cool weather interfere with the How all regular supply of Nitrate, by checking Nitrogen is, the action of the organisms which cause w-^^j SS i;[ji XT .. & , , Nitrated, and me JNitration 01 crude substances, slowness of Top-dressings are also used on very roll- the Process, ing lands, for the hill tops show lighter- colored foliage in prolonged periods of dry weather, then light applications of Nitrate of Soda are found to be profitable. On heavy clay soils, spring working is impracti- cable, as it results in puddling the top soil. In this case fertilizers cannot be worked into the soil even for spring planting, and Nitrate of Soda is used in the form of a top-dressing spread broadcast. In top-dressing soils, it is very im- portant to secure an even application j^^g p ~ over the whole area. As the ordinary application per acre is about 100 pounds, it is difficult to get an even distribution unless the bulk of the material is increased. The best method of doing this is to crush the Nitrate of Soda thoroughly and mix carefully with about its own weight of fine dry loam. This mixture should only be made immediately before using, though the Nitrate may be crushed at any time if mixed at once with an equal bulk of fine, clean sand. Where top-dressings are made with a machine, it is necessary that the mixture be dry. Fo j df r Top-Dressing Experiments. 3 6 Results of ^ ie on ** c i a l Agricultural Experi- Nitrate on ment Stations have made many experi- Money Crops. ments to determine the value of top- dressings of Nitrate of Soda, particu- larly the New Jersey Station. The work of this Station demonstrated the value of Nitrate top-dressing on various fruits and vegetables. The Rhode Island Ex- periment Station (see Bulletin 71) made a top-dressing test on grass land and the results also indicated a profitable use of this chemical fertilizer. The experiment was made on three plots, all of which were treated with ample quantities of Phosphoric Acid and Potash. One plot received no Nitrate, one plot a top-dressing of 150 pounds per acre, and the remaining plot a top-dressing of 450 pounds of Nitrate per acre. The seed used was one-quarter red clover, one-quarter redtop, and one-half timothy. The yield in barn-cured hay was as follows: No Nitrate 1 . 60 tons. 150 Ibs. Nitrate 2.24 tons. 450 Ibs. Nitrate 3.28 tons. The season was not good hay weather on account of an early and severe drouth, yet the top-dressing of 150 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre increased the crop of hay 40 per cent., and the top-dressing of 450 pounds gave an increase of 105 per cent. In summarizing the results the Station reports that in spite of weather so un- favorable that there was practically no second crop, a top-dressing of 150 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre increased the crop in value $6.94, at a cost for Nitrate of $3.30; a top-dressing of 450 pounds per acre increased the value of the crop $16.98 at a cost of $9.90. Plant Food Need of Crops. The chemical analysis of plants What Crops shows the actual amounts of Nitrogen, Take out of Potash and Phosphoric Acid they con- Soils, tain, and is a fairly good guide for the omposition of fertilizers. In an examination of the e .f. i i i i Plants fertilizer requirements or plants by studying their analysis, we must keep in mind the fact that the whole 37 plant must be considered not only the grain, straw, etc., but also the stubble and roots. The Storrs Experiment Station of Connecticut reported on an experiment with timothy hay, with results as follows: Yield per acre. Nitrogen. Potash. Phos. Acid. Hay ............. 3,980 Ibs. 39.0 Ibs. 51.5 Ibs. 13.9 Ibs. Stubble and roots. 8,223 " 90.1 " 55.8 " 25.2 Total 12,203 Ibs. 129 . 1 Ibs. 107 . 3 Ibs. 39 . 1 Ibs. The quantities of plant food actually contained in the crop, computed on the best known fertilizer materials, are Nitrate Food represented by 807 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, 215 pounds of muriate of potash, and 280 pounds of acid phosphate. This illustration is interest- ing as showing the really heavy consumption of plant food by ordinary farm crops. While the yield in this case is a large one, it is precisely such yields all farmers are striving for. It is probably true that an acre appli- cation of 800 pounds of Nitrate of Soda would not give profitable returns with this crop; but such crops actu- ally make use of soil Nitrogen and the roughage of the farm, and to do this most effectively top-dressings of Nitrate are advised to "start the crop off " in the spring. In actual farming operations, the greater part of the timothy crop will be returned to the soil in the form of farmyard manure, much of which will be applied in the fall. A considerable portion of the Nitrogen con- tained in this manure will be converted into Nitrate during the fall and winter, but there is always a great lack of Nitrate in the early spring, when the plants most need it, and this shortage continues until the soil warms and becomes less charged with water, when the organ- isms of the soil are enabled to convert the vegetable substance containing Nitrogen into the form suitable for the uses of the plants. Until this action, the plants F pints reanv starve for Nitrate; a situation instantly relieved by top-dressings of Nitrate of Soda. 38 Suggestions for Top-Dressing Crops. It must be understood that fertilizers do not take the place of tillage. However thoroughly a crop may be fertilized, without proper preparation of the soil the result must be more or less a failure. In top-dressing it is very important that the Nitrate of Soda be thor- oughly ground, so an even distribution can be made; the fertilizer must go to the plant, not the plant to the fertilizer. From New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Abstract of Bulletin 172. The Cost of Active (Available) Nitrogen. By Edward B. Voorhees and William S. Myers. The annual consumption of fertilizers is, as near as can be estimated, 7,000,000 tons, which at an aver- age cost of $25 per ton, makes a total expenditure of $175,000,000. This great quantity of fertilizer is being used for increasing the crops of grain, hay, potatoes, fruits, market garden and staple crops. The money is ex- pended for Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, and notwithstanding the claims made for superior brands and special formulas, the returns have been alone due to the actual amounts of Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash that these crops have been able to obtain from the total in the fertilizers used, and there is no mystery of mixing about it. Of the sum annually paid for the three constituents, Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, if on the basis of an average of: Ammonia 2% Available phosphoric acid ' . . . . 8% Potash 4% over one-half is paid for Nitrogen, which is the only one of the three essential elements that is likely to suffer any considerable loss. Thus a little less than half of the total expenditure is made for these two ele- ments phosphoric acid and potash. The remainder is paid for a constituent which in organic form is likely not to be available. Experiments in Germany, England and the United States, conducted along this line for years, show that, 39 Quick and Luxuriant Growth of Shrubbery, Produced in Two Seasons by the Use of Nitrate. New Jersey. on the average, not more than 70 per cent, of the quantities of Nitrogen applied, even in the best forms, is recovered in the crops. From the standpoint of crop, it is evident that the utilization of Nitrogen is a much more important matter than the use of either phosphoric acid or potash. Al- though the further fact that a pound of any kind of Nitrogen, capable of being used in a commercial fer- tilizer, costs from four to five times as much as a pound F Piants ^ " ava ilable" phosphoric acid or of potash, is an added - reason for greater care in its purchase and use. 40 Nitrogen as Nitrate of Soda is the only commer- cial form of active Nitrogen available for immediate use by most plants; Nitrogen, as ammonia, is less active and less available than the Nitrate. Organic forms of Nitrogen have to decay first, changing to ammonia and then to Nitrate, and are therefore less active and less quickly available; besides, they vary in their rate of availability according to the source of supply and their character. Materials which are likely to decay quickly, as dried blood, dried meat, dried fish and cottonseed meal, show a fair rate of availability, while forms like ground leather and ground peat show a very low rate of availability. A pound of organic Nitrogen varies much in availability, therefore, according to its source, whether derived from dried blood or peat, or from intermediate products, and if much free sulphuric acid is present, its avail- ability is retarded. Since Nitrogenous materials are variable in their rate of availability that is, the rate at which the Ni- trogen in them may be absorbed by the plant the farmer should know the degree of dependence that can be placed on the different materials he wants his Nitrogen active and available. Hence, the chemical and physical characteristics of the various forms of Nitrogen have been made the subject of very consider- able study and investigation, in order that approximate values in respect to availability may be assigned to each form. Sufficient work has been done thus far to establish a trustworthy relationship between the Nitrate, ammonia and organic Nitrogen, in the form of dried blood. The very extensive investigations conducted at Darmstadt, Germany, show that for the crops tested namely, barley, oats, rye, wheat, mangels, sugar- beets and potatoes there was returned in the har- vest 62 parts of Nitrate Nitrogen for every hundred parts applied; 44 parts of ammonia Nitrogen for every hundred parts applied, and 40 parts of organic Nitrogen for every hundred parts applied as dried blood. In no case is the recovery equal to two- thirds of the Nitrogen applied; besides, there are wide variations in the amount recovered in the different forms. In 1898, plant nutrition experiments were begun at the New Jersey Station, one object of which was to study the "relative availability" of these three forms of Nitrogen, using a rotation of corn, oats, wheat and timothy, crops which, because of their long periods Privet Hedge at Left and Vines Showing Result of One Year's Use of Nitrate. New Jersey. of growth would be likely to absorb relatively large proportions of organic Nitrogen. The results of these experiments for two rotations (10 years) show that the recovery for Nitrogen as Nitrate was 62.09 parts per hundred; for the Nitrogen as ammonia 43.26 parts per hundred, and for organic (dried blood Nitrogen), 40 parts per hundred. These results agree almost exactly with those obtained at Darmstadt. Figuring the above- mentioned returns from Nitrate of Soda, since it shows the highest recovery as 100, the relative availability of 41 F p!ants ^ ie Nitrogen as ammonia would be 69.7 and of Nitrogen - as dried blood 64.4. * 2 These figures possess a very great practical signifi- cance, as they have a direct bearing upon the profitable or unprofitable purchase and use of the Nitrogen con- tained in the fertilizers now offered in our market. Commercial conditions fix the price of the various Nitrogenous materials. There is no strict relationship as yet between commercial and agricultural values. Garbage-tankage, tanned leather scraps and feath- ers are used in large quantities in some of the large fertilizer factories. The Nitrogen in these products is admittedly much less available than is that in dried blood, and its cost to the manufacturers is small. For gar- bage-tankage, leather scraps, feathers, wool waste and peat, prices are merely nominal. The cost of handling and reducing these products to forms capable of being used in mixtures, of course, naturally adds to the cost. These materials should be regarded in the same light as the insoluble phosphates and potash compounds- amendments rather than sources of direct supplies of available plant-food and be paid for accordingly. Since their establishment, the Experiment Stations have consistently urged the farmers to be guided in their purchase of fertilizers, not only by the quantities of the constituents present in the mixtures offered, but also by the kind that is used in them, pointing out the importance of selecting brands which contain high percentages of available plant-food, more especially of Nitrogen, because of its relatively greater importance and its higher cost. The results obtained in the inves- tigations referred to emphasize very strongly the wis- dom of such advice in reference to the most valuable element Nitrogen . A concrete example will make clearer the commer- cial phases of the question. The analysis of the vari- ous brands sold in the State of New Jersey in a recent year, shows an average of 2.5 per cent, of total Nitrogen, divided as follows: Nitrate.. 48% or 19% of the total Ammonia 77% or 30% of the total Organic 1 . 32% or 51% of the total Assuming that the forms of organic Nitrogen used p? od t for in these brands were as good as in dried blood, it would require 1.55 pounds of the organic Nitrogen to furnish 43 as much "available" Nitrogen as is contained in 1 pound of Nitrate of Soda Nitrogen and 1.43 pounds of the ammonia Nitrogen to furnish as much "avail- able" Nitrogen as is contained in one pound of the Nitrate of Soda Nitrogen. Yet, merely because of commercial conditions, the farmer paid a higher price per pound for his organic Nitrogen than he paid for his Nitrate and his ammonia Nitrogen. Using the same relations that exist in the commercial cost of Nitrogen, the actual prices paid were for organic Nitrogen 26.52 cents per pound, ammonia Nitrogen 23.73 cents and Nitrate Nitrogen 23 cents. At these prices, the Nitro- gen purchased in New Jersey last year cost the farmers about $1,157,400 and in the entire country nearly sixty times as much. If, however, the returns from the different forms of Nitrogen were in the same proportion, as indicated in the experiments, which must be admitted to be relatively correct for Nitrate and ammonia, and, as- suming that the organic was as good as that in dried blood, the cost of the "available" Nitrogen in the three forms actually was: Per Ib. Per Ib. For organic. .41 cts. While the farmer For organic. ..14.8% For ammoma.34 cts. should have paid, on For ammonia. 16.1% For Nitrate . . 23 cts.the basis of availability For Nitrate. . . 23.0% and a saving to the farmers of the State of $383,940 would have been effected. If, therefore, instead of buying organic and ammonia Nitrogen, Nitrate of Soda only had been purchased, the same gain in crop from the use of the Nitrogen could have been purchased for $733,460 instead of $1,157,500. Assuming that practically the same relations in forms of Nitrogen existed for all the fertilizers made and sold in the whole country this year, the actual cost of the Nitrogen was, in round numbers, $60,000,000, while, on the basis of efficient availability, it should have cost but $43,000,000. Food for Plants 44 The point of importance, therefore, is the price that is paid for the organic forms of Nitrogen. In the above discussion, it has been assumed that the organic Nitrogen contained in the fertilizers has been derived from dried blood, or from similar materials. As a matter of fact, however, dried blood does not con- stitute even a large proportion of the organic Nitrogen- ous materials used the bulk of the Nitrogen being de- rived from products of a lower grade. Various kinds of Hedge of California Privet Three Years Old, Fertilized for Three Years by Nitrate. New Jersey. meat and bone, tankage, dried fish, fish scrap, cottonseed meal, garbage-tankage, leather meal and even peat, being used to supplant products of the higher grade. These Nitrogen-carriers, have been shown to have a wide range in availability, the leather and peat rating in availability as low as 4 in comparison with Nitrate at 100 and barnyard manure as low as 3. It may be urged, first, that these products possess some value as sources of Nitrogen and, second, they have physical uses as an absorbent and in improving the condition of mixtures containing Nitrates, acid phosphate and potash salts, and, that proper conser- 45 vation of natural resources demands that waste Nitro- genous materials should be utilized. The points are conceded, but let no farmer pay a high Nitrogen price for a mere absorbent filler or a conditioner. The Experiment Stations do not discourage, but strongly encourage, the utilization of waste products containing Nitrogen. They would be false to their duty to the farmers, however, if they did not clearly point out to them what is known of the real agricultural value of such products. It is not merely a question of use- it is a question of cost. It is not economy to save refuse Nitrogenous ma- terials, if the cost of the Nitrogen to the farmer is greater and his returns less than may be obtained by the use of Nitrogen from materials of known value. Farmers have been and are now spending thousands of dollars for Nitrogen for which they do not receive even a proportionate return. To the farmer, it should be purely a business propo- sition. He buys Nitrogen, in order that he may get a return in his crop. If in one case 100 pounds of Nitrogen contributes 60 pounds to the crops upon which it is applied, and in another 100 pounds con- tributes but 40 pounds to the crops, the purchaser should not pay the same for the second as for the first, for if he did so he would pay 50 per cent, more per pound for his "available" Nitrogen. That is, if the cost of one hundred pounds of Nitrate Nitrogen was $14, the cost of the dried blood, one hundred pounds of Nitrogen should be but $10, for the basis of value is the amount available in each case. How Nitrate of Soda Helps Crops. The highest agricultural authorities have estab- lished by careful experimentation that 100 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda applied to crops has produced the INCREASED yields tabulated as follows: Food for Barley 400 Ibs. of grain. Plants Oats 400 46 Rye 300 Wheat. . 300 Potatoes 3,600 Hay, upwards of 1,000 Tubers. Barn cured. Cotton 500 Seed cotton. Sugar Beets 4,000 Tubers. Beets 4,900 Sweet Potatoes 3,900 Cabbages 6,100 Pounds. Carrots 7,800 Pounds. Turnips 37 per cent. Strawberries 200 quarts. Onions 1,800 Pounds. Asparagus . 100 bunches. Tomatoes ; 100 baskets. Celery 30 per cent. Hops 100 pounds. Nitrate of Soda is a plant tonic, and an energizer; is it NOT a stimulant in any sense of the word. It may be used alone, without other fertilizers, as a Top-dressing, at the rate of not more than 100 pounds to the acre. Profits from the Use of Fertilizers. The aim usually in the use of artificial fertilizers is to so supplement soil supplies of plant-food as to obtain a profit, and, as already intimated, the profits for the different crops will, to some extent, be in pro- portion to their economical use of the constituents applied. Still, one should not be deterred from the use of fertilizing materials, even if the conditions should render the application apparently wasteful, or a small recovery of the constituents applied, provided the in- crease in yield will more than pay the cost of the appli- cation. The farmer should calculate what increase in crop it is necessary for him to obtain in order to make the use of fertilizers profitable, and if only this is ob- tained he should not condemn their use. Many persons seem to have gotten the impression that there is some mystery connected with fertilizers, and that their use is a gamble at best, and are not satisfied unless the returns from the investment in them are disproportion- ately large. We very often hear the statement that, by the use of certain fertilizers, the crop is doubled or 47 tripled, as if this were a remarkable occurrence and partook of the nature of a mystery. Such results are not mysterious they can be explained; they are in accordance with the principles involved. In an experiment on celery it was shown that the weight of celery from an application of 400 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda was two and one-half times greater than that obtained on the land upon which no Nitrate was used, and that very great profit followed its use. This result, while remarkable in a way, was not mysterious; if all the Nitrogen applied had been used by the crop, there would have been a still greater increase. It simply showed that where no extra Nitro- gen had been applied the plant was not able to obtain enough to make the crop what the conditions of the season and soil, in other respects, permitted. In other words, that the soil did not contain a complete food; the .Nitrogen was necessary to supply the deficiency. Favor- able conditions are, however, not uniform, and vari- ations in return from definite applications must be expected. It is quite possible to have a return of $50 per acre from the use of $5 worth of Nitrate of Soda on crops of high value, as, for example, early tomatoes, beets, cab- bage, etc. This is an extraordinary return for the money invested and labor involved; still, if the value of the in- creased crop from its use was but $10, or even $8, it should be regarded as a profitable investment, since no more land and but little more capital was required in order to obtain the extra $5 or $3 per acre. It is the accumulation of these little extras that oftentimes change an unprofitable into a profitable practice. Food for PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS AS A RESULT OF EXPERIMENTS. 48 I. For Crops of High Commercial Value. It is well understood by all market gardeners that, in their business, liberal manuring must be practised, and that the manures used must contain an abundance of Nitro- gen, that may be quickly used by the plant, if rapidity of growth and early maturity are to be attained. The experiments with Nitrate of Soda were, therefore, planned to show in which directions the benefits from its use were observed whether, for example, in the larger yield of a crop of the same general character; or whether, together with the larger yield, there was an earlier maturity of those crops in which early maturity is an important factor; or whether the marketable qual- ity was improved, thus returning a larger profit for the same yield; or whether all of these factors were involved; and the results showed that, as a whole, benefits were obtained in all these directions. The more important crops of this class were included in these experiments. In the growing of this crop, whose Beets. value ma y ran S e from $ 300 to $ 600 per acre, the amount of plant-food an- nually applied is usually far in excess of that removed in the crops of any year, in order to guarantee against any shortage of food should unfavorable weather con- ditions intervene; the crop must be kept growing at all hazards. In good practice an application of from fifteen to twenty tons of manure and about one ton of a high-grade commercial fertilizer are used per acre. The plants are usually grown under glass, and trans- planted as soon as the land is fit to work. Hence the questions asked by the experimenter were, first, whether an additional application of Nitrogen in the form of a Nitrate would be a profitable practice in con- nection with this heavy application of all of the plant- food constituents, and second, how much should be used. The applications, therefore, ranged from 400 to 700 pounds per acre. The results from the experiments of two years were emphatic in showing an increase in yield and a considerable profit each year, and though the profits were not in proportion to the amount of 49 Ash. Without Dressing. With 300 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda to the Acre. Nitrogen applied, the largest net returns were obtained from the heaviest applications; the average net return per acre from 400 pounds was $24.40, and from 700 pounds, $47.55. The influence of the Nitrate was F Piants n ticeable mainly upon the earliness of crop. In the first experiment the yield of the first picking was 63 5 per cent, greater from the Nitrated plots than from the one upon which no additional Nitrate had been used. The extra early yield, for which the highest prices were obtained, was increased from 8.3 per cent, on the plot on which 400 pounds were used to 12.8 per cent, on the plot which received 700 pounds per acre, an in- creased yield at a less cost per unit of harvesting- points of great importance. The amounts used mav range from mg 40 to 80 P unds P er acr e> depending upon the conditions, always remember- ing that the richer the soil and the better its condition the larger will be the amount of Nitrate that can be used to advantage. The beets are usually transplanted, and one-half of the amount of Nitrate of Soda used may be applied either before transplanting or immediately after, and in about three weeks the balance may be ap- plied. In applying Nitrate after the plants have made considerable growth of top, care should be taken to dis- tribute it as near as possible between the rows, or, if broad-casted, only when the leaves are perfectly dry, so that all of the salt may reach the soil, and thus not be liable to injure the plants. Where it does not seem practicable to make the application of Nitrate of Soda separately, then the Nitrate, in the quantity desired, may be mixed with the commercial fertilizer and all applied at the same time. This practice saves labor and danger of injuring the foliage, though it may result in a slight loss of the Nitrate, as it should be applied long enough before the plants are set to permit of its thorough distribution in the soil. Still, the danger of loss is not great, unless the season is so extremely wet as to prevent cultivation. In the case of asparagus, which is a perennial, the final results of the experi- ments have not yet been secured, though the experience of practical growers is unanimous in favor of its use. This crop, as is the case with early beets, requires heavy manuring or fertilizing, or both, for the. highest profit. The advantage of the extra dressings of Nitrate of Soda over other forms of Nitrogen lies chiefly in the fact that 9 od for it may be appropriated immediately, either for supply- ans ing the needs early in the season or to stimulate the si Norway Maple. With Manure Alone. With Manure and 300 Ibs. Ni- trate of Soda to the Acre. growth of tops after cutting has ceased and the crowns are exhausted. Where manure is used alone in liberal amounts, the top-dressing with Nitrate would not be Food for likely to be so useful an adjunct as where commercial _ fertilizers, containing high percentages of minerals, S 2 have been used, as it must be remembered here, as always, that Nitrogen is not a complete food, but an element of food, and cannot exert its full effect except in the presence of the necessary supply of the mineral elements. In the early spring, as soon as the IfeinNttrate land is fit to cu ! tivate > tne beds are ploughed or cultivated, throwing the earth away from the crowns, and commercial fertili- zers, rich in Nitrogen 5 to 6 per cent. are applied, over the row, at the rate of 800 to 1,000 pounds per acre. As asparagus is a perennial, and the growth in the spring depends largely upon the food stored up in the roots in the fall, the effect of the spring application is not so noticeable in the early cuttings, but materially benefits the later cutting. Commercial beds are usually cut for about two and one-half months, and this long period of continuous removal of shoots reduces the vitality of the crowns, and because the vigor of growth and size of the tops measures, to a marked degree, the size of the next crop, as soon as cutting is finished from 250 to 400 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda should be applied. The roots immedi- ately absorb this available form of Nitrogen, which stimulates and strengthens the plant, and enables it to appropriate the excess of minerals which have been applied, and, as a consequence, a large, vigorous and healthy growth of top is made, which not only results in storing the food in the roots for use the next season, but it enables the plant to resist the ravages of the rust. There is no other form of Nitrogen that can be used or other means by which this object can be so readily accomplished as by a liberal supply of Nitrate of Soda, and the result is, not only a larger yield, but a greater proportion of large shoots, which increases the market value of the crop; the growers who practice this system have no difficulty in contracting their entire crop from year to year at very remunerative prices. A careful study of the special needs Jsary es. Q f pi ants S } 1OWS that there is no other one crop that responds more favorably to the use of immediately available Nitrogen than early tomatoes. The influence of the use of Nitrate is not only shown in 53 the increase in the yield in some cases practically doubling it but in the improved quality of crop, and because of the larger crop an increased maturity is vir- tually secured. These are all points of extreme prac- tical importance. The results of all the experiments conducted in different parts of the country and in different seasons show an average gain in yield of about 50 per cent., with an average increased value of crop of about $100 per acre. In the growth of this crop two methods are used, depending largely p r a C tic e S upon the character of the soil and its previous treatment in reference to commercial fertili- zers or manures. In the first, where the farmyard manure and commercial fertilizers, rich in minerals, have been used on previous crops, then Nitrogen in the form of Nitrate only is used, and the application ranges from 150 to 250 pounds per acre. By this method the yields are not so large, but the crop is usually earlier, and the net profit is quite as great as if larger applications of manure or fertilizer were made at the time of setting the plants. The object is early tomatoes, and, under average conditions of season and markets, any application of fertilizer or any prac- tice which would tend to encourage a later growth or longer season would reduce proportionately the net profits. In the other method, farmyard manures are usu- ally spread upon the soil in the fall or winter, thor- oughly worked into the soil in the spring. A fertilizer containing chiefly phosphoric acid and potash is applied broadcast previous to setting the plants, and at the time of setting an application of 100 to 150 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda is applied around the hill or over the row. After two or three weeks, depending upon the season and the relative growth of the plants, another application of Nitrate of Soda at the same rate is made. This, because it minimizes the inter- ruption in the feeding of the plant by furnishing im- Food for mediately available Nitrogen, causes not only an in- ! crease in the yield and marketable quality of the entire 54 crop, but it materially increases the quantity of early fruit. The results of four years' experiments show that, by this method, the value of the increased yield of what may be regarded as extra early fruit averaged about $45 per acre. As in other cases , care should be used Nitate. in the a PP lication of Nitrate; it should not come in too close contact with the plants, and, if broadcasted after the plants are set, it should be done when they are dry, so that all of the Nitrate may reach the soil. Where a larger quantity is used, as, for example, 300 pounds or more, it is very desirable that fractional dressings should be made, though care should be used not to make the second application too late, as it encourages a later growth of plants and retards maturity. Cabbage is a gross feeder, and ^ e * the crop can utilize large quantities of plant-food to good advantage. The experiments with this crop show that even where the land has been fer- tilized with what would be regarded as reasonable amounts of fertilizers adapted for the purpose, extra dressings of Nitrate have given very profitable returns. The yield has been increased from 40 to 80 per cent, and the net value of crop from $53 to $80 per acre. The experiments also show that what may be regarded as a large quantity of Nitrate, namely, 400 pounds per acre, is superior to any smaller quantity, and further, that this had better be applied in two rather than in a greater number of fractional dressings, as the later applications have a tendency to disproportionately in- crease leaf growth and retard heading. The most re- markable effect of the Nitrate is shown in the influence it exerts upon the marketable quality of the crop. In the experiments conducted the addition of Nitrate re- sulted in more than doubling the value of those heads which were marketable that is, where no Nitrate was applied, $1 per hundred was received, and where 400 pounds of Nitrate were used the price was $2.50 per hundred. These results suggest a reason for the lack of success of many growers, who depend solely upon applications of mixed fertilizers. On soils well adapted for the crop ss - medium sandy loams the land Application should be plowed early and well culti- vated. If manures are readily attainable, a dressing of ten tons per acre may be applied and well worked into the soil; previous to setting the plants a fertilizer rich in Nitrogen, one containing 6 to 7 ammonia, 6 to 8 phosphoric acid, and 6 to 8 potash, should be applied, preferably broadcast, at the rate of 800 to 1,000 pounds per acre. At the time of setting, or very shortly after, Nitrate of Soda, at the rate of 200 pounds per acre, should be applied, preferably along the row, and cul- tivated in; this followed two or three weeks later with a second dressing of 200 pounds. The effect of these applications that is, the presence of an abundance of available Nitrogen will be to stimulate and strengthen the plant, so that it will make use of all of the other food in the soil, and be able to overcome, in a great de- gree, any unfavorable conditions that may prevail later in the season. The natural tendency of the plant to absorb food is gratified, and a maximum crop is the result. This is a crop of very considerable importance in market garden districts, Turnips* and in certain sections is very profit- able. The profit, other things being equal, is measured by the earliness with which the crop may be gotten into the market. The gains obtained in the experiments from the use of Nitrate have ranged from 30 to over 100 per cent., according to the amount applied and method of application. The increased value of crop, due to the Nitrate, averaged about $30 per acre a very handsome return from the use of the extra fer- tilizer. Where soils have been previously liberally fertilized, particularly with the S c atl -on. mineral elements, the recommenda- tions for fertilizers, which have in practice proved very satisfactory, are as follows: Prepare the soil early and apply a light dressing of manure, either previous to F pilnts Pl wm g or a ft er plowing, and harrow in well, and apply a commercial fertilizer rich in minerals, say, with a s 6 composition of 2 per cent. Nitrogen, 8 per cent, phos- phoric acid and 5 per cent, potash, at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. After the plants have germinated and are well started, apply, broadcast, 150 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda, following this in two or three weeks with a second application of 150 pounds. The first dressing will serve to stimulate leaf growth and a deep penetration of root, and the second dressing will en- courage a rapid growth of the turnip, so necessary if high quality is to be obtained. Applications made later than one month after the seeding usually encour- age too large a leaf growth, thus reducing the yield of early crop. In the experiments three equal dressings of 133 pounds each reduced the yield by over 3,000 pounds per acre below that which was obtained in two equal dressings of the same amount as suggested here- with. The e Tect of the third dressing seemed to be to induce growth of top rather than root. The increase in the maturity that is, the quantity of early crop- will be directly increased, in so far as the Nitrate in- duces a larger crop, which is one of the first results of its application. Very great progress has been made in the growth of sweet corn for the early market, due both to the development of harder varieties and to greater care in the selection and use of fertilizing materials. These hardy varieties of sweet corn are now frequently planted as early as March as far north as New Jersey, and, when planted so early, the soil supplies of Nitrogen are yet unfavorable for the change of organic or other forms of Nitrogen into the Nitrate form. Hence, Nitrate should constitute a large part of the nitrogenous food of the plant if early maturity is to be accomplished. Practice has shown that, by small fractional dressings of Nitrate early, maximum results may be obtained. In the prepara- tion of the soil for the growth of this crop, therefore, considerable organic nitrogenous material may be used to advantage. A good practice is to manure the soil, either during the fall or winter, with from ten to twelve tons per acre, and apply previous to planting or setting the plants (in many cases the plants are 57 started in the plant-house), a fertilizer p r a C tice S ' rich in phosphoric acid and potash, also containing organic forms of Nitrogen. At time of planting use a compost in the hill, and use the Nitrate as a side dressing after the corn is well rooted. The advantage of the compost and organic forms of Nitro- gen is that they supply the soil with an abundance of readily fermentable material, which, to some extent, warms the soil, besides containing substances useful in later stages of growth. Nitrate may be applied in three dressings, at the rate of 100 pounds per acre in each dressing, and the dressings should be so distributed as to cover the season of growth that is, as soon as plants begin to form ears the last application of Nitro- gen may be made, which encourages a quick growth of the ears and also makes them much larger. The in- creased gains per acre when the Nitrate has been used in this way have ranged from $18 to $40 a very profitable use of Nitrogen, as the gain is really in excess of that which would be obtained by average methods of manuring. Soils suitable for the growth of muskmelons are preferably light, sandy tts * loams, not naturally well supplied with any of the con- stituents of plant growth. The crop does not require large quantities of plant-food, but must have the needed amount in available form early in the season. Experiments that have been conducted through several seasons show that the best form of Nitrogen for this crop is the Nitrate, and that preferably two applica- tions should be made. The increase in yield from the addition of Nitrate of Soda has averaged, practically, 100 per cent., with an average increased value of crop of $100 per acre. The increased value is obtained be- cause of a large crop of finer quality, as a very marked influence of the added nitrogenous substance is noticed in marketable quality of the total crop, reducing very materially the percentage of culls. The experiments showed that, while the percentage of culls, where no F piants N^rogen was applied, averaged 40 per cent., the aver- age per cent, of culls on the fertilized area was but 5 8 25 per cent., indicating that the normal development of fruit requires a sufficient amount of available Nitrogen. On light soils, apply broadcast dur- ' ing fal1 or winter > 8 to 10 tons of manure, which should be plowed in early in spring. After the land is prepared, a high- grade fertilizer should be applied broadcast, at the rate of 600 to 800 pounds per acre, and harrowed in previous to planting. After the plants are well started, apply 100 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda; belore the vines begin to run, make an additional application of 100 pounds per acre. Care should be taken in the application of the Nitrate, as suggested in the case of the other crops, not to allow the salt to come in contact with the foliage of the plants. In the case of cucumbers, heavier soils may be used, and larger quantities of fertilizers applied. In our experiments, the applica- tion of Nitrate in addition to regular methods of fer- tilization resulted in a very large increase in crop- over 100 per cent. and an increase in net value of over $60 per acre. The amounts of Nitrate applied may range from 250 to 300 pounds per acre, and it should preferably be distributed more evenly throughout the season than in the case of the melons; 300 pounds per acre, in three applications, gave the best results. The effect of the Nitrate here, as in the case of melons, was particularly noticeable in maintaining a rapid and con- tinuous growth of vine and fruit, thus materially re- ducing the proportion of culls. For growing this crop to best advantage, the soil should either be well man- ured or a commercial fertilizer, rich in all of the con- stituents, should be applied at the rate of 400 to 600 pounds per acre, previous to planting; and after the plants have well started, 100 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda should be applied; this to be followed with two further dressings of the same amount. The time be- tween the dressings may range from two to three weeks, according to season. Celery is a crop that responds most pS2?ts r profitably to an application of an abun- dance of available Nitrogen. This fertilizer not only 59 increases the yield, but very materially improves the quality of the crop. Where the soil is naturally rich, or where what may be regarded as good methods of practice, in reference to fertilizers, are followed, extra applications of Nitrate result in very largely increased yields and proportionate improvement in quality. In the experiments that were conducted, it was shown that where ordinary treatment was given, and a small and unprofitable crop was obtained, the addition of a few dollars' worth of Nitrate changed the crop into a very profitable one; and in the case of a soil that was re- garded as good enough to produce a fair crop, the addi- tion caused a large increase in total crop, and a very marked improvement in the quality. The selling price of roots grown with Nitrate was 150 per cent, greater than where none was applied, and 100 per cent, greater than where an insufficient amount was used. The in- creased value per acre of the crop from the best use of the Nitrate was over $250. The celery crop is expensive, both i i i i i ,1 Methods of in plants and in labor, and since the cost A-_I,V **Ti .. ,., Application, ol these items is the same whether the crop is large or small, intensive systems of feeding the crop usually give excellent returns. The crop is also very much improved in quality if the conditions are made favorable for .continuous and rapid growth, hence an abundance of moisture and of immediately available food are prime essentials. The former can be con- trolled to a large extent by good methods of culture, but the best culture of the best soils is not capable of providing the necessary food, and, of the essential elements of food, Nitrogen seems to be the one that contributes especially to rapidity of growth and to the formation of stalk which possesses that peculiar crisp- ness which in so marked a degree measures marketable quality. Soils that are deep, moist and rich in organic matter are best suited for the crop; these should be heavily manured, say, at the rate of ten to fifteen tons per acre, and should also receive liberal amounts of F piants high~g rao1 e commercial fertilizer, at the rate of 600 to 800 pounds per acre, all applied broadcast previous to 60 setting the plants. After the plants are well started, apply 200 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda along the row, and, if the weather is dry, cultivate it in, though, ordinarily, the moisture in the soil is sufficient to cause an immediate distribution of the salt; and in three to four weeks make a second application of Nitrate of the same amount and in the same manner. The two appli- cations of Nitrate, of 200 pounds each, will, it is be- lieved, give, on the average, better returns than smaller amounts or a greater number of applications, though the conditions of season may warrant such changes from this method as the judgment of the grower may dictate. The growing of peppers has become a considerable industry in market gar- den districts in recent years. Studies of the special needs of the crop show that, on good soils, well adapted for the plant, additional dressings of Nitrate are neces- sary for best results the gain in yield averaging 35 per cent., and the increased value of crop due to the added Nitrates averaging $30 per acre. A large quan- tity 300 pounds per acre seems to be much superior to any less amount, and, owing to the fact that peppers continue to form during the entire period of growth, the distribution of the Nitrate throughout the season is desirable where large quantities are applied. Where more convenient the first application of Nitrate may be applied at time of setting the plants, in order to prevent any delay in growth after setting. The later fractional applications are distributed throughout the season, two or three weeks apart. In the growing of early potatoes it es ' is essential that an abundant supply of Nitrogen be at the disposal of the plant. The ex- perience of growers has clearly demonstrated this fact, and, until commercial fertilizers came into general use, most growers used large quantities of yard manure, in order that the plant should suffer no lack of this ele- ment. With the introduction of commercial fertilizers, the question of greatest importance has been the source of Nitrogen best suited to meet the .demands of the special early growth. The experiments which have been conducted with a view to answering this question have shown clearly that while Nitrate is most useful, 6l a combination of the Nitrate with the quickly available organic forms, as dried blood, or with both organic and ammonia forms, is preferable to the use of any single form. On good potato soils, therefore, a good fertilization should consist of from Practice 3 ' 800 to 1,000 pounds of a fertilizer con- taining Nitrogen, 4 per cent.; available phosphoric acid, 8 per cent., and potash, 10 per cent.; one-third of the Nitrogen at least to be derived from Nitrate of Soda and the remainder from quickly available organic forms. On soils in good condition the fertilizer may be applied in the row at the time of planting, though many prefer to apply one-half of the desired amount broadcast pre- viously and the remainder in the row with the seed. Where there appears to be a deficiency of Nitrogen, the application of 100 pounds of Nitrate per acre at the time of blossoming will encourage the rapid growth of tubers, though retarding, to some extent, the time of ripening. The sweet potato finds its most ^ congenial home in a light, sandy soil, the physical character of the soil measuring, to a large extent, the quality of the crop, though the method of fertilization will also influence this to a certain extent. This plant seems to have the power of acquiring from the soil Nitrogen that is inaccessible to other plants, and thus, where large applications of this element are made, a tendency to undue growth seems to be encour- aged, and also to change the marketable quality of the tubers, causing a long, rooty growth, rather than a compact, nodular form. The use of a small amount of Nitrogen is, however, desirable, an increase of from 50 to 70 bushels per acre being secured from such use. Hence, soils rich in Nitrogen, or those upon which Nitrogen has been previously applied in considerable quantities, do not produce tubers of the character de- manded by our northern markets a small, round tuber, which cooks dry and has a nutty flavor. These char- F Piants ac teristics of quality cannot be secured in crops grown - on heavy soils, nor on sandy soils too liberally supplied 62 with Nitrogen. The fertilizer may be applied at the Methods of - ^ j_i i Practice time ot making up the rows, in order that it may be evenly distributed be- fore the slips are planted. This will encourage im- mediate growth of plant, and the small quantity of Nitrate which is applied early in the season will not militate against the proper development of the tuber, as an absence of Nitrogen in the soil after the Nitrate has been taken up will discourage the formation of the rooty form of tuber, which is marketable at a lower price. Experiments have also demonstrated the necessity in the soils of an abundance of minerals, and a fertilizer containing 2.5 per cent. Nitrogen, 7 per cent, available phosphoric acid and 10 per cent, potash, one-half the Nitrogen to be drawn from Nitrate, seems to meet the requirements better than one containing a larger amount of Nitrogen. II. For Crops of Low Commercial Value. . r . The growth of hay and the cereals, ay an ram. wnea t and rye, forms a very important part of the farming interests of the Eastern, Middle and Southern Coast States. The areas of these crops in eighteen States, including Tennessee and Kentucky, are, in round numbers, as follows: Hay 15,000,000 acres. Wheat 8,000,000 " Rye 772,000 " In most of these States large quantities of com- mercial fertilizers are used, either because the soils are naturally poor or because they have been depleted of their original constituents by continuous cropping, and, even with added fertilizers, the yields are not large enough to make the crops in themselves highly profit- able. In many States the yield in particular districts is large, but the average yield of hay is but 1.25 tons per acre, of wheat, but 13 bushels per acre, and but 15 bushels of rye. The aggregate production of these crops is, however, very large, and, because of the con- 6 3 ditions which prevail, it is likely that their growth will continue for some time to come, though it is eminently desirable that the average yield should be increased. One of the chief reasons for the low average yield is that the farming is on the "extensive" rather than on the "intensive" plan. The relatively large areas used are not well prepared for the seed, and the fer- tilizers applied do not fully supplement soil supplies of plant-food. These conditions, too, are not liable to change at once, because the farmers are not yet pre- pared to adopt the more rational intensive system; the adjustment to new conditions requires time. The sug- gestions here given as to the use of top-dressings of nitrogenous substances are therefore of primary im- portance, because, if followed, they will enable the farmer to obtain more profitable crops, and will encourage the gradual adoption of better systems of practice. The farmers have, however, reached the point where they are asking the general question: "How shall I profitably increase the yields of these crops?" They are not satisfied with present conditions, nor with the general advice to supply the crops with addi- tional plant-food. The advice is not definite enough, and they are not sure that the cost of expensive plant- food will be returned in the immediate crop, and they cannot afford to wait for future crops to return an interest on the invested capital. As soon as it is made clear that a profitable increase in crop from the use of fertilizers is a reasonable thing to expect, then the questions are; -first, "What shall I use?" second, "How much shall I use per acre?" and third, "When and how shall it be applied?" Experiments that have been conducted with the use of Nitrate of Soda answer all of these questions in a definite and specific way. In the case of hay, from timothy and other grasses, the experiments that y * have been conducted answer the first question "What shall I use?" as follows: Use Nitrate of Soda, because it is a food element that is especially needed; it is F Plants som ble in water and can be immediately taken up by - the plants and supplies them with that which they need 6 4 at the time they need it it can be used by them early in the spring before other forms of applied Nitrogen are usable and before other soil supplies are available. The results of experiments conducted through a period of nine years, and in different sections of the State, show that upon soils which will produce crops ranging from one to three tons per acre, a gain in yield of from 9 to 54 per cent., or an average increase of 32.7 per cent., may be expected from the use of from 100 to 150 pounds per acre, which would show an average gain in yield of 654 pounds per acre; based on the average yield of this section of the country of 1.25 tons per acre, the gain would be 820 pounds. This increase at an average price of $12 per ton would mean about $5 per acre, or $2 more than the cost of the material. A very satisfactory profit, when it is remembered that it is obtained at the same cost of labor and of capital in- vested in land. The second question, as to how much ^tTn ^f uch shall be applied: experience teaches Applied 6 ih&t on ^ so ils> in a good state of cultivation, 150 pounds per acre would be regarded as the most useful amount, though on poor soils, 100 pounds would be better, and on richer soils, as high as 200 or 250 pounds per acre may be used with advantage. The reason why a smaller amount is recommended on poor soils is because on such soils there is liable to be a deficiency of the mineral elements, and inasmuch as the Nitrate is not a food complete in itself, but an element of food, the plant would be unable to utilize it to the best advantage in the absence of the necessary minerals. Where the soils are good or under the intensive plan, larger amounts may be used, as under this system all the constituents are supplied in reasonable excess, besides, every precaution is taken to have the physical condition of the soil so perfect as to provide for the easy distribution and absorption of the food applied. In experiments conducted in Rhode Island the largest profit was obtained from the applica- tion of 450 pounds per acre, together with the necessary minerals. This method of practice is one which' should 5 d f for , . . i i i i "i i Plants be the ultimate aim, and can be accomphshedjby gradu- ally increasing the amounts as the profits from the crops 6 s grown from the application of smaller amounts warrant. The experiments, the results of which are confirmed by experience, also Application, answer the third question, as to when it shall be applied. Apply as a top-dressing in spring, after the grass has well started, when the foliage is dry, and preferably just before or just after a rain. If applied when vegetative functions are active, it is immediately absorbed, and not only strengthens the plant but causes it to throw its roots deeply into the soil and to absorb more readily the mineral food, and thus utilize to a fuller degree the amount of Nitrate applied. Fre- quently, however, not only is the yield increased, but the quality of the hay is improved that is, there is proportionately more nitrogenous substance in the hay than in that obtained where no Nitrogen has been used, so that unless the Nitrate has been absorbed uni- formly we cannot expect the yield that may be calcu- lated from the amount of Nitrogen applied. These experiments suggest, further, that, owing to the diffi- culty of evenly distributing a small amount of Nitrate of Soda, and owing, also, to the fact that, on soils that have been seeded with grass, there is frequently a deficiency of mineral elements, a mixture may prefer- ably be used which is rich in Nitrate, usually one-half, the balance consisting of acid phosphate, ground bone and muriate of potash. The soluble minerals are readily carried to the roots of the plants, but the ground bone feeds the surface roots, and the Nitrate is absorbed quite as readily as if not used with any other material. This method is to be recommended whenever the land is in good condition, and it is desired to keep up the content of the mineral constituents in the soil, as well as to avoid any danger of overfeeding with Nitrogen, which would have a tendency, particu- larly in the warmer climates, of causing a softer growth and formation of mildew. This is liable to occur where the Nitrogen is in excess and the ration is not well balanced. F S!, Tin, The answer to the questions as Wneat. j . i , .-. applied to wheat are, in essence, the 66 same, though modified in particular points, owing to the fact that the wheat is grown for grain, rather than for weight of total produce, as in the case of hay, and also because wheat, being seeded in the fall, has not so large a root system as grass, and therefore greater care should be used in the application of the material. Nitrate of Soda is, however, the substance that is likely to give the most satisfactory results as a top-dressing, because, as already pointed out, it is soluble, and can thus reach every point of the soil without the necessity of cultivation and it is immedi- ately available, and thus supplies food at once or at the time most needed, energizing the plants weakened by. the winter and strengthening those already vigor- ous and enabling them to secure a larger proportion of the mineral elements. The time of application should be early in the spring, or after growth has started. The results of experiments con- Gains from the ducted to answer this- question show a of Soda ^ am m kth grain and straw from the top-dressing of Nitrate of Soda. The yields per acre, without the top-dressing, ranged from eleven to twenty-seven bushels of grain per acre and from 1,500 to 1,800 pounds of straw, thus showing a wide variation in the character of the soils used and in seasons, making the average of the results generally applicable. The gain in yield of grain ranged from 25.9 to 100 per cent., while that of straw ranged from 54 to 100 per cent., or an average of 60.8 per cent, increase in the case of the grain, and 83.8 per cent, increase in the case of the straw. The value of these increased yields, at average prices, shows a large profit in all cases. Applying this to the average yield per acre of wheat and straw, namely, thirteen bushels of wheat and 1,600 pounds of straw for the Eastern and Southern States included in our discussion, we find a gain of 7.9 bushels of wheat and 1,340 pounds of straw, and a valuation of seventy-five cents per bushel for wheat and $6 per ton for straw, which prices, probably repre- sent the average, though not as high as are now pre- vailing, the total value of the increase is $9.95, or a net gain of $6.20 per acre, using the price of $50 6 7 per ton for Nitrate of Soda. The profit here indi- cated is a good one and should make wheat raising more encouraging, besides stimulating the farmer to better practice in other directions. The calculated yields from the use of Nitrate are not unreasonable to expect, since on good wheat soils and with fairly good management, without the additional Nitrate, the aver- age yield is over twenty bushels per acre. In reference to the second ques- tion, as to how much Nitrate shall be to A applied, the experiments show that on soils in a good state of cultivation, those that will produce about fifteen bushels per acre without top- dressing, 150 pounds per acre, the average amount used in the experiments, would be the most useful; though, on poorer soils, which would average ten to twelve bushels per acre, 100 pounds would be better, for the reasons already discussed in the case of hay. On better soils, where quantities larger than 150 pounds per acre seem desirable, it is strongly recom- mended that two applications of equal weight be made; the first, when the plants have well started, and the second, when the crop is coming into head. Very often the season is such as to encourage a rapid change of the insoluble Nitrogen in the soil, in which case too large an application in the spring would tend toward an undue development of leaf and the ripening would be impaired, hence the advantage of dividing the amount is apparent, as, if the season is good and the growth normal, the second application may be dis- pensed with. Where the soil is liable to be deficient in minerals, and this is often the case, the Nitrate may be mixed with other materials, as recommended for hay, the excess of minerals not used for the wheat providing for the following crop. The three experiments with rye in Rye. 1894 confirm the conclusions reached in both the experiment on hay and on wheat, that Nitrate of Soda as a top-dressing proves desirable in effectually Fo pfants j ncreasm g the yield of both grain and straw, and which _ is accomplished at a profit. The average yield of crops 68 without top-dressing ranged from 9.3 to 15.4 bushels of grain, and the increase from the application of 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda ranged from 21 to 37 per cent, for grain, and from 33.5 to 37 for straw, or an average increase of 28.5 per cent, for grain and 35.7 for straw. The yield obtained without top-dressing is not so large as in the case of the wheat, nor is the increase proportionately as large, due undoubtedly to the fact that the rye is usually grown on poorer land than wheat, and that only 100 pounds are used, though this small amount is recommended because of the rela- tively lower price of grain. Applying this percentage increase, however, to the average yields, as shown by the States mentioned, namely, fifteen bushels of rye, and 1,800 pounds of straw per acre, we have a gain of 4.28 bushels of grain and 603 pounds of straw. At sixty cents per bushel for the grain, and $12 per ton for the straw, the gain is $6.18, or a net profit from the use of Nitrate of Soda of $3.93 per acre, a very handsome return for the investment. The suggestions as to the amount and time to apply are practically the same as for the wheat and hay, though, owing to the fact that the straw is relatively more valuable than the grain, larger applications may be made for rye than for wheat, as an abnormal increase in the proportion of straw would not result in lowering the total value of the crop. At this Station during the years Experiments 1399 to 1902 seven experiments were CJ?s F rage conducted with Nitrate as a top-dress- ing on forage crops, the Nitrate being used in addition to the manures and fertilizers generally used, and the following tabulations show the yield and gain per acre obtained. It will be observed that in all cases a very marked increase, due to the application of Nitrate, occurred on all crops except the barley, which, owing to unfavorable weather conditions, did not make a large yield. Applying this percentage increase to what has been shown to be average yields of these crops without Nitrate, we have the follow- ing table, which shows the gain per acre and the value of the increase on all crops at an assumed value of $3 per ton : Yield of Forage Crops Per Acre. _ 03 t- V 3 '? FERTILIZER. Increased Yield. Percentage, Gain. H 8, I > Increased Yield. Value of Increased Yield at $3 per Ton. I II Rye 1 1 2 1 1 1 Ibs. 9,520 9,280 14,355 20,400 6,250 2,400 Ibs. 13,100 15,000 21,540 26,800 9,530 4,720 Ibs. 3,580 5,720 7,185 6,400 3,280 2,320 37.6 61.6 50.0 31.4 52.5 96.6 Ibs. 10,000 10,000 14,000 20,000 10,000 8,000 Ibs. 3,760 6,160 7,000 6,280 5,250 7,728 $5.64 9.24 10.50 9.42 7.88 11.59 Wheat Barnyard Mil- let Corn Oats and Peas . Barley It will be observed that the value of the increased crop ranges from $5.64 to $11.59 per acre a profitable increase in every case, as the average cost of the Nitrate did not exceed $3.60. This profit does not take into consideration the fact that the average increase for all the crops was over 50 per cent., thus reducing, in this proportion, the area required for the production of a definite amount of food a point of vital importance in the matter of growing forage for soiling purposes. In other words, it is shown that, not only is there a profit- able gain, but that with these crops the application of Nitrate of Soda made it possible to double the number of cattle or the number of cows that could be kept on a definite area. In the case of the wheat and rye the application was made when the plants were well started in the spring. In the case of the spring or summer-seeded crops the applications were made after the plants were well started and root systems well established and ready for the rapid absorption of food. In raising forage crops the best results, in fact, satisfactory results, can only be Methods of Application. 69 F Piants btained when grown under the intensive system. - The soil must be well prepared and an abundance of 7 all the elements of plant-food supplied. Hence, the application of Nitrate may be greater than is usually recommended for grain crops under the extensive system. Although there are many valuable suggestions offered by the experiments, at least two are of funda- mental importance, and cannot be too strongly urged upon the attention of farmers: 1. That the constituents Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, as found in commercial supplies fur- nishing these elements, do serve as plant-food, nour- ishing the plant in the same manner as those in home manures, and should, therefore, be liberally used, in order to guarantee maximum crops. 2. Of these constituent elements Nitrogen is of especial importance, because it is the one element which, in its natural state, must be changed in form before it can be used by the plants. Hence, its applica- tion in an immediately-available form is especially ad- vantageous for quick-growing vegetable crops, whose marketable quality is measured by rapid and contin- uous growth, and for those field crops which make their greatest development in spring, before the conditions are favorable for the change of the Nitrogen in the soil into forms usable by plants. Staple Crops. Food for Plants Cotton and Fiber Plants. Cotton is profitably grown on nearly all kinds of soil, but does best perhaps on a strong, sandy loam. On light uplands the yield is light, but with a fair pro- portion of lint; on heavy bottom lands the growth may be heavy, but the proportion of lint to the whole plant very much reduced. The preparation of the soil must be even and thor- ough; light soils should be plowed to a depth of six inches, heavy soils about eight inches. The rows should be four feet apart; on very rich soils the hills may be made twelve inches apart, but, on the light soils com- mon to cotton sections, twenty -four inches is a better Plants 72 Food for S p ace between plants. About one bushel of seed per i i 11 acre is the usual allowance. Many fertilizer formulas have been recommended, and by all kinds of authority, and green manuring is widely advised as a means of getting a supply of cheap ammonia; but, with this crop especially, cheap am- moniates are very dear. The cotton plant should have stored up all the food it needs by the 1st or 15th Products of Auburn Cotton Plots, Group 1. Yields of Seed Cotton. Plot 1. Plot 3. Plot 4. 750 Ibs. 1272 Ibs. 1440 Ibs. of August; from this time on growth should be checked that the plant may develop the formation of seed and lint. If, on the contrary, plant food is still supplied late in the season, new growth is the result, and in con- sequence a lessened production of lint and seed. The lower grade ammoniates, such as cotton-seed meal, green manuring, ftankage, and dried blood, continue to supply available Nitrogen until checked by cold weather, hence these forms of ammoniates are not de- p? od j or sirable for the most economical production of cotton. In order to supply the necessary plant food for the earl- 73 ier stages of growth, so much of these low grade am- moniates must be used that injury from lack of ripening is almost sure to occur. The^ most- rational way of fertilizing cotton is to apply the phosphoric acid and potash with the seed, Products of Auburn Cotton Plots, Group 2. Yields of Seed Cotton. Plot 1. Plot 3. Plot 4. 930 Ibs. 1284 Ibs. 1776 Ibs. or just before seeding. As soon as the plants are well above ground, top-dress along the rows with 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre, and work in well with the cultivator. This furnishes the cotton plant with pre- cisely the Best Form of Nitrogen, Nitrate, for rapid growth, and does not continue to push the plant long after new growth should have ceased. Fo pf n? r ^ ne nun d re d pounds of Nitrate of Soda may be used as a top-dressing four weeks after planting. 74 Successful results have been obtained by using Nitrate alone, either at the time of planting, at the ratio of 100 pounds to the acre, or a spoonful of this salt placed around and near each cotton bush later, mixing it thoroughly with the dry soil. Avoid placing the Nitrate on the plant or in contact with it". Fertilization and Cultivation of Cotton. Bulletin of North Carolina Department of Agriculture. Cotton is generally grown on ridges. This is necessary on wet soils, but on all fairly well-drained upland and sandy soils we are convinced that level and frequent shallow cultivation, as was indicated for corn, is the best and most eco- nomical method to follow in growing cotton. Ridge culture may give better results in very wet years, but taking the seasons as they come the advantage will lie, we think, with flat culture. On light lands it will be good practice to apply Nitrate as a side-dressing about the middle of June. Good results come from the use of it in this way on heavy types of land. Where land does not produce a good stalk of cotton, and fertilizers are used which contain only a moderate amount of Nitrogen, or ammonia, good results are obtained from a side- dressing of 50 to 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre. The Nitrate should be distributed along one side of the row, or where there is a ridge in the middle it may be put on this, and when the ridge is thrown out the Nitrate will be thrown on two sides of the row. The Alabama Agricultural Experi- Cotton mg nient Station at Auburn, Alabama, has made some interesting experiments in fertilizing cotton. Experiments were conducted in many different parts of the State and on various kinds of soil. It was noticed that in nearly every case 96 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, when used with acid phosphate, gave a better yield than 240 pounds cotton-seed meal when Experiments with Fertilizers on Cotton. NITRATE. NITRATE. Food for Plants 75 Locality and Character of Soil. No Fertilizer. 240 Ibs. Acid Phosphate, per Acre. T. "8.3 % ts o 7? PH *-> y 23^ M 5 fe g^& . f: in i*i jQ ' CO 0> 0* -$$ 3 " a, ^JL flPn H SIS'* O CJ tc o< to to J3J3 * Tjl (N 04 sff 2|i Jt V ,J J|>PL| -g C 2 ."S 'S < Jll S ^^^ & JJJ "" o^ o * o O <N Yield aer Acre. Lbs. Yield per Acre. Lbs. Yield per Acre. Lbs. Yield per Acie. Lbs. Yield per Acre. Lbs. Barbour Co., Sandy Loam. . Elmore Co., Gray Sand 624 469 672 736 1216 1088 768 960 1020 1088 Elowah Co., Red Loam 240 616 1000 720 952 Greene Co., Sandy 104 512 960 1056 1256 Clay Co., Soil Red 389 480 800 704 848 Calhoun Co., Mulatto Soil. . Lawrence Co., Clay Loam.. . Cullman Co., Sand and Gravel 171 235 347 480 600 928 640 864 1080 624 688 1096 816 904 1120 Madison Co., Clay Loam. . . Randolph Co., Sandy Loam. Butler Co., Light Sand 312 288 200 448 384 640 800 752 744 544 544 760 800 544 800 Marengo Co., Dark Sand. . . 648 816 936 784 968 used with the same quantity of acid phosphate. The 240 pounds of cotton-seed meal contained more Nitro- gen than 96 pounds of Nitrate, and cost more than the Nitrate, yet did not give, as a rule, as good results. As a rule, potash did not pay, except on sandy land. While the "no fertilizer" acre gave only a small yield, the best results were obtained from the combination of Nitrate, phosphate and potash, but where the land was fairly good, the potash did not seem to be necessary. Cotton-seed meal has been an economical source of Nitrogen, but it tends to make the soil sour, stale and mouldy. Its use should never exclude the use of Nitrate Nitrogen, i.e., Nitrate of Soda, at the rate of 100 pounds to the acre. Two bales of cotton may be made on the same F p!anS ^ an( ^ w *th the same labor which now makes one. - Nitrate of Soda fed to growing crops at the right time repays its cost many times over. If there is no Nitrate present, the plant must wait until the Nitrogen in the cotton-seed meal becomes nitrated, which, in cool, damp soil takes a considerable time. Thus the plant, in its most critical stage, is held back and checked in its growth, from which it never fully recovers. On the other hand, if a small quantity of Nitrate is used, the plant can take it up at once and get a good strong start by the time the cotton-seed meal is converted into the Nitrate form, the only form that can be used by the plant. Profitable Use of Nitrate of Soda on Cotton. In forty tests in 1904 at the South Carolina Experiment Station, where Nitrate of Soda was used at the rate of 200 pounds to the acre, the yield was 1,740 pounds of seed cotton per acre, compared with an average yield of 868 pounds per acre for thirty-four plots on which various fertilizers were used, and an average yield of 425 pounds per acre for six unfertil- ized plots. The table on page 77 shows the average yearly yields per acre for the four years during which the experiments were carried on, together with the profits shown by the use of various fertilizers, is condensed from similar tables on pages 21, 22 and 23 of Bulletin 145 of the South Carolina Experiment Station, Clem- son College, S. C., and from a report for 1910 from the same station. Doubling the Cotton Crop a Problem of Sane Fertilizing. Should the world's cotton spinning demands re- quire the doubling of the American cotton crop within the next five or ten years, along what lines of develop- ment in means and methods could it be most economi- cally accomplished? This is a question which some consider a practical proposition. They look forward to an era, after the Food for Average Yearly Profits from Use of Fertilizers for the Years Plants 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910. Kind of Fertilizer 1, r* Q >ve Unfertilized Increase due to r.)" l~-J of Increase ts per Pound. *> . o 3 U.a "8 8 c rti O< > < gra ^3*S O N 481 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 690^ a 209^ Ibs. $ 8.38 $ 3.45 $ 4.93 Muriate of Potash. . 55V/2 " 69^ 2.78 1.94 .84 Acid Phosphate. . . 1 Muriate of Potash } 751X2 ' 270J/S 10.82 5.39 5.43 Acid Phosphate. . . ) Muriate of Potash \ Cottonseed Meal . J 865% 384% " 15.37 7.17 8.20 Acid Phosphate. . . 1 Nitrate of Soda. . J 1004% " 523% " 20.95 9.15 11.80 Acid Phosphate. . . 1 Muriate of Potash \ Nitrate of Soda... j 1013 " 532 " 21.28 12.04 9.24 Acid Phosphate. . 1 Cottonseed Meal. [ Nitrate of Soda. . J 1060 " 579 23.16 11.88 11.28 Acid Phosphate. . 1 Muriate of Potash 1 Cottonseed Meal. [ Nitrate of Soda. . J 1113% 632% 25.31 13.81 11.50 77 current depression is passed, of new areas of investment. A new period of railway construction is then expected to break out in Asia, Africa, Latin-American countries and in Australasia. Railway building always brings with it an enormous demand for cotton textiles and many capable judges recognize that neither the present mill capacity nor the available supply of cotton may be adequate for the world's requirements of the chief textile fabric five or ten years hence. F piants Fertilization is 50 per cent of the producing factors necessary to increase the yield of cotton up to the 7 8 average Egyptian productiveness. Egypt's cotton av- erage is about 400 pounds to the acre, and in 1912 it was 426 pounds against our own average of about 180. The other elements include seed selection, the applica- tion of natural manures, plowing under green manures and thorough tillage and drainage. But fertilizing depends very largely on the ingre- dient which is selected to do the fertilizing. Of the three chief fertilizing elements potash, phosphoric acid and nitrogen the nitrates are by all means the most important because they supply the energizing element in plant life. The rational use of nitrates, of about 100 pounds an acre, is therefore, the most im- portant fertilizing principle in the increase in the pro- duction of cotton, because it is the factor which enables the plant to make the most out of its environment. The great difference between the American fertilizing methods and those of Europe and Egypt is in the pro- portion of nitrogen used in increasing the size of the crops. The average composition of fertilizers sold in the United States is inferior in this main element of available nitrogen. The cotton belt, which now ranks first in fertilizer consumption, includes in the average composition of fertilizers about eight parts of phos- phoric acid, four of potash and two of nitrogen, of which the whole is never available, that is, free to act in its fertilizing function. In Europe and Egypt the com- position is eight of phosphoric acid, four of potash and four and one-half of nitrogen, practically all of which is available. The American farmers' progress, especially in the cotton country, is being hindered by the use of inferior fertilizers. A pure fertilizer law is needed as much as a pure food law. Farmers do not know enough about the availability of the higher grade fertilizer ingredients which are necessary to more intensive cultivation. Germany imports more nitrates than we do, for her territory of about the size of Texas. Last year that country took 700,000 tons, compared with 550,000 tons imported by the United States. Europe ships her Food foi Plants F piants Phosphoric acid here and takes her nitrates from Chile, - in which the energizing plant-producing power is nearly 80 all available. If cotton growing, on the 35,000,000 acres now under that plant, could be brought by rational fertiliz- ing and by ordinary improvements in seed selection and soil treatment to the Egyptian standard of 400 pounds to an acre, the yield of the country could there- by be raised to 28,000,000 bales a year. Rural credit institutions for the supply of necessary capital at low cost and the diversion of immigration into the cotton states, would insure the necessary labor and capital. One thing more the invention of a successful mechan- ical cotton picker and the American cotton crop would be on a fair way to double itself within another decade. Flax and Hemp. For Hemp. 100 pounds Nitrate per acre may be applied as a top-dressing at the time of planting. For Flax. 100 pounds Nitrate per acre may be applied as a top-dressing at the time of planting. Tobacco. The value of tobacco depends so much upon its grade, and the grade so much upon the soil and climate, as well as fertilization, that no general rules for tobacco culture can be laid down. Leaving out special ones, such as Perique, the simplest classification of tobacco for the purposes of this book is as follows: Cigar. Tobacco for cigar manufacture, grown chiefly in Connecticut and Wisconsin. Manufacturing. Tobacco manufactured into plug, or the various forms for pipe smoking and cigarettes. All kinds of tobacco have the same general habits of growth, but the two classes mentioned have very different plant food requirements. Cigar tobaccos generally require a rather light soil; the manufacturing kinds prefer heavy, fertile soils. In either case, the soil must be clean, deeply broken, and thoroughly pulverized. Fall plowing is always prac- tised on heavy lands, or lands new to tobacco culture. Tobacco may be safely grown on the same land year Food for after year. The plant must be richly fertilized; it has thick, fleshy roots, and comparatively little forag- 8l ing power that is, ability to send out roots over an extensive tract of soil in search of plant food. Fertilizer for tobacco is used in quantities per acre as low as 400 pounds, and as high as 3,000 pounds. It should always be supplemented by a top-dressing of Tobacco. No Nitrate. Virginia Experiments. 100 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda per acre. Nitrate of Soda, along the rows of young plants, rang- ing from 200 to 400 pounds per acre. Manufacturing tobaccos are particularly benefited by the application of Nitrate of Soda. While the production of leaf may be enormously increased by abundant use of this Nitrate, the other plant food elements should also be used to secure a well matured crop. In the case of cigar tobaccos, Nitrate should be used exclusively, as Fo pi d f ? r ft i g difficult to secure a thoroughly matured leaf unless the supply of digestible Nitrogen is more or less under 82 control, a condition not practicable with ordinary fer- tilizers. Should the crop at any time before mid- August take on a sickly, yellow color, Nitrate of Soda should be broadcasted at once, along the rows, and at the rate of 200 pounds per acre. If this broadcasting can be done just before a rain, the results will appear more promptly. Tobacco growing is special farming, and should be carefully studied before starting in as a planter. For small plantations, the plants are best bought of a regular seedsman. The cultivation is always clean, and an earth mulch from two to three inches in depth should be maintained that is, the surface soil to that depth kept thoroughly pulverized. At the Kentucky Experiment Station, experiments were made with fertilizers on Burley Tobacco. The land was "deficient in natural drain- Tobacco, age," so that the fertilizers could hardly be expected to have their full effect. Yet, as will be seen by the following table, the profits from the use of the fertilizers were enormous: Experiments on Tobacco at the Kentucky Experiment Station. Value of Yield of tobacco pounds. tobacco Fertilizer per acre. Bright. Red. Lugs. Tips. Trash. Total, per acre. 1. No manure 200 360 60 540 1160 $67.20 2. 160 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda... 230 450 310 90 530 1610 138.40 3. 160 Ibs. sulp. of potash; 160 h Ibs. Nitrate of Soda 190 755 605 120 140 1810 190.45 4. 320 Ibs. superphosphate; 160 Ibs. sulp. of potash; 160 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda 310 810 420 10 360 2000 201.20 The tobacco was assorted by an expert and the prices given as follows: Bright and red, fifteen cents per pound; lugs, six cents per pound; tips, eight cents per pound; trash, two cents per pound. One hundred and sixty pounds Nitrate of Soda, costing about $3.75, increased the value of the crop $71.20 per acre! We recommend for tobacco a mixture of 200 ? 0< l for pi a fire pounds Nitrate of Soda, 300 pounds superphosphate, and 200 pounds sulphate of potash per acre. This 8 3 mixture would cost about $28.00 per ton and would contain over 6 per cent, of Nitrogen. This is nearly twice as much Nitrogen as would be obtained in a "complete fertilizer" or "special tobacco manure," costing $35.00 per ton. Timothy and related grasses feed heavily on Nitrogen; they are able to transform it completely into wholesome and digestible animal food. When full rations of plant food are present a good crop of grass will remove upwards of the equivalent of the active fertilizer ingredients of 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, 200 pounds muriate of potash and 200 pounds of phosphate. These amounts are recommended to be applied per acre as top-dressing for grass lands; and if wood ashes are available 400 pounds per acre will be very beneficial in addition to the above. Grass lands get sour easily, especially when old, and when they do, one ton of lime per acre should be harrowed in before seeding down anew. The seeding must be done before September, and the above-mentioned ration should be used as a top-dressing the following spring, soon after the grass begins to show growth. If all the conditions are favorable from three to five tons of clean barn-cured hay, free from weeds, may reasonably be expected. When grass crops are heavy and run as high as 4J^ tons per acre field-cured, it is safe to allow 20 per cent, shrinkage in weight for seasoning and drying down to a barn-cured basis. Nitrate of Soda, the chief constituent of the prescribed ration, pushes the grass early and enables it to get ahead of all weeds, and the crop then feeds econom- ically and fully on the other manurial constituents Food for Plants 84 Grass. 1. Product of one square foot 2. Product of one square foot of ground in field yielding over of ground in adjoining field three tons per acre of cured (not fertilized with Nitrate of timothy hay fertilized with Ni- Soda) yielding one ton per acre trate of Soda. of cured hay. Highland Experimental Farms, New York. present in the fertilizer mentioned in the formula and ? od x for i M Plants present in the soil. When clean No. 1 hay sells above $16.00 per ton 8 s the financial results are very satisfactory. Nitrate can sometimes be used alone for a season or two and at very great profit, but a full grass ration is better in the long run for both the soil and crop. Generally speaking, 100 pounds of Nitrate, if used under proper conditions, will produce an increase of from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds of barn-cured, clean timothy hay, the value of which shall average from $8.00 to $10.00. Compared with the value of the increased hay crop, it pays well to use Nitrate liberally on grass lands. Making Two Blades of Grass Grow Where Qne Blade Grew Before. Grass is a responsive crop and the part played by mineral chemical fertilizers, as proven in Rhode Island, shows the striking effect of Nitrate on yields and feeding quality. Since all the other fertilizers were alike for the three plots and had been for many years, and since the general character of the soil and the treatments the plots had received were uniform, any differences must be ascribed to the influence of the varying quantities of Nitrate of Soda. These differences, so far as they are shown by the weights of the crops for four years are given in brief below: Yield of Cured Hay Under Different Rates of Nitrogenous Fertilization. Yield of Cured Hay. Average 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, Yields Nitrate of Soda applied. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. in Tons. None 5,075 4,000 3,290 2,950 1.9 150 Jbs. per acre*... 6,300 5,600 5,550 4,850 2.8 450 Ibs. per acre*... 6,913 8,200 9,390 8,200 4.1 * Amount slightly reduced in 1901 and 1902. F piants wh t th These figures show a uniform, con- Figures Show sistent and marked advantage from the use of Nitrate of Soda; and the effect of its absence is shown by the steady decline of the yields on the no-Nitrate plot from year to year. In each year the use of 150 pounds of Nitrate gave in- creased yields over the plot without Nitrogen, the gain varying from 1,200 to almost 2,300 pounds, an aver- age gain of about seven-eighths of a ton of hay. Three times this amount of Nitrate did not, of course, give three times as much hay, but it so materially increased the yield as to show that it was all used to good advan- tage except, perhaps, in the second year. This was an exceptionally dry year and but one crop could be cut. The advantage from the Nitrate showed strikingly in the production of a rapid and luxurious early growth while moisture was still available. This supply of readily soluble food comes just when it is most needed, since the natural change of unavailable forms of Nitro- gen in the soil to the soluble Nitrates proceeds very slowly during the cool, moist weather of spring. The full ration of Nitrogen, 450 pounds of Nitrate, more than doubled the yield of hay over that produced on the no-Nitrate plot in 1900 and in the next two years it nearly tripled the yield. The average increase over the 150 pound plot was one and three-tenths tons and over the plot without Nitrogen was two and five-eighths tons. Effect on Quality of Hay. Almost as marked, and certainly How Nitrate more surprising and unexpected, was f ifoe ^ he effect of the Nitrate u P n the <l ual - ity of the hay produced. The hay from the plots during the first season was of such diverse character that different ton values had to be placed upon it in estimating the profit from the use of fertilizers. That from the no- Nitrate plot, since it contained so much clover at both cuttings, was considered worth only $9.00 a ton; the first cutting on the small Nitrogen ration was *valued Types of Characteristic Rock Shattering (1). Types oi Characteristic Rock Shattering 87 Types of Characteristic Rock Shattering (3). Fo p?aSs at $ 12 - 00 and tlie second cutting at $10.00; while $16.00 and $12.00 were the values given to the first 88 and second cuttings respectively on the plot receiving the full ration of Nitrate. But the reduction in the percentage of clover was not the only benefit to the quality of the hay. The Nitrate also decreased the proportion of red top as compared with the finer timothy. This tendency was noticed in the second year, when a count of the stalks on selected equal and typical areas showed 13 per cent, of timothy on the 150 pound plot, and 44 per cent, on the 450 pound plot. In the third year the percentages of timothy were 39 per cent, and 67 per cent., respec- tively, and in the fourth year the differences were even more marked. Timothy is a grass which will not tol- erate an acid soil, and it is probable for Grass SSary ^ a ^ ^ ne ^ mm S given these plots in 1897 did not make them as "sweet'' as would have been best for this crop. Now, when Nitrate of Soda is used by plants, more of the nitric acid is used than of the soda and a certain portion of the latter, which is an alkali, is left to combine with other free acids in the soil. This, like lime, neutralizes the acids and thus "sweetens" the soil for the How Nitrate timothy. Red top, on the contrary, Neutralizes Soil does well on soils which are slightly acid, Sweetens the anc ^ so wou ^ have the advantage over goil. timothy in a soil not perfectly sweet. With the assistance of the Soda set free from the Nitrate, the timothy was more than able to hold its own and thus to make what the market calls a finer, better hay; and since the market demands tim- othy and pays for it, the farmer who sells hay is wise if he meets the demand. Financial Profit from Use of Nitrate. How It Pa s Frequently more plant food is paid for and put on the land than the crop can possibly use, the excess being entirely thrown away, or, at best, saved to benefit some subsequent crop. Food for Plants 89 Rock before Blasting One Pound of Forty Per Cent. Dynamite. Same Rock Shattered by the Explosion of Dynamite. F piant r ^is was ^ ar f rom t^e case m these trials. Indeed, it was found by analysis of the hay that more potash was 9 removed by the crops of the first two years than had been added in the muriate used, consequently the amount applied upon each plot was increased in 1901 and in 1902. The Nitrogen requirement of the crops was found to be slightly less than was supplied in 450 pounds of Nitrate and the amount was reduced to 400 pounds in 1 90 1 , and changed to 4 1 5 pounds in 1 902 . The Nitrate on the second plot was also reduced in propor- tion. The phosphoric acid, however, was probably in considerable excess, since liming sets free phosphoric acid already in the soil and so lessens the apparent financial profit; but not to an excessive degree. Excess of Value of Hay Over Cost of Fertilizers. Nitrate of Soda applied. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. Average None $6.09 $13.42 $12.13 $7.44 $9.77 150 Ibs.* 14.34 20.37 23.97 16.52 18.80 , 450 Ibs.* 19.62 30.40 40.70 32.74 30.86 * Slightly reduced in 1901 and 1902. Practical Conclusions. From these striking results it must be evident that grass land as well as tilled fields is greatly benefited by Nitrate, and that it would be to the advantage of most farmers to improve the fertility of their soils by growing good crops of grass, aided thereto by liberal fertilizing. The application should be in the Grass Land? f orm of a to P- dr ? ssm g applied very early in the spring in order that the first growth may find readily available material for its sup- port and be carried through the season with no check from partial starvation. On land which shows any tendency to sour, a ton to the acre of slaked lime should be used every five or . six years. This makes the land sweet and promotes the growth of grass plants of the best kinds. Lime should be sown upon the plowed land and harrowed into the soil. Top-dressing with lime after seeding will not answer, and, in the case of very acid soils, the omission of lime at the proper time will neces- sitate re-seeding to secure a good stand of grass. All the elements of fertility are 91 essential so that ordinarily complete f er- tilizers may be used, Nitrate being used as a top dresser, though on some soils rich in phosphoric acid or potash, one or both of these ingredients may be used in small quantity. This is particularly true of phosphates after lime has been ap- plied to the soil, since lime aids to set the phosphoric acid free from its natural insoluble combinations. Grass seems to demand less phosphoric acid than was applied in the test; but it responds with increasing profit to applications of Nitrate of Soda up to 250 pounds to the acre when ample supplies of potash and phosphates are present. No stable manure has been used upon the field under experiment for over twenty years. The Bulletins of the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station, or Farmers' Bulletin No. 77, pub- lished by the United States Department of Agriculture, tells how and when to use lime. Details of excellent grass experiments, to be found in recent Bulletins issued by the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station, Kingston, Rhode Island, tell about Nitrate of Soda. It may not be out of place here to mention the fact that Mr. Clark's f'^A , . . . 111 as Used in success in obtaining remarkably large Clark's Grass yields of hay for a number of years, an Cultivation. average of 9 tons of cured hay per acre for 11 years in succession, has been heralded throughout the United States. He attributes his suc- cess largely to the liberal dressings of Nitrate of Soda which he invariably applies to his fields early in the spring, and which start the grass off with such a vigor- ous growth as to shade and crowd out all noxious weeds before they get fairly started and which result in a large crop of clean and high priced hay. It is also known that many who have tested his methods have met with failure chiefly because they neglected to supply the young grass plants with a F pi df t r sufficient amount of readily available food for their use in early spring, and before the organic forms of 9 2 Nitrogen, which exist in the soil only in an insoluble form and which can- How Careful Cultivation May Aid in the Profitable Use of Nitrate. not be utilized by the plants as food, are converted into soluble Nitrates by the action of bacteria in the soil. This does not occur to any great extent until the soil warms up to summer temperature when it is too late in the season to benefit the crops' early spring growth. It is important that we always bear in mind the fact that our only source of Nitrogen in the soil for all plants is the remnants of former crops (roots, stems, dead leaves, weeds, etc.) in different stages of decom- position, and that in the early spring there is always Grass. 1. Without Nitrogen. 2. H Ration of Nitrogen. 3. Full Ration of Nitrogen. All three fertilized alike with muriate of potash and acid phosphate. R. I. Bu. 103. a scarcity of Nitrogen in the soil in an available form, for the reason that the most of that which was con- verted into soluble forms by the action of the soil bacteria during the warm summer months of the pre- vious year was either utilized by the plants occupying the ground at that time or has been washed down below the reach of the roots of the young plants by the melting snow and the heavy rains of late winter and early spring. When we consider the fact that most plants require and take up about 75 per cent, of their total Nitrate Ammoniate during the earlier stages of their growth and that Nitrogen is the element most largely entering into the building up of the life principle (or 93 protoplasm) of all plants, it is plain that we cannot afford to jeopardize the chances of growing crops by having only an insufficient supply of immediately avail- able Nitrogen when it is most needed. According to experiments in Rhode Grass. Island, soils are less exhausted when complete fertilizers are used with Nitrate than when no Nitrate is used. The soda always left behind after the Nitrate of Soda is used up conserves the lime and potash, and unlocks the soil silicates and thereby frees lime and magnesia. The feeding value of hay is far greater when Nitrate is used as a fertilizer in this connection. Growing Timothy Hay for Market. Experiments with Fertilizers, Highlands Farms, 1904-1906. Growing hay for market is a subject that is receiv- ing much attention from progressive farmers of late for several reasons, viz: First, growing hay for market on a portion of the farm is a partial solution of the serious labor problem; since it is much easier to get several hands during the rush of the short haying season than to get good, efficient labor for eight or nine months of the year; Second, there are usually several fields on nearly every farm in most sections, which, owing to the heavy character of the soil, or for various other reasons, are more suitable for growing hay than for growing the several crops usually grown in a regular rotation; Third, where the method of seeding down a por- tion of a large farm to hay has been practiced it has frequently proven that the net profit per year from Food for the smaller acreage devoted to grain and hoed crops, because of the more liberal fertilizing and better cul- 94 tivation given them, was as great as was formerly obtained from the entire farm, leaving the value of the hay as clear gain over the old method. The selling price per ton of good Number One Timothy Hay in the markets of America usually ranges between 10 and 20 per cent, higher than that of clover hay, the difference frequently being nearly enough to cover the cost of harvesting and marketing the crop. This, coupled with the fact that the yield per acre of timothy is about equal to that of clover, and it is much easier to cure into good marketable condition, makes it evident that timothy is the more profitable to raise for market in those States where the soil and climatic con- ditions are favorable. We have been trying to grow timothy by seeding it with wheat or rye, and smothering it out with the grain crop the first year, and again with clover the second year, until the remaining timothy plants have become so weakened because of these unfavorable conditions and the lack of necessary plant food that they can only make a stunted growth. The result of this general method of growing hay has been an average yield for the whole country of one and one-quarter tons per acre, while, by adopting better methods, it is possible to grow three or four tons per acre and, where conditions are extremely favorable, as much as six tons of timothy per acre can often be grown in one season. In view of the conditions here pointed out, an ex- periment was planned in order to determine whether on soils naturally well adapted for hay growing, but out of condition, it is practicable to properly prepare the land and to maintain the meadow so as to secure profitable crops for a period of years by the use of commercial fertilizers alone. Location of the Experiments and Condition of the Land. The land upon which the experiments were made is located on the eastern central grazing and dairy plateau of New York, at Highlands Experimental farms. Both river flatland and upland soils were used, making it possible to study both kinds of soil where 95 climatic and seasonal conditions were the same. The character of the flatland is made up of silt, which is of considerable depth and which is still being deposited by means of overflows each spring. It was badly infested with wild sedge grass, and one portion of the meadow had not been harvested for several years. The uplands are more or less rolling, of light loam, not excessively rich in humus, and sometimes affected by droughts. Preparation of Soil and Seeding. Preparation for the experiments was begun in 1904; and typical areas were laid off and the land prepared in the best manner. A method of seeding in this part of the State is to sow timothy in corn at the last cultivation, usually the latter part of July. The corn was planted as early as possible, and just before the last cultivation 20 quarts of timothy seed were used per acre. On the flatland the crop of wild sedge grass was cut early in June, the field plowed, and quite frequently cultivated until about the first of September, when it was carefully seeded at the rate of 20 quarts of timothy per acre. Two methods of seeding were practiced on the up- land; in one case the pasture was plowed early, seeded to oats, and as soon as the crop was harvested, the stubble was plowed, then frequently cultivated, and seeded with 20 quarts of timothy per acre about the 15th of Septem- ber. In the other case, the pasture land was plowed in June, rolled down and thoroughly and frequently cul- tivated and similarly seeded about the 24th of Septem- ber. The latter method, however, did not kill the native grass, and is not recommended. Fertilizers Used. Since one object of this experiment was to deter- mine whether profitable cropping could be continued for more than one season, the land was not only thoroughly Fo pi dfor prepared, but amply supplied with phosphoric acid, _ potash and lime, in order that there might be no defi- 96 ciency in the quantity of mineral constituents required for the crop. On the highest and most gravelly portion of the upland, stable manure was applied to supply humus and increase the absorptive power of the soil, and on all the land one ton of lime w T as applied per acre before plowing; after plowing and rolling, and before harrowing, there was applied to each acre 600 pounds acid phosphate, 200 pounds sulphate of potash, and, in addition to this, the lowland received an application of 740 pounds of basic slag phosphate, and the upland 540 pounds. The Nitrogen was all in the form of Nitrate, and was applied as a top-dressing in the spring. The following table shows the kinds and amounts of fertilizers that were applied for the crops of 1905 and 1906: Kind and Quantity of Fertilizers Used Per Acre. UPLAND. LOWLAND. 1905. 1906. 1905. 1906. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. Lime 2,000 2,000 Wood Ashes 520 520 Acid Phosphate 600 578 600 578 Basic Slag 540 .... 740 Sulphate of Potash 200 200 .Nitrate of Soda 200 168 200 112 The mineral fertilizers for the crop of 1905 were applied in the fall of 1904, those for the crop of 1 906 were applied during the summer of 1905. The Nitrate of Soda was all applied as a top-dressing in the spring, and was evenly distributed as soon as the grass had nicely started. The quantities of Nitrate applied were not as large as is sometimes recommended, but sufficient to provide for a large yield, if fully utilized. The effect of the thorough preparation of soil was noticeable at once in the good stand of plants secured, and in the vigorous growth and good top made in the fall. The plants wintered well, and after the Nitrate top-dressing had been made the grass on these plots grew luxuriantly, and made a large yield of hay, as is shown in the tabulated statements herewith. The records include all the items of cost of prepar- ing the land, fertilizing and seeding. This initial cost is relatively high, but since the expectation was to con- 97 tinue experimenting upon grass for a period of years, the cost per annum of preparation, seeding and fertiliz- ing is considerably lessened. Cost Per Acre of Preparing Upland and Lowland, Seeding and Fertilizing. Cost per Acre. 1 No. Times. Each Time 1 Plowing 1 $2 . 00 "otal Cost Upland. $2.00 .60 6.00 .20 1.62 .20 1.20 6.50 4.20 5.00 3.65 per Acre. Lowland. $2.00 .60 6.00 .20 1.62 .20 1.20 6.50 4.20 5.00 Rolling 3 .20 Pulverizing 8 .75 Sowing seed one-half each way. .2 .10 20 qts. seed @ $2.60 per bu. . . - 1.62 Dragging in seed 1 .20 Sowing fertilizers 4 . 30 2,000 Ibs stone-lime @ $6.50 per ton 600 Ibs. acid phosphate (14%) @ $14.00 per ton. 200 Ibs. sulphate of potash @ $50.00 per ton 540 Ibs. Thomas phosphate @ $13.50 per ton 740 Ibs. Thomas phosphate @ $13.50 per ton 5.00 Total cost for a 6-year period $31.17 $32 . 52 Cost for one year $5 . 19 $5 .42 This cost of preparation, fertilizing and seeding, which may seem relatively high to farmers who have not been accustomed to so thoroughly prepare the soil or to fertilize so heavily, is really not greater than seeding actually costs when the object is to obtain only one crop. The cost of plowing is the same in any case, and the ordinary preparation, seeding and manuring or fertiliz- ing will make the average cost of seeding nearly as high as is here given for each acre per year. Many farmers will also object to this heavy fertilization with minerals; the answer to this is that if grass is to be seeded down for a series of years, it would be folly not to supply an abundance when it is possible to thoroughly distribute them throughout the entire surface soil, so that the feed- ing roots reaching everywhere in it may find food, hence the heavy application when seeding down. Later appli- cations must be made upon the surface and can only gradually work down into the lower layers. Food for - _ 9 8 niain point, however, is to determine whether it is a paying proposition, and the following tables show the yield and value of crops, as well as the profits derived when mineral fertilizers only are used, and also when Nitrate of Soda is used in addition. Yield of Crops in 1905. UPLAND. LOWLAND. Without With 200 Ibs. Without With 200 Ibs. Nitrate. Nitrate Nitrate. Nitrate per acre. per acre. Yield per acre. . 3,180 Ibs. 8,340 Ibs. 6,985 Ibs. 8,712 Ibs. Increase from Ni- trate ......... 5,160 Ibs. 162% 1,727 Ibs. 24.7% Crop of Grass Grown by Nitrate Top-Dressing. 1906. These results are strikingly significant, showing in the first place the difference in adaptability of the two soils for hay growing. The upland was deficient in humus, and being dry and gravelly, was unable to pro- vide Nitrogen in any quantity although an abundance of minerals was present. The lowland, on the other hand, containing a large proportion, was capable of fur- nishing the Nitrogen needed for a relatively large crop, or more than double that on the upland. This is a very clear illustration of the importance of the use of Nitrogen with minerals, if full crops are to be harvested. The application of Nitrate of Soda on the upland proved much more efficient than on the lowland, not only in supplying Nitrogen in immediately available forms, but in energizing the plants to obtain more from the soil, showing a gain in yield of 162 per cent., while on the low- land the gain was but 24.7 per cent.; the soil itself being able in this case to supply a larger proportion of the Nitrogen required to produce a crop as large as the climatic and seasonal conditions would permit. The main point, however, is not how large a yield may be obtained, but the profits that may be derived. The following table shows the financial results of the two experiments from two standpoints: (1) whether it is profitable to grow hay under the conditions, as outlined here; and (2) whether the use of Nitrate will pay. 1905. Cost of Crops. ,TJ "jjj 03 | 05 fl .S CO o fl H a 3 a || 1 S a 3 P isoi : f-i "3 -^> " ' *> M QJ 00 U flj &as .- d +3 ft a 03 o H O PH^ v fl *- |g O 25 UPLAND: | With Nitrate... Without " ... LOWLAND: 8340 $5.19 5.19 $5.20 $0.30 3.18 $19.03 8.37 $50.24 19.08 $31.21 10.71 $20.50 With Nitrate... Without " ... 8712 6985 5.42 5.42 5.20 0.30 8.71 6.99 19.63 12.41 52.27 41.91 32.64 29.50 3.14 The first point of importance shown by this detailed statement is that notwithstanding the expense involved, there is a profit in hay growing; that it pays to expend money for the good preparation of soil, for good seed and for fertilizers in fact, if the entire cost had been charged to the first crop, there would have been a profit of $5.23 per acre where Nitrate was used on the upland. Second, that it pays to use Nitrate; and third, that the 99 Food for Plants of soil to which Nitrate is applied measures in a marked degree the profit to be derived from its applica- tion. On the upland, the crop without Nitrate was worth but $19.08 per acre, while the application of 200 pounds of Nitrate caused the value to increase to $50.24 a gain of $31.16 per acre; deducting the cost of the Nitrate and extra cost of harvesting, we have a net increase in value of $20.50 per acre, or for each dollar invested a net return of nearly $4.00. On the lowland, the crop without Nitrate was worth $41.91 per acre, and, with Nitrate, $52.27, a gain of The Tedders follow the Mowing Machines for rapid curing of heavy crops of hay. $10.36, which is reduced to $3.14 when the cost of Nitrate and harvesting is deducted, still a good profit on the investment, though clearly indicating that Nitrogen was not the limiting factor in crop production as was the case on the upland. In making the tables, the actual cost of labor, seed and fertilizers was used. The value of the hay was estimated at $12.00 per ton, and based on weights at time of harvesting. The shrink- age of hay will range from 15 to 25 per cent. ; assuming the shrinkage to be as unusually high as 25 per cent., the value per ton would have to increase to $16.00 to balance, which is lower than prevailing prices have been since that year for No. 1 Timothy. Crops of 1906. The experiment was continued in 1906, on the same areas. In order to insure a constant and abundant supply, mineral fertilizers were again added in the form of wood ashes and acid phosphate, and in the amounts shown in the table, namely, 520 pounds of wood ashes and 578 pounds of acid phosphate per acre on both the fields. The applications of Nitrate were, however, reduced from 200 to 168 pounds on the upland; and to 112 pounds on the lowland per acre. These fertilizers were all evenly distributed in the spring of 1906. The effect of the Nitrate was again immediately noticeable in in- creasing the vigor of the plants. The yields were as follows : Yield of Crops in 1906. UPLAND. LOWLAND. With With Without 168 Ibs. Without 112 Ibs. Nitrate. Nitrate Nitrate. Nitrate per acre. per acre. Yield per acre 3,200 Ibs. 6,240 Ibs. 5,920 Ibs. 8,080 Ibs. Increase from Nitrate 3,040 Ibs. 95.0% 2,160 Ibs. 36.4% These results confirm those for 1905 on the whole, though there are points of difference which may be reasonably charged to season and to the effect of the growth of the first crop. On the upland, which was poor in humus and Nitrogen, the yield of the plot with- out Nitrate differs but little from that of 1905, while on the lowland, the soil rich in humus, the yield without Nitrate is much lower than in 1905. On the upland the Nitrogen at the disposal of the plant did not exist in easily changeable forms, and hence was not largely exhausted under the energy of the extra mineral food. The lowland, on the other hand, doubtless contained considerable Nitrogen in easily changeable forms, which under the stimulus of the available phosphoric acid and lime was made effective on the^ grass, and 102 Food for resulted in a comparatively large yield, leaving the soil ! _! much poorer in Nitrogen for the next crop. It would appear from this reasoning, that the need for applied Nitrogen, while greater for the upland in 1905 than in 1906, is not so striking as in the lowland. This assumption is borne out by the facts; the gain on the upland in 1905 is 3,040 pounds, or 95 per cent., as against a gain of 5,160 pounds, or 162 per cent, in 1906; while the gain on the lowland is 36.4 per cent, in 1906, as against 24.7 per cent, in 1905. The lower Hay Weeds Unfertilized Hay Weeds Hay Weeds? Nitrate of Soda Sulphate of Ammonia Hay Weeds Dried Blood Hay Weeds Limed percentage increase in yield from Nitrate on the upland being due in part, at least, to the fact that the Nitrate used in 1905 energized the plants to acquire more from soil sources than was possible with the use of minerals only, and in part to the lower quantity, applied in 1906, 168 pounds instead of 200 pounds. On the lowland the greater percentage increase this year, due to Nitrate, is for the same reason that it was greater in 1905 on the upland than in 1906. This is a clear demonstration again of the influence of character of soil as a determining factor. Instead of reducing the amount of Nitrate used in 1906, it should have been in- creased, especially on the upland. The value of crop and profits are also influenced by the smaller amounts of Nitrate applied, as shown in the comparative profits in the tabulated statement. 1906 Cost of Crops. 1 a a ** .23 :3 oS l.-a M O O a> M CD S - a o 43 .2-3 "+3 a 0] O <S a i-S IS 2 11 |1 s E "o H | 22 i2 03 E KJ o] CQ ffl 03 F p.fc< 03 o o +3 32!j r 1 S 1 P. m o B o s UPLAND: With Nitrate... 6240 $5.19 $12.60 $0.90 $6.24 $24.93 $37.44 $12.51 $10.20 Without " ... 3200 5.19 7.90 .60 3.20 16.89 19.20 2.31 LOWLAND: With Nitrate. . . 8080 5.42 11.04 .90 8.08 25.44 48.48 23.04 7.36 Without " ... 5920 5.42 7.90 .60 5.92 19.84 35.52 15.68 In making up this table, the actual cost of labor and fertilizers is recorded, while the value of dry hay was estimated to be $12 per ton when stored, as in 1905. As a whole, the results confirm those of 1905 in showing a profit in all cases, ranging from $2.31 per acre, without Nitrate, on the upland; to $23.04 with Nitrate, on the lowland. It is to be expected from the preceding discussion that the relative profits from the use of Nitrate on the two areas is changed, the net profit of $20.50 on the upland being reduced to $10.20, and that of $3.14 on the lowland being increased to $7.36 per acre. These net results, secured under what would be regarded as expensive methods, are certainly satisfactory from a financial standpoint, and indicate that on lands requir- ing expensive treatment hay growing may be made profitable, and warrant the following general sugges- tions as to the growing of profitable crops : The essential conditions necessary for obtaining maximum crops of timothy are, first, a clean, thick stand of healthy timothy plants; second, an abundance of available plant-food is needed by the plants to make a normal growth. I0 3 Food for Jt mus t not be overlooked that available plant-food at the right time implies that there shall be sufficient I0 4 moisture present in the soil to carry the plant-food into the roots of the plants in a soluble form; and just in proportion as we fail to have a sufficient supply of moisture present when needed, we render our supply of plant-food unavailable as far as plant growth is con- cerned. Thus, it is well known that very frequently the limiting .factor in the growth of plants is a lack of sufficient moisture in the soil at a critical time rather than a deficiency of actual plant-food in the soil. For this reason it is best to select those portions of the farm for growing timothy, in which the soil is rather heavy and retentive of moisture. When there is a supply of stable manure available for use in hay grow- ing, it should, whenever possible, be plowed under or otherwise worked into the soil before seeding, and not be used as a top-dressing on meadows already seeded, for the reason that the chief value of stable manure is that it adds large quantities of humus-making material to our soils, and the soils need their humus in them and not on them. For similar reasons stable manure should be applied to those soils most deficient in humus and not to the muck lands and those that are naturally moist. Preparing Land. The river-bottom lands, because of their silt forma- tion and the added fertility which they receive in their annual overflow, together with their abundant supply of moisture during the entire season, are able to produce the largest crops of timothy, at the lowest cost per ton, but these soils are usually very foul with quack, sedges and wild grasses, which must be largely eradicated, in order to get a stand of clean timothy. Where there are stumps or rocks that would inter- fere with the operations of haying machinery, it is advisable to remove them wherever possible, and it was found that the judicious use of dynamite effected a great saving in the time and expense of this operation. After plowing, the land should be rolled and then thoroughly worked every week or ten days up to seeding time. The field should be worked in small lands, going around each land, and always lapping the harrow one- half, so that the surface may be kept level. Io s If there are any deep holes in the field, resulting from the removal of boulders or other cause, they should be filled in at the time of the first harrowing, and if there are any surface ditches they should be made shallow with gradually sloping sides, wherever possible, so that the entire surface of the field can be gone over with a mowing machine in any direction when the hay crop is to be harvested. The difference in the expense of preparing a field right, or only partially so, is very slight, when consider- ing possible breakage of machinery when harvesting the crops of several years, figured on the basis of low cost per ton of product, and this factor is of double im- portance in the preparation of land on which it is possible to harvest two crops each season. Liming. It is known that timothy cannot thrive and yield maximum crops in a sour soil, while red-top seems to delight in such soil, and one of the surest indications that a soil is sour is when we find the timothy meadow run out after two or three years and the ground occupied by red-top. The presence of sorrel, five-finger, mosses, daisies and mulleins are also indications of a sour soil, and timothy cannot be made to do its best on those soils until they are made sweet. The quickest and most practical way to accomplish this is by the liberal application of lime in some form. This may be applied in the form of stonelime, either ground or unground, or air-slaked; or in connection with potash in wood ashes. The amount of lime to apply should be generally about one-half ton per acre. If we use lime in the form of ashes or ground stone- lime, it can be drilled into the soil at the right depth with a fertilizer drill, but if we use air-slaked lime or lump lime and slake it in the field, it should be spread either before plowing or immediately after the first harrowing and before the ground is rolled, so that the Food for bulk of the lime will get down into the soil at the right * iflnis i | depth. Mineral Fertilizers. This question of the correct application of the mineral elements of plant-food is of great importance, and has not received the consideration it deserves especially is this so in regard to fertilizing meadows or grass lands, which usually remain seeded down for several years, and there is no time after the seed is sown that the phosphoric acid and potash can be gotten down into the soil where they belong, which place is from three to six inches under the surface. When phosphoric acid or potash are used as a top-dressing for meadows, it is known that they become fixed largely in the surface and consequently tend to attract the feeding roots of the plants to the surface of the soil, where they are least able to withstand the effects of drought, which is so often such a serious factor. The amount of phosphoric acid and potash to be used depends upon the soil entirely, and can only be approximated, but the fact that they both become fixed in the soil so that there is practically no danger of loss from one season to another, allows us to be more liberal than we otherwise would, and since the best time to apply it is before the seed is sown, we should be liberal in regard to the quantity used for obvious reasons. For good, medium-clay land of average fertility, there should be drilled into the soil broadcast, at least 300 pounds per acre of 16 per cent, acid phosphate and 300 pounds of ground bone, also 150 pounds per acre of sulphate of potash or its equivalent, and if the soil is a poor, sandy or gravelly soil, or a peaty or muck soil, which are known to be usually deficient in these ele- ments, the quantity of each should be doubled. Re- member when it comes to fertilizing our crops, the question we should ask ourselves is not "how much will it cost me to furnish my crop with the food that it needs?" but "how much will it cost me not to do so?" Acid phosphate appears to be the safest and the best form in which to apply phosphoric acid to soils for hay growing generally. High-grade sulphate of potash is one of the most satisfactory of the commercial potash salts and its use does not tend to deplete the soil of its lime as does the I07 use of muriate of potash. The phosphoric acid and potash should be applied to the soil broadcast to the depth of at least three inches from one to two weeks before sowing the seed. Hard-wood ashes are excellent when not adulterated, as a source of potash and lime. Seeding. Twenty quarts per acre of the best recleaned timothy seed obtainable is the right quantity to sow per acre, and this should be sown between August 15th and September 15th, the time that timothy naturally reseeds itself. It can best be sown with a wheelbarrow, broadcast grass seeder, sowing ten quarts each way of the field for most even distribution, after which the seed should be dragged into the soil about one inch deep, by going over the field once or twice with a slant- tooth drag or a weeder with sufficient weight attached to obtain the desired result. Finish the operation by going over the field with a roller, to roll down the loose stones on the surface and to compact the surface soil, thus bringing the moisture to the surface so that the seed will all germinate at once and come up evenly over the entire field. Nitrate Application. So far we have insured a good, clean, thick stand of healthy timothy plants, and we have supplied them liberally with the mineral plant foods that are liable to be deficient in the soil, but we have made no provision for the plants having an abundant supply of available Nitrogen the next spring when they are making their most rapid growth, and their need is greatest. At that time there is always a scant supply of soluble Nitrogen in the surface soil, owing to the fact that when the excess moisture settles down into the lower levels of the soil it carries Nitrogen in solution with it, and the stores of humus Nitrogen are not rendered soluble, except in very slight amounts, until the soil warms up to a Fo piants Degree f temperature wherein the soil bacteria again become active and convert organic and other forms of 108 Nitrogen into Nitrates. To overcome this natural deficiency of soluble Nitrogen at a critical time in the growth of the timothy plants, we must supply it in an available form, and this can best be done by applying broadcast about 100 to 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre as a top-dressing as soon as the excess moisture has settled down out of the surface soil and growth starts in the spring, between April 10th and May 10th, in our principal hay growing States. In other words, as Professor Thomas F. Hunt puts it, in Cornell University Experiment Station Bulletin, No. 247, p. 203: "Having water-soluble Nitrogen on tap at the right hour and the right place is one of the factors that enabled the Cornell Station to grow three and one-half tons of timothy hay on Dunkirk clay loam, when without this artificial help only about one and one- half tons could be raised." Report of Experiments. Season of 1906. Highland Experimental Farms, New York. The average yields per acre of field-cured hay on the uplands were as follows : No Nitrate 3200 pounds per acre. 168 Ibs. Nitrate 6240 pounds per acre. The average yields per acre of field-cured hay on the lowlands were as follows : No Nitrate 5920 pounds per acre. 112 Ibs. Nitrate 8080 pounds per acre. Comparison of Yields, 1905 and 1906. Uplands. Season. 1905. No Nitrate 3180 Ibs. 300 Ibs. Nitrate 8340 Ibs. 1906. No Nitrate 3200 Ibs. 168 Ibs. Nitrate 6240 Ibs. Lowlands. ? 0< l for _, Plants beason. 1905. No Nitrate 6985 Ibs. 200 Ibs. Nitrate 8712 Ibs. I0 9 1906. No Nitrate 5920 Ibs. 112 Ibs. Nitrate 8080 Ibs. Yield of original "No Nitrate" hollow square plot in field of timothy and red top : Season of 19053180 Ibs. Season of 19061760 Ibs. The yields are lower for 1906 than for 1905 owing to smaller applications of Nitrate and probably also to the fact that there was much less rainfall during the growing season. Experiments with Nitrate of Soda on Oats and Peas for Hay. Highlands Farms, 1907. The original purpose of this experiment was to study the effect of the application of different quantities of Nitrate of Soda upon the yield of oats and peas as a preparatory crop for seeding the land to permanent meadows. The character of the soil has already been described on previous pages; it is not rich in humus, and thus not highly productive, without the application of manures or of Nitrogen in some soluble form. The location is such as to furnish excellent natural drainage, and to enable the land to be rapidly improved by proper methods of culture and fertilization. Since the land was intended to serve as an experimental field for the grow- ing of hay, it was well supplied at time of seeding with the mineral elements, viz.: 500 pounds per acre of an even mixture of ground bone, acid phosphate and sul- phate of potash; this was applied broadcast, and har- rowed in previous to seeding the oats and peas. The land was thoroughly prepared early in the spring, though owing to the lateness of the season the planting was not made until May 1. The plots were one-tenth of an acre in area, long and narrow, and each plot separated from the other by F pi d ants nve ~f eet strips of land, which were kept cultivated and - free from weeds. The scheme for treatment was as 1 10 follows : Plot Treatment. Minerals. 1 Nitrate of Soda 10 pounds. 2 Nitrate of Soda 15 pounds. 3 Check Minerals only. 4 Nitrate of Soda 20 pounds. 5 Nitrate of Soda 25 pounds. 6 Check Minerals only. 7 Nitrate of Soda 30 pounds. 8 Nitrate of Soda 35 pounds. Since, as already stated, the primary purpose in the planning of the experiment was to have the land seeded down with grass immediately after the oats and peas were removed, the use of the larger quantity of Nitrate was made in order to study the question whether the residual Nitrate from the large application would be of service in hastening the germination and early growth of the grasses that were to be seeded. Owing to circumstances which prevented the carry- ing out of this object, the study herewith includes only the effect of the different quantities of Nitrate upon the oat and pea crop. The mineral fertilizer was applied immediately after plowing, and thoroughly harrowed into the soil over the entire area; the Nitrate was next applied, and the seed, at the rate of one and one-half bushels each of oats and peas per acre, broadcasted upon each plot and harrowed in. Careful records were kept of the appearance of the plots during the growing season; up to June 26, no ap- parent difference was noticeable in the appearance and size of the plants on the different plots. On July 3 there was a noticeable difference in the color, thickness and height of the crops, and measurements showed the plants on plots 1, 2, 3 and 6, to be 10 inches high, and of a medium green color, fairly vigorous. On plots 4 and 5, the oats were noticeably taller, while upon plots 7 and 8, there was a very marked increase in size and in the appearance of the crop, averaging 14 inches as against 10 inches upon the four plots, and 12 inches upon plots 4 and 5. Observations were taken thereafter each week until ? od for the crop was harvested, Aug. 23. These differences in appearance held throughout, becoming more striking as II: the season advanced. For example, on July 24 and Aug. 7 the following observations were made: July 24th. Plot Inches. 1 Oats and peas 32, fair color, uneven, very few peas. 2 34, dark color, even, very few peas. 3 28, a little yellow, uneven. 4 38, very dark color, even. 5 38, very dark color, even. 6 28, fair color, uneven, very few peas. 7 40, very dark color, and even over the whole plot. 8 40, very dark color, and even over the whole plot. N.B. Plots Nos. 4, 5, 7 and 8 are much heavier, darker in color and are very even there is a greater number of peas and they are in fine condition in these plots. Noticed some rust on all the plots. On plots Nos. 1 and 6 the few peas there are seem to be drying up. August 7th. Plot Inches. 1 Oats and peas 37, uneven, very few peas with no pods. 2 39, even, few peas. 3 31, uneven, few peas with no pods. 4 42, very even, plenty of peas. 5 42, very even, plenty of peas. 6 32, uneven, very few peas. 7 44, very even over whole plot. 8 44, very even over whole plot. N. B. Same conditions prevail as last week with every plot except that the straw is beginning to change its color. Plots Nos. 4, 5, 7 and 8 are somewhat greener than the rest, with plenty of peas of good color, and with well-filled pods. Peas in plots Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 6 seem to be drying up, the few there are. After Aug. 7, when the limit of growth had been reached, no changes were observed in the appearance of the plots; on Aug. 21, the crops were harvested, and on Aug. 23 the field-cured crops on the different plots were weighed and stored, with weights per plot as follows : Food for Plot. ID] an to 1 Hay 320 pounds. 112 2 " 320 3 " 210 4 " 385 5 " 460 6 " -.290 7 " 540 8 ' 550 The first pointTrequiring particular notice is the variation in the proportions of oats and peas on the different plots. It is quite evident that the peas must have drawn their Nitrogenous food from the soil rather than from the air. While this difference in proportion of oats and peas would make a difference in the quality of the hay for feeding, it probably would not make any difference in the price that would be received for it as hay. The oat and pea crop is not generally grown for market, but for use upon the farm and is an especially valuable crop upon farms devoted largely to the growing of hay for market, because furnishing food for stock, and thus enabling the disposal of the high-priced hay, though really less useful as feed. The second point to be observed is that the Nitrate increased the yield of crop in every instance above that obtained on the check plots, and while the yields upon the check plots are lower than upon any of the Nitrated plots, that upon plot 6 is much higher than upon plot 1, and this ca"n be explained on the ground that, owing to the larger application upon plots Nos. 5 and 7, there may have been some feeding upon the adjoining crops, as the records show that up until the week of July 24, no differences were discernible in the height and the appear- ance of the oats upon the two plots, but after that date the crop on plot 6 began to improve. The average, however, of the two plots is so much lower than upon any one of the others as to make the comparison a safe one for study. The folio wing -table has been prepared to show the increase in yields upon the various plots, as compared with the average of the two check plots : Table I. Yield of Oat and Pea Hay. Yield per Yield per Increase due Plot. Acre Total, to Nitrate. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. Plot 1 Minerals + 100 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda, 320 3,200 700 2 +150 320 3,200 700 3 only .................... 210 2,100 4 + 200 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda, 385 3,850 1,350 5 +250 460 4,600 2,100 6 only .................... 290 2,900 ____ 7 + 300 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda, 540 5,400 2,900 8 +350 550 5,500 3,000 Food for Plants 113 It is very evident from a study of this table that Nitrogen was essential in order that a larger crop might be secured, for, although a reasonably liberal dressing of minerals was applied upon the entire area, those plots upon which no Nitrogen was applied showed a very much lower yield than on any of the other plots, though probably quite as high as is obtained on the average from what is regarded in that section as fairly good hay land. The increase, however, was very marked from the addition of Nitrate, and is practically in proportion to the amount added until a dressing of 300 pounds per acre is reached. That is, it is shown that not only is Nitrogen needed, but the conditions of soil and of season were such as to enable the plant to utilize the Nitrogen almost completely when as heavy a dressing as 300 pounds per acre was used, increasing the total tonnage from 1J4 to nearly 2% per acre. A study of this utilization is interesting. Assuming the average composition of Nitrate of Soda to be 15.5 per cent. Nitrogen, and taking the average content of protein in oat and pea hay, which for even mixtures of oats and peas is 10.31 per cent, equivalent to 1.65 per cent. Nitrogen, we find the following results: Plot 1 2 4 5 . 7 8 Applie 15.5 Ibs. 23.2 31.0 38.8 46.5 54.5 d Nitrogen Increased Y 700 It ield. IS. 700 1,350 2,100 2,900 3,000 Recovered in crop. 11.55 Ibs. 11.55 22.28 34.65 47.85 49.50 F piants ^^ On ^y was ^ e Nitrogen utilized well on prac- tically all of the plots, but at the prices which prevailed "4 for hay and feed during the season, the increased yield from the larger applications proved to be more profitable than those of the lower. In other words, the complete utilization of Nitrate does not necessarily mean that there shall be a proportionate profit derived, as the profits will increase in a greater ratio, when the same ratio of utilization is maintained in the larger applica- tion. This is very clearly shown in the table of gross and net values of crops, due to the application of Nitrate. Table II. Gross and Net Values of Crops. Plot Value of Increase in Value Cost of Net Value of Crop. of Nitrated Crop. Nitrate. Increased Crop. 1 $22.40 $4.90 $2.60 $2.30 2 22.40 4.90 3.90 1.00 3 17.50 4 26.95 9.45 5.20 4.25 5 32.00 14.50 6.50 8.00 6 17.50 7 39.80 22.30 7.80 14.50 8 40.50 23.00 9.10 13.90 Although the markets do not recognize oat and pea hay in their classification, and thus establish a market value, nevertheless its feeding value is recognized, and its use upon the farm must have a direct bearing upon the net profits that may be derived from the growing of marketable hay, as it increases the quantity that may be sold. At the prices received for hay the past season, $14 per ton for well-cured oat and pea hay, would be re- garded as a fair price. It will be observed that on this basis the gross value of the yields on the different Nitrated plots range from $22.40 for plots 1 and 2, to about $40 per acre for plots 7 and 8, an increase of about 80 per cent., or a gain in value of increased crop ranging from $4.90 to $23 per acre. Deducting the cost of the Nitrate of Soda applied, the net increase in value of crops ranges from $1 on plot 2 to $14.50 on plot 7, or an increase in net value of crop on plot. 7 of more than seven times as much as the average of plots 1 and 2. All were profitable, although the limit of net profit was reached with an application of 300 pounds per acre. That is, it seems that beyond that point the season and climatic conditions rather than Nitrogen became the limiting factors, when soils were supplied with enough phosphoric acid and potash. The application of Nitrate of Soda was profitable in all cases, though varying with the amounts applied. The farmer naturally desires to secure the greatest net profit. On land of this sort, therefore, it would be necessary for him to apply 300 pounds per acre; for a large field this dressing would seem to be rather expen- sive, taking into consideration the possible risk due to unfavorable seasons. In many cases, too, the produc- tive power of the soil may be greater than was here found to be the case, when a less quantity of Nitrate of Soda would meet the needs of a maximum crop. The experiment gives suggestions on this point, also. Averaging the yields obtained from the use of Nitrate, it is found that the application of 100 pounds of Nitrate increased the yield by nearly 800 pounds. Taking this to be a fair guide, as to what may be ex- pected from the application of Nitrate, the amounts to be applied would be in proportion to the difference between what the farmer estimates to be his average yield and the possible production in his neighborhood. For example, assuming that the average yield would be 3,000 pounds, without Nitrate, and the maximum yield 5,000 pounds with Nitrate, an application of 250 pounds per acre would enable him to reach his maximum yield, If, on the other hand, his estimated yield, without Nitrate is 2,000 pounds, and his estimated maximum is 3,000 pounds, then the application of 125 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre would supply all the needed Nitrogen to make this yield. In either case, the Nitrate would be used to quite as good advantage, as was shown in this experiment, and the results profitable in both cases, though, as in the experiment, the larger, yield would give the largest net returns. It is more than likely that on average soils an application ranging from 125 pounds to 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre Food for would be apt to meet the maximum requirements. Hence, in practice savings may be effected if the farmer 116 is careful to study his range of yields for a period of years, without manure, as well as the range of yields under high fertilization, in order to determine the most economical amount of Nitrate to apply. The main results, however, lead to the conclusion that Nitrate of Soda is a most useful form of Nitrogen for oat and pea forage, and that it pays directly even on relatively low-priced crops to apply as high as 300 pounds per acre, and indirectly in permitting of the sale of a larger quantity of marketable hay at high prices. Field Experiments with Nitrate of Soda at Highlands Farms 1908. In the spring of 1908, other experiments were planned and carried out for the purpose of studying two fundamental questions: First, whether it would pay to use Nitrate of Soda; and second, whether it would pay to make more than one dressing. It was also planned that the applications of Nitrate should be such as to encourage the practical farmer to begin its use that is, not to use a larger dressing than he would be willing to purchase, and thus make the work educa- tional in two directions. Six experiments were planned with the following crops : Oats and peas Timothy hay Oats Field corn Barley White potatoes and in each experiment six plots, one-tenth of an acre in area, were used; these plots were separated by strips five (5) feet wide, which were cultivated and kept free from weeds. In all cases, except for potatoes, the following min- eral fertilizer was applied at the rate of 300 Ibs. per acre,- spread broadcast and well harrowed into the soil: Ground bone 100 Ibs. Acid phosphate 200 Sulphate of potash 100 and for potatoes 300 Ibs. per acre of the following mix- ture was broadcasted : Ground bone 100 Ibs. Acid phosphate 350 Sulphate of potash 250 and at the time of planting 400 Ibs. per acre was well distributed in the row. The amounts of Nitrate and the method of application for the different crops were as follows : Oats and Peas. Plot Treatment Minerals + Ibs. per plot Applied 1 Nitrate Of Soda 10 When seeded. 2 Check Minerals only XT* i i ci i i f\ One-half at time of seeding; balance 3 JNltrate Of OOda 3 weeks later. 4 Nitrate of Soda 15 when seeded. 5 Check Minerals only ^ XT*J. i e o J i - One-half at time of seeding; balance 6 JNltrate of boda 15 3 Wee k3 later. Oats. 1 Nitrate Of Soda 10 When seeded. 2 Check Minerals only 3XT*j. i. e a J -i f\ One-half at time of seeding; balance Nitrate OI Soda 10 3 weeks later. 4 Nitrate of Soda 15 when seeded. 5 Check Minerals only 6XT*j. j. a J -it One-half at time of seeding; balance Nitrate of Soda 15 3 wee ks later. Barley. 1 Nitrate Of Soda 15 When seeded. 2 Check Minerals only 3-KT'j. 4. e O J IK One-half at time of seeding; balance Nitrate of soda 15 3 wee ks later. 4 Nitrate of Soda 20 when seeded - 5 Check Minerals only 6x1*4. _.*.._ { c J cm One-half at time of seeding; balance Nitrate Of boda 20 3 weeks later. Timothy Hay. 1 Nitrate of Soda 15 When s 88 is wel1 staged. 2 Check 3M;+^o4- Q ^t Crwl.. 1 K One-half as soon as grass is well start- IMtrate OI OOaa 15 ed ; balance 3 weeks later. 4 Nitrate of Soda 20 When s rass is wel1 started. 5 Check 6XT;*r.4- ^t C,/l.. 0fi One-half as soon as grass is well start- JNltrate Ot bOda 20 ed; balance 3 weeks later. Field Corn. 1 Nitrate Of Soda 15 When planted. 2 Check Minerals only 3 Nitrate of Soda 15 10 iv W a tfo n n planted: 5 lbs ' at firat Food for ^' Plants 4 5 118 6 Treatment Minerals + Ibs. per plot Applied Nitrate Of Soda 15 7.5 Ibs. at first cultivation; 7.5 Ibs. at Check Minerals only Nitrate of Soda 15 third cultivation. 7.5 Ibs. at time of planting; 7.5 Ibs. at third cultivation. White Potatoes. 1 Nitrate of Soda 20 At time of 2 Check Minerals only 3 Nitrate of Soda 20 One-half at time of planting; one-half broadcast at first cultivation. 4 Nitrate of Soda 25 At time of planting. 5 Check Minerals only 6XTJ* j. * C J ctK One-half at time of planting; balance Nitrate of boda 25 at first cultivation. Corn. Corn in Ear 24 Bushels. Average product per half acre for U. S. of Corn with average farm fertilization. Corn in Ear 56 Bushels. The product of half an acre of corn fertilized with Nitrate of Soda, home mixed with Phos- phate and Potash. The land in all cases was similar to that already de- scribed for the highlands, namely, naturally good soil, but deficient in physical character or in humus. With the exception of timothy, the crops were all planted at such times in the spring as was deemed most satisfactory: timothy hay being seeded in the previous year. In all of the experiments, the germination of seed was good, and conditions were favorable for a brief period only, as one of the worst drouths in many years prevailed throughout the entire season. In fact, but "9 little rain fell from the first of May until after the crops were harvested, or practically from the time the crops were planted until they were harvested. Naturally, the results of the experiments were ex- ceedingly variable, and thus less satisfactory than if the seasonal conditions had been nearer the average. The records are as follows: Plot. 1 Oats for Yield per Plot, Hay. Ibs. 320 Hay Forage. Yield per Acre, Hay. Ibs. 3200 Gain in Yield from Nitrate. Ibs. 900 2 230 2300 3 310 3100 800 4 280 2800 500 5 230 2300 6.. 410 4100 1800 It will be observed that the yields were not large. The oats were cut when the grain was in the dough state and straw still green, or in the most suitable state for hay. Under average seasonal conditions, the yields should have been at least 50 per cent, higher. Neverthe- less, the value of Nitrate is very clearly shown in all cases, and reasonably uniform, except in the case of plot 6. The percentage gain on the different plots range from 21.5 per cent, on plot 4, to 78.3 per cent, on plot 6. The average for the whole being 43 per cent, increase, or an average gain per acre of 1,000 Ibs. of dried oat hay. These experiments show very clearly, therefore, that even in seasons of excessive drouths, the Nitrate contributes very materially to the yield of crop and to profit. Oat hay, while not ordinarily a marketable crop, was worth on the farm at that time, in comparison with other marketable hays, $18 per ton, hence the average increase in yield would be worth $9, which, less the cost of Nitrate applied, would leave a net profit of $5.25 per acre ; only on plot 6 was the Nitrate utilized to the full- est advantage, or the Nitrogen usually available from Nitrate of Soda secured in the crop. The increased crop Plat s on P^ * WOU ^ be wor th, on the same basis as the aver- ^.f age, $16.20, or a net profit for each acre of $12.45, which 120 corresponds with the increase which should, and prob- ably would have been obtained in an average season. 2. Timothy Hay. As was the case with oats, the season was such as to prevent normal development there was only one light rain after the first application of Nitrate was made, and Forage Corn. 300 Ibs. Acid Phosphate. 100 Ibs. Sulphate of Potash. 150 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda. Yield, 20 tons of green forage corn per acre. 300 Ibs. Acid Phosphate. 100 Ibs. Sulphate of Potash. Yield, 9^2 tons of green forage corn per acre. none after the second application. The records are as follows : Plot. Yield per Plot. Ibs. 780 575 745 770 470 680 Yield per Acre. Ibs. 7800 5750 7450 7700 4700 6800 Gain from Nitrate per Acre. Ibs. 2575 2225 2475 1575 The yields were good, notwithstanding the season; the average yield on the unfertilized plots being over two and one-half tons per acre, and although there was a large variation in the yields of the two check plots, it was not so great as to vitiate the results obtained, as the differences between the yields of the two check plots was not as great as the difference between the lowest yield on the fertilized plot and the average of the check plots. The increase in yield ranged from 1575 to 2575 pounds, or an average for all of the plots of 2212 pounds, or over one ton per acre. No special influence was observed, either from the larger application or from the method of application the one application, made at the time the plants had well started, under the conditions prevailing this year, gave the largest yield. This was to be expected, owing to the fact that after the second application there were no rains to distribute the Nitrate. Deducting the cost of Nitrates, the net profits ranged from $4.45 to $11.70, or an average of $8.70 per acre. The hay was valued at $12 per ton, as stored in the barn; the average loss in the barn was 18.5 per cent. Inasmuch as barn-cut hay was selling at $14 per ton, the valuation of $12 was fair for this season. This experiment, while not as illumi- ating as would have been the case if the seasonal con- ditions had been good, still verifies the conclusions arrived at from the results obtained in previous experi- ments, namely, Nitrate of Soda is one of the most im- portant, useful and valuable forms of Nitrogen to use, and the most profitable form to use as a top-dressing for grass fields in the spring. Oats and Peas for Forage. The experiment with oats and peas suffered in common with the others, due to the season, although ap- parently in a greater degree, as the hot weather affected the growth of the peas to a greater extent than it did the oats alone. Unfortunately, through an error, the crop on plot 1 was harvested before the others, and no record was made of it. Discarding this, we find the yields to be as follows : Food for Plants 122 Plot. 1 Yield per Plot. Ibs. Yield per Acre. Ibs. Gain from Nitrate per Acre. Ibs. 2 250 2500 3 350 3500 1100 4 330 3300 900 5 230 2300 6.. 290 2900 500 The yields were not large, and were quite variable the average on the check plots being but slightly in excess of 1 ton per acre. The increase in yield from the use of Nitrate of Soda ranged from 500 to 1,100 Ibs. per acre, or an average of 834 Ibs., an increase of about 60 per cent. Hence, notwithstanding the unfavorable seasonal conditions, a profit was secured, the average net profit at $12 for hay being $1.85 per acre, or for each dollar invested there was a return of nearly $1.60. Corn, Potatoes and Barley. The crops of corn, potatoes and barley, on the other experiments, although they grew well in the beginning, were a failure, owing to the continued drouth. There was practically no moisture in the soil when the crops on the other experiments were harvested, at which time the corn and potatoes were in the greatest need of moisture the corn to enable it to develop and form ears and the potatoes to set tubers and to provide for their growth. Fertilizing Hay Crops in California. In the West Coast States wheat is sown for hay, and cut green; likewise oats. The experiments with fertilizers on oats-hay crops by the California Experiment Station, begun in 1901, were continued during the season of 1902-3. During the season of 1901-2 it was found that the use of Thomas phosphate slag and sulphate of potash with Nitrate of Soda did not pay as well as Nitrate of Soda used alone. The experiments during the last season were planned to test the availability of the phosphate after the first I2 3 season. It was thought that there was a possibility that the insoluble slag phosphate would become more avail- able the second season after applying it. The plots first used in the experiments were subdivided and given different applications of Nitrate of Soda, used alone and in combination with sulphate of potash at the rate of 300 pounds per acre. The yield of hay was lower on both fertilized and unfertilized plots during the second season than it was in the first. This difference is undoubtedly due to an un- favorable season. The late spring rainfall failed almost entirely, and to this, no doubt, must be attributed the decreased yield. An inspection of the summary of results shows that the heaviest yields of hay on both red and granite soils and the largest money returns per acre were obtained from the plots which were fertilized with phosphate during 1901-2. On red soil with oats-hay the gain from the use of Nitrate of Soda on the plot which had phos- phate the year previous was $11.70 per acre, as against only $3.72 per acre where the Nitrate was used on land having no previous fertilization. On granite soil with oats-hay there was no gain from the phosphate. The use of Nitrate of Soda alone without previous fertilization yielded $9.44 per acre profit, while on the plots having phosphate applied the previous year, the gain was only $5.74 per acre. In 1903 the heaviest yield of hay was obtained from oats, and the largest profit per acre from wheat on granite soil which had an application of Thomas slag, sulphate of potash, and lime, in 1902. Nitrate of Soda was used at the rate of 320 pounds per acre in 1903. The yield of hay was 5,772 pounds per acre, and the resulting profit $12.89 per acre. It should be remarked here, however, that this plot was fertilized at a loss of $21.50 per acre in 1902; and as the application of Nitrate was larger than was used on any other plot, the increased returns were at least partly due to the increased supply of the Nitrate. F Piants ^ e use ^ su lp na te of potash in combination with Nitrate of Soda, on granite soil, did not pay in 1903. I2 4 Potash was used at the rate of 300 pounds per acre. In most cases the fertilizer cost more than the increased crop of hay; hence its use incurred a loss of from 76 cents to $4.57 per acre. The experiments with Nitrate of Soda used alone were broadened in 1903 to test the efficacy of different amounts per acre and the division of the application into two doses. The results show that in 1903, 160 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre in one application yielded the largest profits viz.: $9.44 and $8.90 per acre, respec- tively, on two plots on granite soil. In all cases the yield was reduced when the fertilizer was put on in two applications; thus, with 160 pounds per acre applied in two doses, only $4.82 and $7.27 per acre were yielded by two plots on granite soil. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF WATER DOES HAY LOSE DURING STORAGE? Result of Rhode Island Official Experiment. Hay which had been stored during the summer of 1901, was removed from the mow the following Febru- ary, and found to contain 12.21 per cent, of water. A careful comparison of other moisture determinations of hay leads to the conclusion that 12.21 is a fair general average of the percentage of water in the best quality of barn-cured hay. When hay is first stored it usually contains from 20 to 28 per cent, of moisture. The loss in storage may be said to be about twelve to sixteen per cent. GRADES OF HAY AND STRAW. Adopted by the National Hay Association. HAY. No. 1 Timothy Hay: Shall be timothy with not more than one-eighth (%) mixed with clover or other tame grasses properly cured, good color, sound and well ? od for iij Plants baled. Standard Timothy: Shall be timothy with not I2 $ more than one-eighth (%} mixed with clover or other tame grasses, fair color, containing brown blades, and brown heads, sound and well baled. No. 2 Timothy Hay: Shall be timothy not good enough for No. 1 not over one-fourth (j^) mixed with clover or other tame grasses, fair color, sound and well baled. No. 3 Timothy Hay : Shall include all hay not good enough for other grades, sound and well baled. Light Clover Mixed Hay: Shall be timothy mixed with clover. The clover mixture not over one-third (M) properly cured, sound, good color and well baled. No. 1 Clover Mixed Hay: Shall be timothy and clover mixed, with at least one-half (}/%) timothy, good color, sound and well baled. Heavy Clover Mixed Hay: Shall be timothy and clover mixed with at least one-fourth (^) timothy, sound and well baled. No. 2 Clover Mixed Hay: Shall be timothy and clover mixed with at least one-third (^) timothy. Rea- sonably sound and well baled. No. 1 Clover Hay: Shall be medium clover not over one-twentieth (Jg-) other grasses, properly cured, sound and well baled. No. 2 Clover Hay: Shall be clover sound, well baled, not good enough for No. 1. Sample Hay: Shall include all hay badly cured, stained, threshed or in any way unsound. Choice Prairie Hay : Shall be upland hay of bright, natural color, well cured, sweet, sound, and may con- tain 3 per cent, weeds. No. 1 Prairie Hay: Shall be upland and may con- tain one-quarter (J4) midland, both of good color, well cured, sweet, sound, and may contain 8 per cent, weeds. No. 2 Prairie Hay: Shall be upland, of fair color and may contain one-half midland, both of good color, well cured, sweet, sound, and may contain V&Yz per cent, weeds. F pfaSs No> 3 Prairie Hay: Shall include hay not good - enough for other grades and not caked. 126 No. 1 Midland Hay: Shall be midland hay of good color, well cured, sweet, sound, and may contain 3 per cent, weeds. No. 2 Midland Hay: Shall be fair color or slough hay of good color, and may contain V^/l P er cent, weeds. Packing Hay: Shall include all wild hay not good enough for other grades and not caked. Sample Prairie Hay : Shall include all hay not good enough for other grades. STRAW. No. 1 Straight Rye Straw: Shall be in large bales, clean, bright, long rye straw, pressed in bundles, sound and well baled. No. 2 Straight Rye Straw: Shall be in large bales, long rye straw pressed in bundles, sound and well baled, not good enough for No. 1. No. 1 Tangled Rye Straw: Shall be reasonably clean rye straw, good color, sound and well baled. No. 2 Tangled Rye Straw: Shall be reasonably clean, may be some stained, but not good enough for No. 1. No. 1 Wheat Straw: Shall be reasonably clean wheat straw, sound and well baled. No. 2 Wheat Straw: Shall be reasonably clean; may be some stained, but not good enough for No. 1. No. 1 Oat Straw: Shall be reasonably clean oat straw, sound and well baled. No. 2 Oat Straw: Shall be reasonably clean; may be some stained, but not good enough for No. 1. ALFALFA. Choice Alfalfa: Shall be reasonably fine leafy alfalfa of bright green color, properly cured, sound, sweet, and well baled. No. 1 Alfalfa: Shall be reasonably coarse alfalfa of a bright green color, or reasonably fine leafy alfalfa of a good color and may contain two per cent, of foreign grasses, 5 per cent, of air bleached hay on outside of bale allowed, but must be sound and well baled. Standard Alfalfa: May be of green color, of coarse or medium texture, and may contain 5 per cent, foreign matter. Or it may be of green color, of coarse or I2 7 medium texture, 20 per cent, bleached and 2 per cent, foreign matter. Or it may be of a greenish cast of fine stem and clinging foliage, and may contain 5 per cent, foreign matter. All to be sound, sweet, and well baled. No. 2 Alfalfa: Shall be of any sound, sweet and well baled alfalfa, not good enough for standard, and may contain 10 per cent, foreign matter. No. 3 Alfalfa: May contain 35 per cent, stack spotted hay, but must be dry and not to contain more than 8 per cent, of foreign matter. Or it may be of a green color and may contain 50 per cent, foreign mat- ter. Or it may be set Alfalfa and may contain 5 per cent, foreign matter. All to be reasonably well baled. No grade Alfalfa : Shall include all alfalfa not good enough for No. 3. The Alfalfa, Cow Pea and Clover Question. This class of plants has the proper- ty of taking inert Nitrogen from the air Lelumes and transforming it into combinations more or less useful as plant food. This feature is of great value to agriculture, but not so much from the plant food point of view as from the fact that these plants are rich in that kind of food substance commonly called "flesh formers." Liberally fertilized, and not omitting Nitrate in the fertilizer, we have a crop con- taining more Nitrogenous food (protein or flesh form- ers) than the Nitrogen actually given as fertilizer could have made by itself. The most common plants of this class are: alfalfa, alsike clover, crimson clover, red clover, Japan clover, cow peas, lupines, Canadian field peas, the vetches, etc. All these forage crops should be sown after clean culture crops. The best method of fertilizing is to apply from 300 to 500 pounds of fertilizer early every autumn; in the spring, top-dress with 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, and repeat with about 100 pounds after each cutting. It is true that clovers may supply their own nitrogenous plant food, F Piants kut this i s an experiment experienced farmers do not often repeat. A fair green crop of clover, for 128 example, removes from the soil some 160 pounds of Nitrogen, while in 500 pounds of Nitrate of Soda there are less than 100 pounds. Undoubtedly, the Nitrogen taken from the air is a great aid, but we should not expect too much of it. The method of seeding clovers depends much upon locality and soil needs with reference to previous crops. Crimson clover and Canadian field peas are usually sown in August, after earlier crops have been removed, or even in corn fields. Red clover is commonly sown in the spring on wheat or with oats. Wheat. The soil for this grain, fall planting, ranges from a clay loam to a moderate sandy loam. For spring wheat, moist peaty soils are used. Wheat is usually grown in rotation, in which case it nearly always follows corn, or a clean culture crop. The nature of cultivation is too well known to require mention here. Both spring and winter wheat are commonly fertilized crops, particularly the latter. The average fertilizer for wheat should con- tain Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. This fertilizer is applied with the seed, and at the rate of 500 pounds to the acre. Nitrate of Soda is also applied broadcast as a top-dressing, soon after the crop shows growth in the spring, at the rate of 100 pounds per acre. Like all grains, wheat should have its Nitrate plant food early, and in the highly available, easily digested Ni- trated form, such as is only to be found commercially as Nitrate of Soda. The plant food needs of a crop of 30 bushels of wheat per acre amounts to about 70 pounds of Nitrogen, 24 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 30 pounds of potash; this includes the straw, chaff and stubble. One hundred pounds of Nitrate of Soda supplies about 16 pounds of Nitrogen, so that the quantity mentioned for top- dressing is a minimum quantity. Much has been said of legume Nitrogen for wheat, the crop being generally grown in rotation. Whatever Nitrogen the clover may have gathered, a crop of timothy and a crop of corn must be supplied before the wheat rotation is reached. In many cases, simply top-dressing with the Nitrate will be found effectual. In all cases where the acre yields have fallen off, a top-dressing of Nitrate of Soda should be applied. Professor Maercker states that Nitrate of Soda for wheat is absolutely necessary under the conditions in Germany, and that 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda pro- Wheat. Food for Plants 129 #. j--v ~. -^i^^f~"- iaiiiir -- . i * .-W*' 1 Wheat 14 Bushels. Average product per acre for the U. S. of wheat with aver- age farm fertilization 1910. Wheat 37 Bushels. The product of an acre of wheat fertilized with Nitrate of Soda, home mixed with phos- phates and potash 1910. duces 300 to 400 pounds of grain and a corresponding amount of straw. Drill in with the wheat in the fall a mixture of 250 pounds of acid phosphate and 50 pounds Nitrate of Soda per acre. If your land is sandy, add 50 pounds of sulphate of potash to the above. Early in the spring, sow broadcast 100 pounds Nitrate of Soda per acre. Land sown to wheat in the fall and seeded down How to Apply Nitrate of Soda to Wheat. Food for with timothy and clover giving a heavy crop, followed ..Plants by a heavy hay crop the following year, proved the 130 beneficial after-effect of the Nitrate and that the Nitrate Fertilizer Experiment with Wheat. Phosphoric Acid Phosphoric Acid Phosphoric Acid and and Potash with 1 oz. and Potash with j oz. Potash without Nitrate of Soda. Nitrate of Soda. Nitrate of Soda. Yield: 3\ oz. Grain. Yield: If oz. Grain. Yield: f oz. Grain. had not leached away as so many critics claim, and further that the soil had not been exhausted. Professor Massey writes in regard to the effect of Nitrate of Soda on Wheat, as follows: I have made several experiments with Nitrate of Soda. The Food for first was on wheat in Albemarle County, Virginia. I used 200 Plft nts pounds per acre on part of the field which had been fertilized with 400 pounds acid phosphate in the fall. The result was 9 bushels per acre more than on the rest of the field, and a stand of clover, while none of any account stood on the rest of the field. From 100 to 150 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre should be broadcasted Wheat Experi- i .1 . i ments in on wheat, as soon as the new growth England shows in the spring. The results of such treatment are shown by experiments made by three English gentlemen, which are tabulated as follows, mineral plant food being present in abundance : I. No Nitrate, 23 bu. 300 Ibs. Nitrate, 33.5 bu. Gain 46 p. ct. II. 15 " 300 " 28.0 " " 87 " III. 34 " 300 " 49.0 ' " 44 " Average 59 Another illustration is an experi- ment made by the late Dr. Voelcker; Cotton-seed 672 pounds of cotton-seed meal were Meal Compared ,*. . .., -... IP with Nitrate, used in comparison with 275 pounds ot Nitrate of Soda, with the result that the latter gave a return of 46.75 bushels per acre, a gain over the cotton- seed meal of nearly 24 per cent., the above enormous application of cotton-seed meal yielding but 37.7 bushels per acre. Forty Bushels of Wheat to the Acre a Possible Average on Many Ohio Farms. Bulletin 282, Ohio Experiment Station. For twenty years the Ohio Experiment Station has grown potatoes, wheat and clover in a three-year rota- tion on one of its farms in Wayne county, a farm no better in natural fertility than thousands of others which may be found in this region of the State. The land under experiment is divided into three sections and each crop is grown every season. Each section is sub-divided into plots of one-tenth acre each, every third plot being left continuously without fertilizer Food for or manure, while the intervening plots have received ^ ! different combinations of fertilizing materials, the J 32 fertilizers being divided between the potato and wheat crops. The average yield of wheat in this test for the last ten years has been twenty -five bushels per acre on the unfertilized land. The application of 160 pounds of acid phosphate per acre to wheat, following a like appli- cation to potatoes, has increased the wheat yield by five bushels. When to this application, 100 pounds of muriate of potash was added for each crop, the yield of wheat was increased by seven bushels, while the use of a complete fertilizer, made up of 160 pounds of acid phosphate, 100 pounds of muriate of potash and the equivalent of 160 pounds of Nitrate of Soda for each crop, has increased the total yield of wheat to more than forty bushels per acre for the ten-year average. The increase in the potato crop in each of these cases has more than paid for the fertilizer, leaving the increase in wheat as net gain, a gain which has been further augmented by a considerable increase in the yield of clover. Not only has the yield been maintained at a high point, but it seems to be steadily increasing; the average yield for the three plots which receive the combination given, and which are located in different parts of the field, being 38J< bushels per acre for the first half of the ten-year period, and 42J/2 bushels per acre for the second half. It has therefore been possible to produce forty bushels of wheat per acre in Ohio as a ten-year average, and to accomplish this result by a method which has much more than paid the cost. It is the general observation of farmers, that wheat does exceptionally well when it follows potatoes, and this fact in part accounts for the large yields obtained in this experiment. The fact that the land was in good condition to start with part of it having been cleared from the forest for purposes of this test, must also be borne in mind. But on another of the Station's Wayne county farms, one which had been reduced to a very low state of fertility by long continued and exhaustive cropping, an average yield of 28^ bushels of wheat per Food for acre has been maintained for the same period in a rota- *"* s tion of corn, oats, wheat, clover and timothy. J 33 In this test the unfertilized yield has been 9^ bushels of wheat per acre. This yield has been increased Fertilizer Experiments with Oats on Clay Soil. Full Nitrate of Without Without Yield :|oz. grain Soda Phosphoric Acid. Potash. Without Fertilizing. Yield :foz. Yield: 2 oz. Nitrate of Soda. Yield : 3 oz. grain. grain. grain. to 28J/2 bushels by a fertilizer of the same composition as that above mentioned, namely: 160 pounds acid phosphate, 100 pounds of muriate of potash and the equivalent of 160 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre. In this case, as in the potato rotation, the increase in the other crops of the rotation has more than paid Food for a u the cos t o f the fertilizers, leaving the increase of Plants , i - wheat as clear gain. *34 In this case also the rate of gain is increasing, the average yield for the first five years of the period being 25 bushels per acre, as against 32 bushels for the last five years, and there seems to be no good reason to doubt that after the wasted fertility of this land has been re- stored it will be possible to still further increase the Rye. Rye 18 Bushels. Average product per acre for the U. S. of rye with average farm fertilization. Rye 36 Bushels. The product of an acre of rye fertilized with Nitrate of Soda, home mixed with phos- phates and potash. yield to a point equaling that in the experiment first mentioned. Wheat and Oats, Rye and Barley. (Bulletin 44, Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station.) This bulletin gives in detail the results of experi- ments on wheat with fertilizers, in which Nitrate of Soda is compared with cotton-seed meal; in all cases the plots were liberally supplied with phosphoric acid and potash. The average yield of four plots in each instance J 3S amounted per acre to 49.4 bushels for Nitrate of Soda, and 40.1 bushels for otto?seed cotton-seed meal, a gain for Nitrate of M ea n com- Soda of over 23 per cent. A similar pare d on Wheat, experiment with oats gave a return of 60 bushels for Nitrate of Soda and only 42 bushels for cotton-seed meal, a gain for Nitrate over cotton-seed meal of nearly 43 per cent. The Bulletin recommends, even when cotton-seed meal is used in the complete fertilizer, to employ Nitrate of Soda as a top-dressing in the spring. Three hundred pounds per acre more Wheat, Oats, Rye or Barley may be raised by the use of 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda used as a top-dressing on the soil. Frequent trials at Agricultural Experiment Stations the world over fully prove this to be so. MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. Bulletin No. 91. Page 44. Table 7. Nitrate of Soda vs. No Nitrate of Soda Applied on Wheat; Wheat Unfertilized in Fall. Plot No. Yield of Grain per Acre, Bushels. 1. Neither fertilizer nor Nitrate of Soda 10.4 2. Nitrate of Soda, with no Other Fertilizer. . . 18.1* Comparison of Nitrate of Soda and Sulphate of Ammonia Both With and Without Lime. As has already been explained, Nitrate of Soda and Sulphate of Ammonia represent the mineral sources of Nitrogen commonly found on the market. The * Gain of 7.8 bushels, or 75 per cent. Food for Nitrate of Soda is readily soluble in water and is directly ! available to plants; while the Sulphate of Ammonia, J 3 6 though quite soluble, has to be changed into Nitrate be- fore it can be used by crops. Hence the action of these two materials is not the same on different soils and un- der varying weather conditions. The sulphate has been preferred by some because it would act slower; yet if conditions for nitration were unfavorable, it might not be available to the crop when needed. Again, under some circumstances, Sulphate of Ammonia has been found to be actually harmful* to plants. SOUTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. From Bulletin No. 56, p. 5. Wheat. /. Comparison of Varieties. IV. Home Manures. II. Quantity of Seed per Acre. V. Commercial Fertilizers. III. Experiment with Nitrogen. VI. Tillage. If wheat is sown upon land deficient izers. - n or g am ' c ma tter, it is wise to use a complete fertilizer, containing Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. If wheat shows an unhealthy appearance in early spring, especially upon sandy lands, an application of seventy -five pounds of Nitrate of Soda will prove bene- ficial provided there is enough phosphoric acid in the soil to co-operate with it and make the grain. Experiment with Nitrogen. . To compare effects of Nitrogen from cgtton-seed meal and Nitrate of Soda and the latter applied with the seed and as a top- dressing. The intention was to use on each plot a constant quantity of phosphoric acid and potash as the equiv- * On account of its leaving a strong mineral acid residue in the soil, after its Nitrogen has been nitrated by the soil. alent of these ingredients in 200 pounds of cotton-seed JJ od , for i .Plants meal. 137 The first plot received cotton-seed meal alone yield 17.5 bus. The second, phosphoric acid and potash and Nitrate of Soda all applied with the seed yield 20 . 8 bus. The third received only phosphoric acid and potash yield 17.6 bus. The fourth received in addition to phosphoric acid and potash applied with the seed, Nitrate of Soda as a top-dressing yield . . 19 . 4 bus. Barley. This crop does best on a strong clay loam, but the soil must not be rich in organic matter. Soils naturally rich in ammoniates are unfavorable, as one of the most important points in high-grade barley is a complete maturity of the grain. With soils rich in vegetable matter, the supply of the only digestible Nitrogen or what is exactly the same thing, Nitrates, continues so late in the season that maturity is retarded seriously. About 400 pounds per acre of fertilizer should be applied broadcast before seeding. As soon as the grain is "up," top-dress with 150 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre. If the soil is very rich, apply only 100 pounds of Nitrate. We would recommend drilling in with the Barley or Oats a mixture of 250 pounds acid phos- phate and 100 pounds Nitrate of Soda per acre, and if the land is very sandy add 100 pounds sulphate of potash to the mixture. In an experiment at Woburn, made for the Royal Agricultural Society of England, by the late Dr. Voelcker, the following results were obtained: Mineral manures and sulphate ammonia. . 36 . 75 bushels per acre. Nitrate 275 Ibs. and minerals 42.50 bushels per acre. Gain for Nitrate, 16 per cent. The ammonia salt and the Nitrate used contained the same amount of nitrogen plant food. Compared with cotton-seed meal, 124 pounds of Nitrate of Soda Plants 138 F Di d ,!?I gave 49.5 bushels barley per acre as compared to 37 bushels from 1,000 pounds cotton-seed meal applied the previous year. Gain for Nitrate 33.7 per acre. Oats. This grain does well on nearly all types of soil, but responds freely to good treatment. There is a vast difference in the quality of oats when grown on poor or rich soils. Perhaps no other crop so effectually conceals impoverishment; at the same time the feeding value of oats grown on poor soil is very low. In the North oats Oats. 30 Bushels. Average product per acre, for the U. S. of oats, with aver- age farm fertilization. 65 Bushels. The product of an acre of oats fertilized with Nitrate of Soda. are sown in the spring, and usually after corn or a turned down clover sod. In such cases the crop is rarely ever given fertilizer, but shows an excellent return for a top- dressing of 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre. The crop has strong foraging powers, and will find avail- able mineral plant food where a wheat crop would utterly fail. On soils pretty badly exhausted, an application of 400 pounds of fertilizer will yield a profitable return, provided the top-dressing of Nitrate is not omitted. Under any condition of soil or fertil- p?^ t for izing, a sickly green color of the young crop shows need - of Nitrate of Soda plant food, and the remedy is a top- *39 dressing of Nitrate. In seeding, use two or three bushels to the acre. In many places in Europe the cereals, like oats and wheat, are planted or sown in rows and cultivated as we cultivate Indian corn. It is claimed that this increases yield materially, and is of great aid in helping to avoid lodging. It requires less seed per acre and increases the yield. Another method in vogue is to sow less seed per acre broadcast and use more fertilizer, so that the individual stalks are stronger and bigger. Autumn dressings of Nitrate are used frequently in Europe, and in connection with minerals as much as three hundred (300) pounds of Nitrate per acre is used annually. NITRATE TEST. At Kentucky Experiment Station. BULLETIN 99. The oats in this experiment were sown in April and harvested in July. Plot No. 1 was one acre in area; the others were one-half acre each. No fertilizer, yield, 27.5 bushels. 160 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda, yield, 37. 1 bushels. An authenticated experiment made by Mr. P. Dickson, of Barnhill, Laurencekirk, N. B., gave a return from the use of 112 pounds of Nitrate of Soda of 64 bushels per acre, while the soil without Nitrate gave a crop of only 36 bushels. Top-dressings for oats should average 100 pounds to the acre. It should always be applied some ten days after the young plants have broken ground. Rye. This is another illustration of the necessity of care in the use of fertilizer Nitrogen. Rye does best on Food'for lighter soils so long as they are not too sandy, but if ! the soil is rich in vegetable matter, or if a fertilizer is HO used containing much organic ammoniate, the grain yield will be disappointing; the crop fails to mature in season because the Nitration of organic Nitrogen or humus is greatest during the warm days of mid-summer, and a constant supply of available Nitrate is being furnished at a time when the crop should commence to mature. The crop needs Nitrate, but it should have been supplied during the earlier stages of growth. Use at first a general fertilizer, 500 pounds per acre. Top Dress as soon as the crop shows growth in the spring with 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda to the acre, broadcast. Buckwheat. No Nitrate. Yield, 19 bushels per acre. Fertilized with 125 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda per acre. Yield, 38 bushels per acre. Buckwheat. This crop does well on almost all kinds of soil, but should follow a grain or hoed crop that is, a clean cultivation crop. On thin soils use about 400 pounds of general fertilizer to the acre, applied just before seeding, or even with the seed. Heavy soils do not Food for require fertilizing for this crop, as it has exceptional *" s foraging powers, and will find nourishment where many HI grain crops would starve. As soon as the plants are well above ground, apply a top-dressing of 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre, both on strong and light soils. Use one bushel of seed per acre on thin soils, but a heavier application on richer soils. Corn. This crop is specially adapted for making use of roughage of all sorts. It has a long season of growth Corn. Fertilizer, 300 pounds per acre minerals and 150 pounds per acre Nitrate of Soda. Rate of yield, 100 bushels ears per acre, excellent quality. Fertilizer, 300 pounds per acre minerals only. Rate of yield, 80 bushels ears per acre, poor quality. and makes its heaviest demand for food late in the season when the conditions are such that soil Nitration Food for i s a t it s highest period of development. It is also a ! deep rooting crop and capable of drawing its food and H 2 water from great depths. It needs vast quantities of water, and the tillage must be very thorough that an even earth mulch may be practically continuous. In the early spring it frequently starts off slowly, and on this account should have some help in the form of hill applications of highly available plant food. Sweet corn is quite a different crop from field corn; it has a much shorter period of growth and should be fertilized much more heavily. The object in this case is not a matured grain, and Nitrate of Soda should be used very liberally in the shape of top-dressings. Hops. A Record of Four Years' Experiments with Hops. The experiments were conducted at Golden Green, Hadlow, near Tunbridge, England, and under the supervision of Dr. Bernard Dyer. Seven plots were arranged, all except No. 7 receiving equal and ample quantities of phosphoric acid and potash, but varying amounts of Nitrate of Soda, and (plot 7) thirty loads of stable manure. The fertilizing of the plots, and the average crop, kiln dried hops per acre, with the percentage of gain over the plot not treated with Nitrate, are shown in the following table. Plot and Fertilizer. Kiln dried Hops. Gain Per Cent. 1 No Nitrate 9.75 cwt. 2 2 cwt. Nitrate 12.00 23 3 4 " " 13.67 39 4 6 " " 13.75 41 5 8 " " 14.58 49 6 10 " " 14.58 49 7 30 loads manure 10 . 25 5 The results show a material gain in the crop from the use of Nitrate of Soda, but the applications on plots 5 and 6 are perhaps greater than will prove economical. The quality of the crop was given ex- haustive examination, with the results that plots 2, 3, 4 and 7 graded all the same, and the highest. The quality on the other plots was not materially different. Food for As a result of the investigation, Dr. Dyer recommends ans Nitrate of Soda strongly for hop growing, but suggests J 43 early applications. Market Gardening with Nitrate. The following is the result of a practical study of conditions on a large Results in an truck farm, near New York. In every Unfavorable case the operations of the farm were Growing Sea- . j . . .| , , son with Low carried out on a strictly business basis. Prices for The soil was a heavy clay with a rather Products, intractable clay subsoil, decidedly not a soil naturally suited to growing garden crops. The weather was unfavorable, including the most severe drought in thirty years; from March 22d to July 8th practically no rain fell. Owing to the unfavorable season, the grade of garden products was low, causing a low ruling in prices. Details by crops follow : Asparagus. The bed was twenty years old, and had been neg- lected. As soon as workable, it was disc-harrowed, and later smooth-harrowed with an Acme harrow. Nitrate of Soda was applied to the best test plots April 10th, 200 pounds per acre, sown directly over the rows and well worked into the soil. A second application of 100 pounds per acre was made to plot 1 April 24th; and, on the 29th, a third application of equal amount. The experiment comprised three plots, two fertilized with Nitrate of Soda, and one without Nitrate, plot 3. Plots 1 and 2 ,treated with the Nitrate, produced market- able stalks ten days in advance of plot 3, a very material advantage in obtaining the high prices of an early market. The results were as follows, in bunches per acre: Plot and Fertilizer. Bunches per acre. Gain. 3 No Nitrate 560 2 200 Ibs. Nitrate 680 120 1 400 Ibs. Nitrate.. 840 280 Food for The financial results were as follows, prices being Plants those actually obtained in the New York markets : 144 Plot 1. Plot 2. Plot 3. Fertilizer, Nitrate 400 Ibs. 200 Ibs. Gross receipts $207 . 90 $161 . 50 Fertilizer cost 8.40 4.20 Applying fertilizer 2 . 00 1 . 00 Net receipts 197.50 161.50 $112.00 Nitrate made gain 85 . 50 44 . 30 The use of 400 pounds of Nitrate of Soda produced on plot 1 a gain of $85.50 on a fertilizer and application cost of $10.40; the use of 200 pounds of Nitrate returned a similar gain of $44.30 on a fertilizer and application cost of $5.20. Snap Beans. The beans were grown for pods, or what is known as string beans. Three varieties were experimented with, Challenger, Black Wax, and the Red Valentine. Seeds were drilled in May 10th, in rows two feet apart; on May 22nd, an application of 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre was made, and on the 27th, another application of 150 pounds was drilled. June 12th, an application of 50 pounds was drilled Increase in along the rows, followed by 100 pounds C ro P an d Bet- j une 19t h ; i n a n 4QO pounds of Nitrate Resulted as ^ Soda per acre. Half the field was well as Saving n t treated with Nitrate. In case of in Time. the Black Wax beans, the Nitrated land gave a crop 6 days in advance of the part not treated with Nitrate, and the same gain was made by the Nitrated Valentine beans. The Black Wax beans treated with Nitrate produced 75 per cent, more marketable crop than the non-Nitrated portion, and the Valentine variety 60 per cent. Taking into consideration the enhanced price due to earlier ripening, the average price of the Nitrated Black Wax beans averaged some 60 per cent, higher than the portion of the field not treated with Nitrate of Soda; in like man- ner, the increased price of the Valentine beans was 45 per cent. Beets. E? 0( l for Plants The crop must be forced to quick growth in - order to obtain tender, crisp vege- tables, quickly salable and at good Table Beets prices. Nitrate of Soda was compared Grown on with unfertilized soil, with the result p itr ! te f we ^ that on the Nitrated plots marketable J t a jj ^ ^ a beets were pulled 56 days from seeding; Ahead of Un- the unfertilized plot required 72 days fertilized Plots. to produce marketable vegetables. Ni- trate of Soda was applied at the rate of 500 pounds per acre, in four applications. Early Cabbage. The cabbage plots were thoroughly worked up, and planted to Henderson's Early Spring Variety. Part of the soil was treated with Nitrate of Soda at the rate of 575 pounds per acre, in five applications ranging Total Failure. from May 1st to June 17th. The part of the plot not treated with Nitrate of Soda was a total failure, but allowing the same number of plants as the fertilized portion, and also allowing for difference in price on account of later ripening, the crop on the portion not treated with A Dollar Spent Nitrate should have returned a gross in amount of $292.50. The Nitrated portion returned gross receipts of $720, Crop. from which deducting $19.50 for fertil- izer and application of same, we have $700.50 for Nitrate of Soda as compared with $292.50 without Nitrate, a net profit for the Nitrate of $408. That is, for every dollar spent for Nitrate of Soda, the crop re- turned an additional $21 nearly. Celery. Crisp stalks of rich nutty flavor are a matter of rapid, unchecked growth, and plant food must be present in unstinted quantity, as well as in the most quickly available form, the best example of which is Food for Nitrate of Soda. The soil was plowed early in May, _ and subsoiled, thoroughly breaking the soil to a depth J 46 of 10 inches. Thirty bushels of slaked lime were broadcasted per acre immediately after Extraordinary plowing, followed by a dressing of 20 Cek" 18 ^ ons stable manure, all well worked into the soil. Plants were set May 10th. The tract was portioned into three tracts for experi- mental purposes ; plot 1 received 675 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre in six applications, May 16th, 22nd, June 1st, 10th, 17th and 24th. Plot 2 received 475 pounds in five applications, May 16th, 22nd, June 1st, 17th and 24th. Plot 3 was not treated with Nitrate of Soda. Plot 1 was ready for market July 6th, and was all off by the 10th. Plot 2 was ready for market July llth and was all harvested by the 14th. Plot 3 was prac- tically a failure and was not harvested. Plot 1, being first in the market, had the advantage of the best prices ; the gross receipts were, per acre, $957.80; from which must be deducted $18.67 for Nitrate of Soda and the application of same a net result of $939.13 per acre. Plot 2 gave a gross return of $676.30, from which $13.72 must be deducted for fertilizer, leaving $662.58 per acre net. Plot 1 makes therefore a gain of $276.55 over plot 2, simply from the earliness in maturing, due to the heavy applications of Nitrate, for the total crop was approximately the same for both plots. Cucumbers. Plants were set in box frames May 4th. The frames were well filled with rotted manure, and were banked as a protection against late frosts. A portion of the field was treated with Nitrate of Soda; on May 10th each plant was given a quart of a solution made by dissolving three pounds of Nitrate of Soda in 50 gallons of water. Applications in quantity the same were made on the experimental plot May 16th, 22nd, 29th, June 3rd, 9th, 15th, 22nd and 26th; making a total of 165 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre. On June 27th the experimental plot was setting fruit rapidly, while the plot not Nitrated was just coming p? od . for into bloom. The Nitrated plot was given on June 29th a quart of a solution made by dissolving two ounces of '47 Nitrate of Soda in a gallon of water; and this appli- cation was repeated July 3rd, 7th, 15th, 24th and August 8th. This practically doubled the Nitrate application. The first picking on the Nitrated plot was made July 1st, on the non- Gain in Time Nitrated plot July 22nd, when prices ^ thi !, Crop k were at the lowest point. After the & ^ fw?" " early market season was over, the vines Weeks in w T ere treated for pickling cucumbers, Advance, the Nitrated plot receiving 50 pounds of Nitrate of Soda dissolved in water as before ; later, two applications of a quart each, containing half an ounce per gallon. The result was that the vines continued bearing until cut down by frost. The estimated yields were as follows: Nitrated plot, per acre, 6,739 dozen, plot not Nitrated gave per acre 948 dozen. Sweet Corn. The crop was planted on rather poor soil. Seed was planted May 4th, and the cultivators started May 12th. A portion of the field was selected for experiment, and on this an application of 75 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre was made May 20th, drilled close to the row. A second application of the same amount was made May 20th, and on June 5th a third application. On June 17th there were 100 pounds per acre applied and cultivated into the soil. The total Nitrate applied to the experimental plot amounted to 325 pounds per acre. The Nitrated plot ripened corn 5 days ahead of the non-Nitrated portion, and pro- duced 994 dozen ears against 623 dozen from an acre not treated with Nitrate of Soda. The Nitrated crop, being earlier in the market, brought better prices; the gross return being $99.40 per acre as compared with $62.30 for the non-Nitrated plot. The cost of the Nitrate and its application expenses amounted to $9.75 per acre, leaving a net gain from the use of Ni- trate of Soda, of $27.35 per acre. Food for Egg- Plant. Plants && The plants were set in the usual manner, part of the tract being treated with Nitrate of Soda at the rate of 475 pounds per acre to observe the practical value of the Nitrate for forcing. Before setting, the plants were given a light application of Nitrate in solution. June 1st, 150 pounds was the amount used, on the 10th this was repeated, and on June 22nd, a third application was made. The Nitrated plot produced marketable fruit July 5th, the non-Nitrated plot did not reach the market until July 26th. The Nitrated plot produced per acre 33,894 fruits, all of good quality; the non- Nitrated plot produced only 8,712 fruits per acre. Kale. An application of 50 pounds of Nitrate of Soda and 100 pounds of Dried Fish per acre, in May, increased the growth 30 per cent. Early Lettuce, The plants were started in the hot-house, and pricked into cold frames; April 26th they were set in the field. The Nitrate applications on the experiment plot were per acre as follows: April 29th, 100 pounds; May 4th, 150 pounds; May 12th, 200 pounds; May 18th, 200 pounds; May 23rd, 100 pounds; a total of 750 pounds per acre. The Nitrated plot was first cut May 26th, and at this time the non-Nitrated plot was just beginning to curl a few leaves towards the heart for heading. Approximately, the Nitrated plot produced per acre 1,724 dozen heads, and were ready for market so early that the average wholesale price was 25 cents per dozen; per acre, $431.00. From this we must deduct $20.00 for Nitrate and the expense of applying same, leaving net, $411.00. On the non-Nitrated plot only about 4 per cent, of the plants headed, and these reached the market three weeks late. The financial statement shows 48 dozen heads at 10 cents, or a net return per acre of #4.80. That is, without the Nitrate dressing, the crop was a failure. Onions. E? od , for Plants The soil was in bad condition, and was liberally 9 limed. Seeding was completed April 15th, and the plants were rapidly breaking ground by the 28th. The tract was divided into three plots; plot 1 received 675 pounds of Nitrate of Soda in six applications at inter- vals of a week or 10 days; plot 2, 375 pounds in four applications; plot 3 was not treated with Nitrate. The Nitrated plots seemed least affected by the ex- ceptionally dry weather, but the crop on all the plots was no doubt reduced by the unfavorable conditions. The following table gives the results by plots, computed to an acre basis: Nitrate Nitrate No 675 Ibs. 375 Ibs. Nitrate. Total yield 756 bu. 482 bu. 127 bu. Per cent, scullions 1.5 1.7 19.0 Average price per bushel 75 cts. 65 cts. 35 cts. Total receipts $567.00 $313.30 $44.50 Fertilizer cost 20.17 9.30 Total net receipts 546.83 304.00 44.50 The result shows very clearly that but for the Nitrate applications, the crop must have been a failure in every respect. Early Peas. This crop was planted under the same conditions and in like manner to the snap beans; an application of 300 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre was given, to the experiment plots. Two varieties were planted, early and late. The results were: Early. Late. Nitrate. Nothing. Nitrate. Nothing. Date planted April 15 April 15 May 1 May 1 First picking June 8 June 17 June 29 July 4 Gain to Market 9 days 5 days Period of bearing 11 days 8 days 10 days 6 days Crop on first picking. . 55 p. ct. 40 p. ct. 57 p. ct. 38 p. ct. Total yield 165 p. ct. 100 p. ct. 168 p. ct. 100 p. ct. The season was very unfavorable for this crop, yet the results show that the Nitrate made a powerful effort to offset this disadvantage. The earliness to market Food for j n thi s case i s as pronounced as in the other garden - crops, and is one of the most profitable factors in the j s use of Nitrate of Soda. The lengthening of the bearing period is an added advantage. Early Potatoes. Ploughing was finished the second week in April, and limed at the rate of 35 bushels per acre. Furrows were opened three feet apart, and 750 pounds per acre of a high-grade fertilizer worked into the rows. May 1st the potatoes were breaking ground, and an appli- cation of 100 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre on the experiment plot was made, followed on the llth by 200 pounds of Nitrate, and on the 29th, 150 pounds more were cultivated in with a horse-hoe. The total Nitrate application per acre was 450 pounds. The Nitrated plot was harvested July 6th, and retailed at an average price of $1.60 per bushel; the- plot not treated with Nitrate was dug July 17th, eleven days later, and the highest price obtained was 80 cents per bushel. The Nitrated plot produced per acre 19 bushels unmarketable tubers, the non-Nitrated plot. 46 bushels. The total crop marketable was 297 bushels for Nitrate, and 92 bushels for non-Nitrated plot. Deducting the cost of Nitrate of Soda and the expense of applying same, the Nitrated crop was worth $463.30 per acre, while the non-Nitrated plot returned only $69.00 per acre. For every dollar expended for Nitrate of Soda, the crop increase gave $30.18 return. Late Potatoes. Conditions were the same as in the case of early potatoes, except the Nitrate of Soda was used at the rate of 500 pounds per acre, in five applications. The crop of marketable tubers on the Nitrated plot amounted to 374 bushels per acre; on the non-Nitrated plot the yield amounted to 231 bushels marketable tubers. The gain for Nitrate of Soda was 143 bushels, or nearly 62 per cent, increase. Early Tomatoes. With this crop the object is to mature quickly rather than to obtain a heavy acre yield; one basket of early tomatoes at $1.25 is worth more than 15 baskets later in the season, when the price is about 8 cents per basket. The plants to be used on the Nitrated plot were treated with a diluted solution of Nitrate four separate times. Plants were field set May 17th, and given six applications of Nitrate of Soda: 1st, 100 pounds per acre soon after setting out; 2nd, 3rd and 4th of 75 pounds each; and 5th and 6th of 50 pounds each in all, about 425 pounds per acre. The results were : Nitrate. No Nitrate. Plants set out in field May 17 May 17 First picking June 30 July 19 Days, setting to first picking 43 62 Crop at $1 . 00 and upward per basket. . 40 p. ct. .75 . . 30 " 10 p. ct. .50 ..20 " 15 .30 ..10 " 20 .25 .. 25 .15 .. 15 .08 .. 15 Estimated yield per acre, baskets 500 600 Gross receipts $377 . 50 $190 . 20 Cost of fertilizer and application 10 . 35 Net receipts 367.15 190.20 Gain per acre for Nitrate. . 176.95 The indicated gain amounts to a return of $17.09 for every dollar expended for Nitrate of Soda. The experiments detailed in this pamphlet are all on a working basis. In every case the object was to force the crop to an early yield, and while the applica- tions of Nitrate of Soda seem large and are large in proportion to the actual needs of the crops grown, at the same time the nature of market-gardening requires free use of immediately available plant food, and the results show that such use is very profitable. Asparagus. The soil should be sandy, or a light loam. As the crop remains in position for many years, the land should Food for be selected with that fact in mind. The soil must be ants kept very clean and mellow. Stable manure is very '5* objectionable on account of its weed seeds. It is only by a quick, even growth that large, crisp stalks can be produced, and there must be no check through a scanty supply of plant food. In the spring, as soon as the ground can be worked, clear off the rows and loosen up the soil, and apply broadcast along the rows a top- dressing of Nitrate of Soda, from 200 to 300 pounds. With this crop, the full application of Nitrate can be made at one time. Enormous profits may be derived from the proper use of fertilizers on asparagus. If the rent, labor, etc., for a crop of asparagus is $200 per acre, and the crop is three tons of green shoots at $100 per ton, on the farm, the profit is $100 per acre. If we get six tons at $100 per ton, the profit, less the extra cost of labor and fertilizer, is $400 per acre. In such crops as asparagus, however, doubling the yield by the use of Nitrate of Soda does not tell half the story. Asparagus is sold by the bunch, weighing about 2j/ pounds. The prices range, according to earliness and quality, from 10 cents to 25 cents per bunch at wholesale, or from $80 to $200 per ton. By leaving out all these considerations and assum- ing that the non-Nitrated asparagus yields three tons per acre and sells for $100 per ton, and that the Nitrated asparagus yields six tons per acre and sells for $200 per ton, the profits of the two crops, less the extra cost for labor and fertilizer, are as follows: Without Nitrate of Soda $ 100 per acre. With Nitrate of Soda 1,000 per acre. Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, Etc. Mark et For garden crops such as beets > Garden Crops. carrots, parsnips, onions, spinach, let- tuce, etc., sow the mixture as recommended for pota- toes, broadcast before the seed is sown, at the rate of from 500 to 1,000 pounds per acre, according to the rich- ness of the land. When the land has been heavily a o O cc o o CO manured for a number of years, it may not be necessary to use so much phosphate and potash. Nitrate of Soda alone on such land often has a wonderful effect. The best fertilizer is a mixture of 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda and 350 pounds phosphate. A small Food for quantity of sulphate of potash should be added when Plants the land is sandy. 154 Cabbage and Cauliflower. For growing cabbages and cauliflower sow broad- cast the same mixture as recommended for potatoes, using a small handful to each square yard of ground, and rake or harrow it in before sowing the seed. Cabbage requires a deep, mellow soil, and rich in plant food. Early maturing cabbage, perhaps the most profitable method of growing this vegetable, produces 30,000 pounds of vegetable substance to the acre, using about 140 pounds of ammonia, 129 pounds of potash, and 33 pounds of phosphoric acid, all as actually assimi- lated plant food. The crop must be fertilized heavily. As the soil is thoroughly fined in the spring, there should be incorporated with it by rows, corresponding to the rows of plants, about 1,500 pounds of fertilizer per acre. For early cabbage set close together: it will pay to sow the fertilizers broadcast over the whole ground and work them in before setting out the plants. If the land has been heavily manured for a number of years Nitrate of Soda alone may do as much good as the mixture. In this case, the Nitrate may be used after the plants are set out a teaspoonful to a plant. For late cabbage, set 2^ to 3 feet apart each way. It is a good plan to apply the fertilizers after the plants are set out. After the plants have set and have rooted, say a week from setting, apply along the rows a top-dressing of 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre and work into the soil with a fine toothed horse hoe; the soil must be kept loose to a depth of at least two inches, and conse- quently there will be no extra labor in working this fertilizer into the soil. Some three weeks later incorpo- rate in the same manner into the soil 300 to 400 pounds of Nitrate of Soda. Soil Nitration cannot be depended on under any circumstances for supplying enough natural Nitrate for cabbage. Nitrate of Soda is the only immediately predigested Nitrated ammoniate in the market and is an absolute necessity for early cab- bage, and should be used liberally, This crop should not follow itself more than twice, as by so doing there is no little danger of serious disease to the crop. Sugar Mangels. 300 Ibs. Acid Phosphate. 300 Ibs. Acid Phosphate. 100 Ibs. Sulphate of Potash. 100 Ibs. Sulphate of JPotash. 150 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda. Yield, 24,120 Ibs. sugar man- Yield, 38,240 Ibs. sugar man- gels per acre, gels per acre. Cantaloupes. A continuous and rapid growth in cantaloupes is essential to earliness and a good crop, and Nitrate of Soda under the proper conditions, and with proper care, yields just such results. A dressing of Nitrate of Soda alongside the rows in cultivating, in addition to the general fertilizer used, has been most successful. Celery. Phosphate should be worked into the land intended for growing celery plants, either the fall before or in the spring, before the seed is sown, at the rate of 500 pounds per acre. As soon as the plants come up, sow broadcast 500 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre, or a small hand- ful to each square yard. If heavy rains occur, it is well Food for to give the plants another application of Nitrate. This ! need not be as heavy as the first application. 156 Flowers. Every gardener (of vegetables or flowers) should have at hand, all through the season, a bag or box of Nitrate of Soda, to be used as a top-dressing on any Fertilizer Experiments with Fuchsias. Phosphoric Acid and Potash without Nitrate of Soda. Phosphoric Acid and Potash with 2 j oz. Nitrate of Soda. and every crop that grows in the garden. The need for nitrogen is indicated by the pale green color of foliage and slow growth. It is quite easy to be too liberal in using Nitrate. From 50 to 100 pounds per acre is the range in the quantity to be applied at any one time to one acre. One pound of it would give about 30 heaping teaspoonfuls. So 1 to l*/2 sucn spoonfuls to a square yard, or 3 feet .along a row that is 3 feet wide, would be about 100 pounds per acre, The quantity, however, may be larger where the plants such as cabbage are half grown and in good con- dition to grow. Nitrate of Soda is an ideal fertilizer for all kinds of flowering plants, especially roses. It is, as you Fertilizer Experiments with Chrysanthemums. Phosphoric Acid and Potash. Phosphoric Acid and Potash with 1| oz. Nitrate of Soda. know, neat and cleanly and harmless (not acid, nor caustic), and every woman who cultivates vegetables and flowers should keep it on hand, to be used as occa- sion shall demand, as a top-dressing, say, at the rate of one-half to one teaspoonful to the square yard, or one rose bush. Food for __, _ Plants Greenhouse Plant Food. The use of rotted stable manure as a source of greenhouse plant food has been the custom for so many years that more effective forms of plant food make head- way slowly; yet this rotted stable manure has many disadvantages. It always contains more or less weed seed as well as disease germs, and it supplies its plant food in available form very irregularly. Also, by fer- mentation it materially influences the temperature of the seed bed, a temperature we have no means of regulating. The Nitrogen it contains is not Nitrated, hence for forcing it cannot be safely relied upon. For greenhouse work, the fertilizer chemicals should be used, such as Nitrate of Soda, acid phosphate and sul- phate of potash. They should always be used in such proportions that 100 pounds of ammoniate Nitrogen are always accompanied by 30 pounds of phosphoric acid and 70 pounds of actual potash. The quantity to be applied should correspond to about three-fourths of an ounce of Nitrate Nitrogen per square yard of surface; that is, to each square yard of bench, use about 5 ounces of Nitrate of Soda, 3 ounces of acid phosphate and 2 ounces of sulphate of potash. A mixture of these pro- portions may be dissolved in water and applied in small portions every few days, taking care, however, to cease applications with those plants it is desired to fully mature, as soon as the desired growth is made. Lawns and Golf Links. Good lawns are simply a matter of care and rational treatment. If the soil is very light, top-dress liberally with clay and work into the sand. In all cases the soil must be thoroughly fined and made smooth, as the seed, being very small, requires a fine seed bed. In the South, seed to Bermuda grass or Kentucky blue grass; in the North, the latter is also a good lawn grass, but perhaps a little less desirable than Rhode Island bent grass (Agrostis canina). Avoid mixtures, as they give an irregularly colored lawn under stress of drouth, or early frosts, or maturity. For Rhode Island bent grass use 50 pounds of seed per acre, Kentucky blue grass 40 to 45 pounds, and for Bermuda grass 15 pounds. If for any reason the soil cannot be properly prepared, pulverize the fertilizer very fine indeed. The grass should be mowed regularly and the clippings removed until nearly midsummer when they are best left on the soil as a mulch. For a good lawn, broadcast per acre in the spring enough of a fertilizer to supply 100 pounds of actual potash and 50 pounds of available phosphoric acid; also, use at the same time and in the same manner, a top-dressing of 300 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda. By the end of June repeat the Nitrate top-dressing, using only 100 pounds of the material. At any time through the growing season, yellow spots or lands should be given a light top-dressing of Nitrate, and thoroughly wet down if possible. Lawns are very different from field crops as they are not called upon to mature growth in the line of seed productions, and they may safely be given applications of Nitrate whenever the sickly green color of the grass appears, which shows that digestible or Nitrated ammonia is the plant food needed. These applications of plant food must be continued each year without fail, and all bare or partly bare spots well raked down and reseeded. If absolutely bare, these spots should be deeply spaded. On very heavy clay soils, and in low situations, a drainage system must be established. Lettuce. CULTURE. Sow in hotbeds in March, and in the open ground as soon as it can be worked, and transplant to rows 8 inches apart. Sow in two weeks' time same varieties again, as also Cos, for a succession. In August sow any of the varieties. In October some of these may be planted in frames, to head in winter and early spring. Always sow thin, and thin out well, or the plants will not be strong. The last spring sowing had better be grown where sown, being thinned out to 6 or 8 inches apart. To have Cos in good order they must be sown in a hotbed early in the year, and transplanted to a coldframe, so as to have good plants to set out at the opening of the ground. They require tying for a few ^m Food for days, when grown to blanch. Lettuce requires good lants ground, enriched with thoroughly rotted manure and 1 60 well pulverized. The after-culture should be close and careful, to secure the best results. Mangolds. Nitrate of Soda pays well for roots if applied at the rate of 200 pounds per acre. Use in two applications about ten days apart, the first not earlier than July. The Essex Agricultural Society found by experiment that 12 tons of farmyard manure and 300 pounds superphosphate gave a crop of nearly Directions*" ^ en anc ^ one ~ nan? tons per acre, but when 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda were added, the yield was increased to over 15 tons. The season was very unfavorable. Melons, Cucumbers and Squash. The remarks following upon the profitable fertiliz- ing of melons, applies also to cucumbers, cantaloupes, squash and similar crops. All these crops do best on a rather light loam, or if heavier soils are used the drainage should be of the best. The method of growing these crops is too well known to require mention here. They should generally follow a clean culture crop, such as corn, as most of these plants cover the ground between rows so quickly that cultivation is limited to the first few weeks of growth. This is also an argument for a thorough preparation of the soil, deep plowing and deep working in preparing the hills. As soon as the plants are well started, work into the soil about the hills a few ounces of a Nitrated ammo- mate (Nitrate of Soda), a quantity per hill correspond- ing to 250 to 350 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre. The best way is to scatter the fertilizer for two feet around the hills and rake it into the soil with a steel garden rake. This not only mixes the fertilizer with the soil, but it loosens the ground and kills all small weeds that are coming up. If at any time the hills should show a sickly yellow, F od for apply Nitrate at once, however late in the season. Cucumbers, squash and cantaloupes should be 161 planted in hills 5 feet apart each way, watermelons in hills 10 feet apart each way. Level culture rather than ridges is found to be more generally successful on very light soils. Profitable Onion Cultivation. There is no crop that can be grown Adaptability of so successfully on a large scale, in such t ^ 1 e s p?* on to a variety of soil and climate, and that 3 s * will respond more profitably to intelligent cultivation and fertilizing, than the onion. The American farmer has usually been willing to leave the growing of this savory vegetable almost entirely to the enterprising immigrant, who often makes more net profit at the end of the season from his five acres of onions than the general farmer makes on one hundred acres. The weeder and the improved wheel-hoe have made it com- paratively easy to care for the crop; there is no reason why the progressive farmer who is looking about for a new money crop should not raise onions with ease and profit. We shall consider here the growing of onions only as a field crop for the fall and winter market. The onion can be successfully grown anywhere in the United States where other vegetables thrive. The reason that onions have not been more gener- ally grown by farmers is owing to the mistaken idea that it is impossible to grow them without the application of vast quantities of stable manure, but onion-growing with the aid of chemical fertilizers is not only much cheaper, but the average crop is much larger. The ex- cessive quantity of stable manure required to grow a maximum crop tends to make the land too open, when the great secret of onion culture is to get the land solidi- fied. The ploughing under of so much bulky manure also tends to cut off the moisture supply from below, which is so important in the quick growth of crops of Food for this nature and which can only be obtained by having *" s the soil very compact and in fine tilth so as to promote 162 the capillary movement of the soil moisture to the sur- face, where it may be retained for the use of the crop by means of frequent and shallow cultivation. The advantage of using Nitrate of Soda instead of stable manure as the source of Nitrogen for this crop is plainly evident, as the Nitrate supplies the most beneficial ingredient contained in the stable manure (Nitrogen), and in a form in which it is not dependent upon soil bacteria and weather conditions to make it available for the young plants when they need it most. If it be necessary to add humus to the soil in the form of Onions. 675 Ibs. of Nitrate of Soda to the acre, in 6 applica- tions. 375 Ibs. of Nitrate of Soda to the acre, in 4 applications. No Nitrate. stable manure it should, if possible, be applied a year in advance. The presence of Nitrate at the outset enables the plant to start off with a good healthy root growth, whereby it is better able to take up later the other and more complex food elements. If it cost $45.00 per acre for rent, ploughing, har- rowing, seeding, weeding and cultivating to produce a crop of onions ready to harvest, then A crop of 225 bushels per acre costs 20 cts. per bushel. A crop of 450 bushels per acre costs 10 cts. per bushel. A crop of 900 bushels per acre costs 5 cts. per bushel. The latter yield is not at all unusual when the crop od for is properly fed with Nitrate of Soda and supplementary chemical fertilizers. l6 3 In the first place, the onion, contrary to the general belief, does not require any special kind of soil, such as muck, black sand, etc., but will do well on any good corn or potato soil, provided it is not too sour or so stony as to interfere with the early and frequent cultivation of the crop. Even though a field is somewhat stony, it will pay to rake the stones into the dead furrows which should be about twenty feet apart, as the stones would make it impossible to do good work with the weeder and wheel hoe. In selecting your field for onions it Necessity of is, of course, advisable to choose one Moisture in that is likely to be affected as little as possible in the event of a severe drought, and it is for this reason that onions, cabbage and those crops that especially require large quantities of moisture during their growth are usually grown upon bottom lands. Ploughing for the onion crop Cultivation, should preferably be done in the fall to a depth of eight inches or more, leaving the soil in the furrow to be acted upon by the frost during the winter. It at the same time becomes more compact the onion likes a solid seed bed. When for any reason the plough- ing has to be done in the spring it should be done very early and worked down solid. The lands should be narrow, so that the numerous dead furrows will drain off excessive surface moisture early in the spring, as it is desirable to get the seed sown very early. As soon as the condition of the soil Free use of the in the spring will permit, it should be Harrow and worked over with the harrow or pul- Pulverizer, verizer as deeply as the ground will allow and rolled with a heavy roller, which should be followed at once with a light harrow, which will loosen the surface soil and form a light mulch to help conserve the moisture. This operation should be repeated each week until it is time to sow the seed, which in this latitude is when the apple trees begin to bloom. Food for The seed should be sown with a hand seed drill 5 about three-quarters of an inch deep and in rows about 164 fifteen inches apart, using about six pounds of seed per acre. In about five days after the seed is sown the field should be gone over with the weeder to destroy any weeds that have started to germinate near the surface, and again in three or four days, or before the onions come up. Always run the weeder across the rows. After the onions are up so that you can see the rows, cultivate them carefully with the wheel hoe, using the sharp blades that are made for that purpose and going not more than one-half inch deep. As soon as any more weeds appear to be germinat- ing, go over the rows again with the weeder. The weeder may appear to be doing some damage, but if handled carefully there is no danger, as we have sown an extra pound of seed to allow for some being pulled out. When the onions are about four inches high it will probably be necessary to weed them once by hand. This will not prove to be a tedious job if the weeder and wheel hoe have been used with good judgment. Nitrate should be applied as follows : One hundred Fertilizing pounds scattered broadcast over the field within a week after the seed is sown and before the plants break through the ground, and two more applications broadcast consisting of 100 pounds each at intervals of two or three weeks, depend- ing somewhat upon the appearance of the plants as to growth and color. Generally speaking, the Nitrate should a11 be a .PP lied durin S Ma ^ an . d June, though if a drought occurs in July, and the onions show signs of turning yellow at the tips, an extra dressing of 50 pounds per acre may be applied to advantage. In a wet season avoid putting it on late, as it might aggravate the tendency to produce a considerable number of scullions. It should only be applied when the plants are dry. The onion is an alkali-loving plant, Use of Com- j vi mon Salt a ^ e as P ara gus, seems to nave a peculiar fondness for salt. The results of experiments on widely different soils show that it nearly always responds profitably to an application of about 200 pounds of salt per acre. This guides us to l6 s the choice of kainit for this crop, as that product con- tains about 35 per cent, of chloride of soda, or common salt, which also aids in conserving the moisture in the soil. Good judgment must be used, however, as the kainit might have a harmful effect in a wet season on a low and naturally damp soil. About 400 pounds of kainit per acre should be used, as a rule. It should be drilled into the entire surface of the ground early in the spring to a depth of at least three inches, for the kainit becomes fixed in the soil very quickly and should be rather deep, so as not to attract the feeding roots too near the surface. In case wood ashes or muriate of potash are used, the time of making the application should be the same. Most vegetables will give greatly increased returns from the use of chemicals if lime is employed in conjunction with them. An application of 75 bushels per acre of ground quicklime has also proved preventive of onion smut. If the soil is a medium heavy clay upland and not acid it is best to use the acid phosphate which contains, besides the phosphoric acid, about 50 per cent, of cal- cium sulphate (gypsum). This unlocks the natural potash in the soil. The quantity of either to apply on ordinary soils is 1,000 pounds per acre very early in the spring, so that in preparing the ground it will become very thoroughly incorporated with the soil before the onion seed is sown. The following table gives the actual field results of six years' experiments with fertilizers and seven years with manures at the rate of 30 tons per acre: Manure. Chemicals. Tons per acre, average 8 . 90 14 . 02 Market value per ton, average. . $18 . 16 $20 . 52 The crop grown with chemical fertilizers was 5.12 tons greater per acre, or a gain over the stable manure of nearly 58 per cent.; while the Nitrate crop averaged Food for $2.36 greater market value per ton, an advance over Plants 7T f 10 the manure-grown crop ot 13 per cent. 1 66 Potatoes. As is well known this crop must have a deep mel- low soil, inclining more to sand than clay. The soil must be fined to a considerable depth, and kept free of weeds throughout the growing season. The most successful growers use only commercial fertilizers, and the amounts applied per acre range from 200 pounds to 1,000 and even 2,000. The fertilizer used should be high in potash, and this potash should be of such form as to be free or nearly free of chlorine, such as sulphate of potash. Early potatoes have a short season of growth, and the Nitrating action in the soil is insufficient to keep up a high pressure of growth during the earlier weeks. For this crop Nitrate of Soda is indispensable, top-dressing along the rows as soon as the plants are well above the ground and at the rate of 200 pounds per acre. For fall potatoes, an application of 50 to 100 pounds of Nitrate will be sufficient. Heavy yields of potatoes can be secured only with good seed. Many of the most successful growers cold- storage their seed potatoes, that the vitality of the seed may not be reduced by freezing and thawing during winter. Seed should be cut to two or three "eyes," and only tubers of the best quality used. The rows should be about three feet apart, and the seed dropped fifteen inches apart in the rows. Applying The land is first marked and a fur- Fertilizers for rower run along the rows, making a es ' furrow about four inches deep. In this furrow the fertilizer is applied, either by hand, or with a distributor, and well mixed with the soil. This is best done by running a cultivator along the row; or when a distributor is used, an attachment in the form of a small cultivator can be made to do the work at one operation. The potatoes are then dropped in the furrow and covered. If it is thought best to cultivate both ways, the land can be marked across the furrows after the fertilizer is applied. Several experiments have been tried on the use of Nitrate of Soda as a top-dressing for early potatoes. This was applied at the rate of 100 pounds per acre, l6 7 after the potatoes were up and started to growing. One year this treatment increased the yield of merchantable potatoes 100 bushels per acre, and ^he average of sev- eral years was 20 per cent, increase. A private experimenter obtained results as below: 1. 400 pounds superphosphate and 300 pounds sulphate of potash 245 bushels per acre. 2. Same as plot 1 with the addition of 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda 348 bushels per acre. It is evident from the fact that the addition of 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda produced 103 bushels more than the superphosphate and potash alone, that pota- toes must have Nitrogen, and that in greater quantities than is supplied by the ordinary so-called "Complete Potato Manure." Although the United States is a vastly larger country than Germany, we raised a potato crop in 1905 of only 260,741,294 bushels, as compared with the potato crop of 1,775,579,073 bushels which Germany raised. These bushels were 60 pounds each. The explanation of so immense a production of potatoes by Germany is found in the fact that the free distilla- tion of alcohol for use in the arts has been a powerful stimulus to farm industry. Farming in some districts of the empire has been made possible only because of the ability of the people to produce cheap alcohol, and many farms owe their very existence to their distilleries. Sweet Potatoes. This crop prefers a soil lighter than Irish potatoes, but the preparation of the soil is much the same. It is an underground crop, and must not have to mine room for its roots. It should follow a clean cultivation crop, and be kept very clean itself. Too much am- moniate fertilizer interferes with the maturity of the crop, producing not only a large crop of useless vines, Food for biit also few marketable roots, and those of very poor _ keeping quality. 168 On this account the ammoniate plant food applied should not be of the ordinary kind which becomes slowly available, and continues to supply active Ni- trated ammonia late in the season, thus delaying maturity to such extent that the crop is injured by cold weather. The New Jersey Experiment Station made some experiments in Gloucester County, and the following table shows the results: Experiments with Fertilizers on Sweet Potatoes. Kind of fertilizer and Cost of Bushels per acre, quantity per acre. fertilizer. Large. Small. Total. 1. No manure 157 51 208 2. 320 Ibs. bone-black, 160 Ibs. muriate of potash $7.70 205 36 241 3. 200 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda, 320 Ibs. bone-black, 160 Ibs. muriate of potash 12.34 270 58 328 4. 20 tons stable manure 30 . 00 263 61 324 It will be seen that the addition of Nitrate of Soda to the bone-black and potash gave an increase of 65 bushels per acre, and that the Nitrate, bone-black and potash, together costing $12.34, produced a little larger yield than 20 tons of manure, costing $30.00. "Another point of considerable importance, since it has reference to the salability of the potatoes, was noticed at the time of digging, viz.: That those grown with chemical manures alone were bright and smooth of skin, while at least one-third of those grown with barn-yard manure were rough and partially covered with scurf." Tomatoes. Tomatoes are successfully grown on all soils, excepting very light sand or a very heavy clay; with irrigation, they may be grown profitably on light sandy soils. The soil must be plowed deeply, and thoroughly worked. It is generally best to buy plants from a p odfor reputable grower, unless the crop is planted on a large scale for canning, in which case plants are grown under l6 9 special instructions of the cannery. The main feature in profitable tomato growing is to maintain a rapid, steady growth. The soil should be kept pulverized at the surface as a mulch, for the crop uses enormous quantities of water. The plants continue bearing until frost, hence the earlier fruiting commences the heavier the crop through simply having a longer period in bear- ing. Ten tons per acre is by no means an unusual yield, but plant food must be used with a free hand. The New Jersey Experiment Station made an experiment with different forms of ammoniates on this crop, and the Nitrated ammoniate (Nitrate of Soda) not only produced the largest crops, but also the largest quantity of "early" tomatoes, and the lowest per cent, of culls. The yield was twelve per cent, greater than that from sulphate of ammonia, and sixty-eight per cent, greater than that from dried blood. As soon as the plants are well rooted, top -dress with 200 to 300 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre, worked into the soil about the plants. Farm-yard manure may be used on this crop when grown for canning, but the results are always doubtful, as a con- tinued stretch of dry weather may injure the crop through drying out the soil by the large quantity of vegetable matter mixed with it. However rich the soil may be, or however freely chemical fertilizers may have been used, the top-dressing of Nitrate will be found to have increased the fruiting power of the plants, and to have also added to the flavor and color of the fruit. It has been found by experiments made at the New Jersey Experiment Station for a period of three years, that Nitrate of Soda, applied when the plants were set out, greatly increased their growth early in the season and produced a much larger crop of early ripe fruit than either barn-yard manure, "phosphates," or no manure at all. Food for Experiments with Fertilizers on Tomatoes. Plants Yield per Kind of fertilizer used and Cost of acre in Value of quantity per acre. fertilizer. bushels. crop. 1. No manure 613 $208 . 61 2. 160 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda $4.00 838 300.64 3. 160 Ibs. muriate of potash, 320 Ibs. bone-black 7 . 20 649 252 . 92 4. 160 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda, 160 Ibs. muriate of potash, 300 Ibs. bone-black 11 . 20 867 301 . 25 5. 20 tons barn-yard manure. .. 30.00 612 218.27 It will be noticed that 160 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, costing $4.00, made an increase in the value of the crop of $92.03 per acre over the unfertilized land, and $82.37 over the land where 20 tons of barn-yard manure, costing $30.00, was used. It will also be noticed that the addition of phosphate (bone-black) and potash had little or no effect. This does not indi- cate that tomatoes do not require phosphoric acid and potash, but that enough of these elements of plant food was already in the soil. The yield of early tomatoes was very decidedly increased by the use of Nitrate of Soda, both alone and together with phos- phoric acid and potash. NEW JERSEY EXPERIMENT STATION. Bulletin No. 91. Some of the early work of this Station was with fertilizers for tomatoes. The results in detail are given in the Bulletin, but it showed that Nitrate of Soda was particularly active with this crop and produced a larger increase than any other single ingredient. An applica- tion of 160 pounds per acre caused an increase of as much as five tons of tomatoes. There has been much valuable work conducted upon the use of Nitrogenous Fertilizers with various crops, and particularly vegetables. This work has proven that this plant food is a potent factor in increas- ing the yields and improving the quality. Turnips and Swedes. Nitrate is applied for this crop quite in the same manner as for mangolds. Dr. Macadam reported to the Arbroath Farmers' Club a gain of 37 per cent, in yield from the use of 336 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre. An experiment conducted by Dr. Munroe, of Down- town Agricultural College, Salisbury, gave a return of nearly twenty and one- ncre half tons per acre, from an application of 600 pounds of Nitrate per acre, supplemented by phosphoric acid and potash. The Nitrate was used in three applications. An application of 300 pounds of Nitrate resulted in a yield of thirteen and one-third tons per acre. FERTILIZERS FOR FRUITS. Bulletin 66, Hatch Massachusetts Experiment Station. Lack of Nitrogen in the soil is detrimental to the size and quality of the fruit. The cheapest and most available ammoniate is Nitrate of Soda. A few cents' worth applied to each tree will give the largest possible yield of choicest fruit, returning many times its cost. Fertilizers for the apple : The results show the most improvement where Nitrate of Soda was applied. For apple trees in grass the following fertilizer is recom- mended: Nitrate of Soda 1 to 5 pounds, sulphate of potash 1 to 5 pounds, S. C. phos- phate rock, 4 to 10 pounds; the quan- Nitrate of Soda tity used to be varied according to the on Apples, size of the tree. Fertilizers for the peach: The fertilizer recom- mended, depending upon the size of the u -ii *u Peaches, trees, is substantially the same as lor apples, except that the phosphate rock is reduced one-half for the earlier stages of growth, remaining the same as for 171 Food for apples in the later stages. Nitrate of Soda should not ! be applied until just as the trees are beginning to grow. *72 Fertilizers for other fruits: For all Nitrate of Soda perennial fruits, as well as shrubs and General! 8 plants, the fertilizer used should be largely available in the early part of the season, as a preventive to winter injuries. Nitrate of Soda is the most desirable form of ammoniate. The Rational Use of Chilean Nitrate in California Some time since horticulturists in convention in Los Angeles discussed the question of the accumulation of Black Alkali in the soil. One speaker made the statement that the use of Chilean Nitrate would result in such alkali accumu- lation stating that in England this had become the case, and that English farmers were avoiding the use of Nitrate. The incorrectness of this latter statement is shown by the fact that the use of Chilean Nitrate increases year by year in England, and it is coming to be more and more appreciated there, as well as on the continent of Europe. In fact, everywhere in the world where there is progressive and enlightened experiment work, the unique qualities of Chilean Nitrate are putting it ahead of every other Nitrogenous plant food. No reputable authority in the world has ever advocated such large quantities of Chilean Nitrate per acre as would result in any abnormal accumulation of alkali. Moreover, the use of acid phosphates, associated as they fre- quently are with sulphate of lime, converts any alkali residue into harmless forms of soda. Besides, the vast majority of soils in the United States, probably 95 per cent., have a tendency to grow acid rather than to grow alkali; and Chilean Nitrate is, therefore, highly beneficial in such cases. Chilean Nitrate is really needed to help neutralize these acid residues. The use of potash salts tends to leave acid resid- uals, and when phosphates and potashes are used rationally, and in quantities suitable for normal plant Food for feeding, the question of Chilean Nitrate leaving ab- ans normal amounts of alkali residues becomes a purely X 73 fanciful one, and is not worth the serious attention of a practical business horticulturist or farmer. In all our literature, we recommend the rational and not the irrational use of fertilizers; i. e., normal amounts of the three elements of fertility. We never recommend the use of Chilean Nitrate alone, except at the rate of 100 or 200 pounds per acre, which is a trifling tonnage application; and we always advise, when larger amounts are used, that the horticulturist or farmer use as much or more in quantity of the phosphates and potashes. On the other hand, as previously stated, in the case of 95 per cent, of our soils, the use of acid phos- phate tends to leave acid residuals, as sometimes the potash salts likewise do. The actual need of Chilean Nitrate is, therefore, quite obvious. The vast majority of farm lands of our country, where so-called "Complete" Fertilizers have been used, have the tendency to become sour and acid; and Chilean Nitrate could not only be used indefinitely with an extremely beneficial effect for this particular purpose, but there is an immediate general need for it. An acre of ground one foot deep is the active service part of the soil, and, to a large extent, its chemical composition determines its usefulness. This service soil weighs on an average 2,000 tons per acre. There is enough sulphate of lime or gypsum present, as well as acid, in the average acid phosphate, to materially help the black alkali of many alkaline soils, but gypsum alone may be used also for correcting alkali. Since we never recommend the use of Chilean Nitrate alone, except at the rate of from one hundred to two hundred pounds per acre, this trifling amount could have no material influence whatever in increas- ing the alkali content of soils. For two hundred pounds of Chilean Nitrate per acre is a mere trifle for producing alkali, hence even the continued use of Nitrate under rational methods of fertilizing, would Food for no t a dd to, b u t rather diminish the quantity of alkali ans in the soil, for the associated gypsum and acid phos- f 74 phate loosen heavy clay soils which need improvement in texture. In this connection, it is important to observe that care must be exercised, in soils containing black alkali, to avoid materially increasing the content of carbonate or bi-carbonate of lime, since this would help promote the destruction of humus. It is, therefore, suggested for these particular soils, that the large and constant use of lime be avoided. When lime is needed, have your soil examined by an expert, and do not put on any more lime in any form than advised for your particular case. In other words, take good care to preserve your humus. Do not destroy it by excessive liming on any account. Neither wetness nor stickiness will result from the rational use of Chilean Nitrate. The pro- ductivity of all soils may be increased by the right use of it. All arid soils lack nitrogen on account of having but little natural humus in them, so the application of Chilean Nitrate gives good crop increases. What Burbank Says: "After testing a great variety of fertilizers on my orchard and experimental grounds, I find that the Nitrate of Soda and Thomas slag phosphate have given the best results at the least expense, and I shall not look further at present, as my trees, bulbs, plants, flowers and fruits have been, by the use of about 150 pounds each per acre, nearly doubled in size and beauty in almost every instance. The above-named fertilizers have more than doubled the product of my soil at a very small outlay per acre. Where the Nitrate of Soda is used, I find a greatly increased ability in trees to resist drought, and lack of cultivation." " Luther Burbank is the greatest originator of new and valuable forms of plant life of this or any other age," says David Starr Jordan, President of Leland Stanford Junior University, California. Food for Winter Spraying With Solutions of Nitrate Plants of Soda 175 By W. S. BALLARD, Pathologist, Fruit-Disease Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry, and W. H. VOLCK, County Horticul- tural Commissioner of Santa Cruz County, California. These investigations were conducted in co-operation between the Office of Fruit- Disease Investigations of the Bureau of Plant Industry and the Office of the County Horticultural Commissioner of Santa Cruz County, located at Watson ville, Cal. The writers' names Appear above in alphabetical order. Introduction Recently several investigators have reported re- sults in shortening the rest period of a number of woody plants by immersing the dormant shoots in weak nutrient solutions or by injecting solutions of alcohol, ether, and various acids into the twigs. These experi- ments have been conducted in the laboratory with short cuttings of the plants. The effect of such treat- ment has been to force the dormant buds out several days ahead of the normal opening period. During the last two years the writers have obtained similar and additional results on a much larger scale by spraying dormant fruit trees with strong solutions of certain commercial fertilizers, especially Nitrate of Soda. Since these experiments have been conducted on the entire trees in the orchard, it has been possible to observe the effects throughout the whole season. The investigations have not yet been carried far enough to permit drawing any conclusions regarding the physiologic action of such spraying, but because of its practical value these preliminary results seem deserving of attention at this time. Experiments in 1912 In the course of the investigations of the writers on the control of apple powdery mildew in the Pajaro Valley, Cal., it became evident that the general vigor of the tree and the thriftiness of the foliage growth had much to do with the success of the summer spray- ing treatment for the control of the mildew, and after Food for a number of experiments in applying plant-food ma- ! terials to the foliage in the form of summer sprays, and 176 after seeing that certain crude-oil emulsions used as dormant sprays had a marked effect in stimulating an increased vigor of the trees the following spring, it was decided to try the effect of a strong solution of Nitrate of Soda as a winter or dormant spray. Caustic potash (potash lye) was also added for the purpose of giving the spray an insecticide value. The mixture was pre- pared according to the following formula: Nitrate of soda 50 pounds Caustic potash 7 pounds Water 50 gallons The experiment was conducted in a Yellow Bell- flower apple orchard owned by Mr. O. D. Stoesser, of Watsonville, Cal. This orchard is situated about 5 miles from the ocean shore and is in a district that is more subject to ocean fogs and trade winds than is the main portion of the Pajaro Valley. It is a common characteristic of the numerous orchards of Yellow Bell- flower apples of this particular district that they bloom abundantly, but set only a partial crop. The trees are on a deep sedimentary soil and grow well. Seven 12-year-old trees were sprayed on February 2, 1912. The application was very thoroughly made, so that all of the small twigs were drenched. About 7 gallons of spray solution were applied to each tree. Adjoining this row on one side was a check row of seven trees which received no winter spraying, and on the other side were several rows of seven trees each which received various applications of crude-oil emulsions and soaps. For the purpose of gaining some idea of the effect of Nitrate of Soda used as a fertilizer, 50 pounds were applied as a surface dressing to one vig- orous tree selected from the row adjoining the Nitrate- sprayed row. This fertilizer was later plowed in and washed down by the rains. Effects on Blossoming and on the Foliage Notes taken at the time the trees were coming out in the spring show the folio wing, results: April 7, 1912. Trees in the row sprayed with Nitrate of Soda and lye are well in bloom, while those in the check row adjoining and in the remainder of the unsprayed orchard are showing only 177 an occasional flower fully opened. April 14, 1912. The relative advancement of the row sprayed with a solution of Nitrate of Soda and lye and the check plat is the same as noted on April 7. The Nitrate-sprayed trees are nearly in full bloom, whereas comparatively few blossoms have opened on the check plat. When the check row had reached full bloom, the row sprayed with a solution of Nitrate of Soda and lye was practically out of bloom. Thus, the Nitrate spraying advanced the blossom- ing time about two weeks ahead of the normal period. It is characteristic of the Yellow Bellflower variety of apples in the Pajaro Valley that the foliage buds come out early, so that by the time the full-bloom period is reached the trees are showing a considerable amount of young foliage. The Nitrate spraying produced a change in this respect. While the flower buds were greatly stimulated in coming out, the foliage buds were not so much affected, and the result was that when the trees sprayed with a solution of Nitrate of Soda and lye were in full bloom and two weeks in advance of the check trees in that regard, their foliage condition was relatively nearer that of the check. Plate L shows the comparative stages of the Nitrate-sprayed and the check trees at that time. A decided contrast will be seen in the relative advancement of the bloom on the tree sprayed with Nitrate of Soda (PL L, fig. 1)* as com- pared with the check tree (PI. L, fig. 2).* This contrast is shown more in detail in Plate LI, in which figure 1 shows a branch from a Nitrate-sprayed tree, while figure 2 shows one from a check tree. Both branches were collected on the same day. An examination of the figures in Plate L will show that the advancement of the foliage Jon the Nitrate-sprayed tree is compara- tively less marked than that of the bloom. This same condition is shown in detail in Plate LI, in which it will be seen that there is relatively little difference in the advancement of the foliage of the sprayed and unsprayed branches. Later in the spring, however, the * For plates, see original article. Food for effect on foliage growth became more pronounced, and - the sprayed trees assumed a more vigorous, green appear- J 7 8 ance than the check trees. The single tree that re- ceived the 50 pounds of Nitrate of Soda applied to the soil showed no greater vigor than the check trees. Both the row sprayed with Nitrate of Soda and the check row received summer sprayings directed toward the control of apple powdery mildew and of codling moth and various other insect pests. While the treatment of the two rows was not the same, there was no essential difference in the results that is, the crop loss from codling moth and other insect pests did not exceed 1 per cent, on either plat and there was no dam- age to the fruit from summer spraying. It is therefore, evident that the difference which showed up in the crop production of the two rows must be attributed to the winter Nitrate spraying. Crop Results The check row of seven trees, which received no winter spraying but which was properly protected by summer sprayings, produced 8 loose boxes of fruit at picking time. On the other hand, the adjoining row, sprayed in February with the solution of Nitrate of Soda plus lye, produced a total of a little over 40 boxes. Thus, the winter Nitrate spraying increased the crop production to fully five times that of the unsprayed row. Similar adjacent plats, which were winter- sprayed with various crude-oil emulsions and soap sprays, produced crops varying from 5 to 9 boxes per plat. The single tree which received the 50 pounds of Nitrate of Soda applied as a fertilizer gave no in- creased production, whereas none of the trees in the Nitrate-sprayed row failed to respond. Regarding the single, heavily fertilized tree, it might be stated that in addition to its showing no in- crease in production, the tree bloomed no earlier than normal, there was no improvement in the growth and no change in its general appearance throughout the growing season of 1912, and in the spring of 1913 it came out normally and not differently from the other trees in the same row, being one of the trees in a check plat. The tree is still in normal condition and shows Food for no noticeable effect from the heavy fertilizing. The ans . orchard is not irrigated, and the rainfall has been J 79 much less than normal during the last two years. Attention might again be called to the conditions under which these results were obtained namely, thrifty-growing trees in a deep residual soil and having the characteristic of blooming abundantly each year but setting only a shy crop. Even the 40 boxes pro- duced by the Nitrate spraying does not represent the full crop that such trees should bear, but the fourfold increase much more than paid for the cost of spraying, and the possibility remains of still further increasing that production by similar treatment in following years. Experiments in 1913 The one small experiment on seven trees in 1912 did not furnish sufficient grounds for drawing any gen- eral conclusions as to the applicability of winter Nitrate spraying, but the striking results obtained opened a wide field of inquiry. For instance, potash lye was added to the solution of Nitrate of Soda in the experi- ment of 1912, so the questions arise as to whether the lye was necessary and whether an acid medium would increase or decrease the effect of the Nitrate of Soda; also, would a weaker Nitrate solution prove as effective and would other nitrogen-bearing fertilizer materials, such as lime Nitrate, lime cyanamid, and sulphate of ammonia, give similar results? Following along this line it would be interesting to know what effect, if any, the other fertilizer elements, potash and phosphoric acid, might have when applied as sprays, and finally, what results might be obtained from a similar applica- tion of other substances not ordinarily considered as having any particular fertilizer value. Experiments intended to answer these and a num- ber of other more or less important questions were started in February, 1913, in the same orchard in which the previous year's work was done. Eleven 13-year- old trees were used in each plat. A frost occurred at the time the fruit was setting which ruined the crop and made it impossible to obtain results in crop pro- Food for duction. Data were obtained, however, on the effect of the various sprays on the blossoming of the trees 180 in the spring, and the notes taken may be summarized as follows: The plats sprayed with Nitrate of Soda at the rate of 1 pound to the gallon came into bloom earlier than the check trees, just as they had done in 1912. This effect was more marked in the cases in which lye was added to the Nitrate solution than when the plain water solution was used that is, the addition of lye in the proportion of 16 pounds of caustic soda in 100 gallons of spray solution increased the action of the Nitrate of Soda in bringing the trees out earlier. Caustic soda appeared to be just as effective as caustic potash. Nitrate of Soda used at the rate of half a pound to the gallon, either with or without the addi- tion of lye, was not nearly so effective as a solution of 1 pound to the gallon. A solution of one-fourth of a pound to the gallon, with lye added, had practically no effect. Nitrate of Soda, at the rate of 1 pound to the gallon, to which oxalic acid was added in the proportion of 50 pounds to 125 gallons of solution, produced re- sults similar to Nitrate of Soda plus lye, so far as the effect of hastening the blooming period is concerned. Lime Nitrate, 130 pounds in 100 gallons of water, and lime cyanamid, 92 pounds in 100 gallons of water, stimulated an earlier blooming of the trees, and subse- quent experiments will probably put these substances in a class with Nitrate of Soda. Normal Yellow Bell- flower apple blossoms have considerable pink color, and it was interesting to note that when the trees sprayed with the lime cyanamid came into bloom the flowers were nearly white. The effects from sulphate of am- monia were not nearly so marked as those from Nitrate of Soda. These various nitrogen-bearing fertilizer substances were used in such strengths as to carry relatively the same quantities of nitrogen per gallon. Sulphate of potash had some effect in stimulating an early blooming, but double superphosphate did not. Of a number of other substances tried, common salt used at the rate of 68 pounds to 100 gallons of water produced a distinct effect. It will be borne in mind that the above remarks Food for apply simply to the effects of the various sprays in _* causing an earlier blooming of the trees, but since this Igl early blooming was a striking characteristic of the Nitrate-sprayed trees of 1912, which showed a fourfold increase in production, it seems permissible to con- clude that this effect on the fruit buds is some criterion of what might have been expected in the way of crop increase had not the fruit been lost by frost. The row of seven trees used in the Nitrate experi- ment of 1912 was left unsprayed this last season for the purpose of determining whether the Nitrate effect would continue to the second year. It was noticed that the fruit buds on these trees were particularly large and plump, and somewhat unexpectedly at blos- soming time these trees came into bloom several days ahead of the check rows. The bloom came out very uniformly all over the trees, whereas ordinarily it is considerably delayed on the windward side. Also, the individual blossoms were conspicuously larger than those of any other plat, and, so far as could be judged at the time the frost occurred, a good crop was setting all over the trees. Thus, it appears that this effect of the Nitrate of Soda had continued over to the second year. At present, all things considered, the best results have been obtained by using a mixture made up as follows : Nitrate of Soda 200 pounds Caustic Soda 25 pounds Water 200 gallons In preparing this solution the required quantity of water was placed in the spray tank and the agitator started. When the water was in motion, the required weight of Nitrate of Soda was added gradually. Any large lumps were first broken up into pieces about the size of hen's eggs. The caustic soda was then added, and in about 15 minutes from the time the preparation was begun the mixture was ready for applying. The trees were very thoroughly sprayed on all sides, so that all of the small twigs were drenched. The Food for best results so far obtained have come from the spray - . ing applied about the 1st of February. Of course, 182 weather conditions must be taken into consideration. A rain immediately following the application will wash much of the material off of the trees, and it is probable that at least a week of clear weather should follow the spraying, in order to insure good results. In all of this work on spraying a solution of Ni- trate of Soda on the trees a considerable quantity fell to the ground, and the question will be raised as to whether the various effects observed have not been simply the result of the fertilizer action of the Nitrate on the soil. About 7 gallons of the solution were used in spraying each tree, and if the whole of this had gone on the ground it would have amounted to about 7 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per tree. The single tree in 1912 that had the 50 pounds of Nitrate applied to the soil, therefore, received over seven times the total quantity applied to any single sprayed tree. As has been previously stated, this single, excessively fertilized tree bloomed no earlier than normal, produced no in- creased crop, and showed no improvement in general vigor and appearance; whereas, none of the trees in the sprayed plat failed to respond in all of these par- ticulars. Of course, this single tree test in the appli- cation of Nitrate to the soil is too small an experiment to permit concluding positively that the effects that we have reported from the spraying experiments are of an entirely different nature and belong in a different category from those produced by the ordinary soil application of Nitrate. A careful consideration of the results of ordinary orchard practice in fertilizing seems to make it plain that there is no similarity between them and the results from spraying. For instance, in the usual practice of applying Nitrate of Soda as a fertilizer to apple orchards in the region of Watsonville, Cal., a winter or early spring application does not force the bloom out 10 days or 2 weeks ahead of the normal open- ing period and has had no measurable effect in increas- ing the set of fruit that same year. The fact that the addition of caustic soda or oxalic acid to the Nitrate spray augments these various effects further em- phasizes the difference between the results from spray- ing and the ordinary results from the application of fertilizer. Caustic-soda solution alone applied as a I8 3 spray has no effect on the time of blooming or the crop production. Experiments of Growers in 1913 Yellow Bellflower Apples During the past season a number of growers made more or less extensive tests of the spraying with Nitrate of Soda. An aggregate of several hundred acres of Yellow Bellflower apples was sprayed with Nitrate of of Soda plus caustic soda, but practically all of this acreage was in the same district in which the writer's experiments were conducted, so the crop was lost by frost. It was noticeable during the past summer, however, that the foliage in such orchards as received very thorough winter Nitrate sprayings had a better appearance than in years past, due apparently to the effect of the Nitrate. One orchard, that of MacDonald & Sons, is located in a district that practically escaped frost damage, and the results obtained indicated a marked crop increase in consequence of the spraying. The entire orchard, with the exception of a few trees, was sprayed with various combinations of Nitrate of Soda and lye, and, while no exact data on the produc- tion of the unsprayed trees as compared with the rest of the orchard was obtained, the amount of fruit on the trees indicated that the spraying had produced a marked increase. This conclusion was more reliably substantiated by comparing the total orchard produc- tion this year with that of previous years. Sweet Cherries Mr. A. W. Taite, of Watsonville, sprayed portions of two blocks of Napoleon (Royal Ann) cherries with Nitrate of Soda, 1 pound to the gallon, to which caustic soda was added at the rate of 25 pounds to 200 gallons. Unsprayed rows adjoining the sprayed ones were left in each block. In one case the sprayed trees were dis- tinctly advanced over the check trees in coming into Pkn? r bloom. In both cases there was an increase in the . foliage growth and a consequent improvement in the l8 4 appearance of the trees. No effect on crop production could be noticed, though it is possible that treatment in successive years may bring such results. Pears For our observations on pears the writers are in- debted chiefly to Mr. George Reed, of San Jose, who carried out extensive tests in the orchards of the J. Z. & G. H. Anderson Fruit Co. The spraying was done about the 1st of February and the following notes are taken largely from Mr. Reed's observations: CLAIRGEAU. Four rows of about 40 trees each were sprayed with commercial lime-sulphur (33 % Baum6) diluted 1 to 9. Ad- joining these were four rows sprayed with lime-sulphur solution diluted 1 to 9 and to which was added Nitrate of Soda at the rate of 1 pound to the gallon of the diluted spray. The rows sprayed with the combined solution of Nitrate of Soda and lime-sulphu came into bloom about a week ahead of those that received the lime-sulphur solution alone. The development of the fruit on these Nitrate-lime-sulphur solution rows continued to show an advancement of about a week throughout half the growing season, and at picking time the fruit was greener and hung on better than that of the plain lime-sulphur-solution rows. Both plats bore a full crop, so there was no opportunity for observing any effect on production. The Clairgeau variety blooms early, and the further advancement due to Nitrate spraying might result in frost injury in some localities. The fruit ordinarily has a habit of dropping off during the latter part of the growing season. This difficulty, however, was largely eliminated on the Nitrate-sprayed rows. COMICE. The major portion of the block was sprayed with a plain water solution of Nitrate of Soda at the rate of 1 pound to the gallon. A small portion was sprayed with commercial lime-sulphur solution, diluted 1 to 9, with Nitrate of Soda added at the rate of 1 pound to the gallon of diluted spray. Through a misunderstand- ing the men doing the spraying left no check rows in this block, so that crop data could not be obtained. However, Mr. Reed's exact knowledge of the previous production of this block as a whole indicates that the marked increased production this last season was more than probably due to the Nitrate spraying. The Cornice is a relatively shy bearer, and a valuable pear commer- cially, so that any increased production that could be obtained by Nitrate spraying would be much appreciated by the grower. One portion of the block that regularly produces less than the remainder gave a good crop this year, and it appeared that the addition of the lime-sulphur solution augmented the effect of the Nitrate of Soda just as the addition of lye has done in the experiments of the food for writers. Plants GLOUT MORCEAU. A block of Glout Morceau pears was l8 S sprayed with the combination of lime-sulphur solution, diluted 1 to 9, plus Nitrate of Soda 1 pound to the gallon of diluted spray. This block had never produced a full crop, and while no unsprayed checks were left, the increased production would appear to be due to the Nitrate spraying. WINTER NELIS. A block of Winter Nelis pears was sprayed with a solution of Nitrate of Soda 1 pound to the gallon of water. No lime-sulphur solution was added in this case. No check rows were left, and a frost destroyed a large percentage of the fruit after it had set. However, at that time the trees were carrying the largest crop they had ever produced, and again it would appear that the Nitrate spraying had had a beneficial effect. The trees came into bloom about 10 days ahead of normal opening period. Discussion on Results and Summary It is not the writers' intention to convey the im- pression that dormant spraying with Nitrate solutions will solve the problem of shy bearing of fruit trees nor offer a more advisable method of applying nitrogen fertilizer. The purpose of this paper is simply to present the results as they now stand. It is evident that, at least under certain conditions, some varieties of apples and pears that are more or less self-sterile may have their crop production materially increased by dormant spraying with solutions of Nitrate of Soda plus lye. The combination of a solution of Nitrate of Soda and lime-sulphur is apparently capable of bringing similar results. Actual quantitative data on increased production from spraying with a solution of Nitrate of Soda are available from only one source, that of the first experi- ment on Yellow Bellflower apples in 1912. No pro- duction records were obtainable from the various tests made by growers during the season of 1913 but the one test on Yellow Bellflower apples and several others on pears indicate that such an increase had undoubtedly been brought about. It is considered that the growers' knowledge of the crops of the previous years as com- p'ared with that of this year furnishes a basis for con- clusions that are at least corroborative. Food for That Nitrate spraying of dormant trees will bring about an earlier blooming of certain varieties of fruit 186 is a satisfactorily established fact, which has been dem- onstrated on Yellow Bellflower apples at Watsonville, Cal., and on various varieties of pears at San Jose, San Juan, and Suisun, Cal., during the past season. How generally this statement will apply to other varieties of apples and pears and in other localities remains to be determined. Results on stone fruits have not been as striking as those on pears and apples, but it is pos- sible that stronger solutions, earlier spraying, or a repetition of the spraying in successive years may bring about such results. The greater danger of injury from frost that might result from forcing trees into bloom earlier than normal would have to be taken into consideration in making practical use of Nitrate spraying in winter. Aside from the effect on crop production, there has also been a very noticeable improvement in the color, abundance, and vigor of the foliage, and it seems possible that Nitrate spraying of dormant trees may be a valuable supplement to the ordinary fertilizer practices in obtaining quick results in orchards suffer- ing from lack of nitrogen. The writers will make no attempt at present to explain the peculiar effect of Nitrate of Soda in increas- ing the production of more or less self-sterile varieties of fruits, or in improving foliage growth. The similarity between the writers' results in forcing dormant buds by winter Nitrate spraying and the results obtained by other investigators by treating cuttings with various weak solutions has been mentioned. In experiments of the writers, however, a more or less lasting effect on the vigor of the foliage and also some valuable results in increasing crop production have been obtained. It furthermore appears that the effects obtained by spraying with a solution of Nitrate of Soda may con- tinue over to the second year, as shown by the original plat of 1912, which was left unsprayed in the winter of 1913. The effects of the Nitrate spraying seem to be pro- portional to the strength of the solution employed and the thoroughness with which it is applied. The addi- p od for tion of caustic soda materially increases this action. 187 Small Fruits. Under this head we treat of blackberries, currants, gooseberries and raspberries. Strawberries are treated separately. All these small fruits are commonly grown in the garden, generally under such conditions that systematic tillage is not practicable. For this reason such plant food essentials as may exist naturally in the soil become available to the uses of the plants very slow- ly. This is true of the decomposition of animal or vegetable ammoniates as of phosphates and potashes. Consequently, small fruits in the garden suffer from lack of sufficient plant food. All these plants when planted in gardens are usually set in rows four feet apart, the plants about three feet apart in the rows; about 4,200 plants to an acre. In field culture, black- berries are usually set four feet apart each way. So far as possible, small fruits should be cultivated in the early spring, and all dead canes removed. Work into the soil along the rows from 300 to 600 pounds of phosphate and potash; when the plants are in full leaf, broadcast along the rows from 200 to 400 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, and work in with a rake. If at any time before August the vines show a tendency to drop leaves, or stop growing, apply more Nitrate. Small fruits must have a steady, even growth; in most cases unsatisfactory results can be directly traced to irregular feeding of the plants. In field culture, the crop must be tilled quite the same as for corn; in the garden in very dry weather irrigation should be used if possible. The yield per acre is very heavy, and, of course, the plants must be given plant food in proportion. Raspberries, Currants, Gooseberries. Sow broadcast, in the fall, a mixture of, say, 350 pounds of superphosphate and 100 pounds muriate of potash per acre. This can be done, if the rows are six feet apart, by sowing a large handful at every two Food for steps on each side of the row. Raspberries and goose- . berries should have a small handful, and currants a 188 large handful to each bush. This should be cultivated in, if possible, early in the spring. Sow Nitrate of Soda in the same way. It will pay to put on as much Nitrate as you did superphosphate and potash, but if you do not want to put on so much, use smaller hand- fuls. If the superphosphate and potash have not been applied in the fall, sow the mixture in the spring at the "same time the Nitrate is sown and cultivate it in, early. Strawberries. This plant requires a moist soil, but not one water- logged at any time of the year. A light clay loam, or a sandy loam is preferable. There are several methods of cultivation, but the matted row is generally found more profitable than the plan of growing only in hills. While some growers claim that one year's crop is all that should be harvested before ploughing down for potatoes, as a matter of fact the common practice is to keep the bed for at least two harvests. In selecting plants, care should be exercised to see that pistillate plants are not kept too much by themselves, or the blossoms will prove barren. The crop is a heavy consumer of plant food, and the soil cannot be made too rich. Farmyard manure should never be used after the plants are set out, as the weed seeds contained therein will give much trouble, especially as the horse hoe is of little use in the beds. Use from 400 to 800 pounds of phosphate, applied broadcast immediately after harvest; in the spring, as soon as the strawberry leaves show the bright, fresh green of new growth, apply broadcast 200 pounds of . ^ Nitrate of Soda to the acre. In setting es * out a new bed, scatter the fertilizer along the rows and cultivate in, before the plants are set out. It is well to scatter the fertilizers for a foot on each side of the rows so that the runners will have something to feed upon. In the spring, sow Nitrate of Soda on the bed broadcast at the rate of about 200 pounds per acre. On old beds, sow the mixture broadcast in the fall and an additional 200 pounds of Nitrate per acre in the Food for Plants spring. Prof. W. F. Massey writes: "I top-dressed an old l8 9 strawberry bed in its fifth year of bearing with 300 pounds Nitrate of Soda per acre. I had intended ploughing it up the previous summer as it was in an exhausted condition and foul with white clover and sorrel. "The effect was amazing, for this bed of an acre and a quarter, from w T hich I expected almost nothing, gave seven thousand quarts of berries. Figs. After investigating the requirements of the fig, Professor George E. Colby, of the University of Cali- fornia Experiment Station, says: "The fig leads among our fruits in its demand upon the soil for Nitrogen. Thus we find for the southern localities especially, the same necessity of early replacement of Nitrogen in figs and stone fruit as for Orange orchards, and partly for the same reason, viz., that California soils are usually not rich in their natural supply of this substance." Nitrate of Soda will furnish the necessary Nitrogen in its most available form, and at less cost than any other material. It will probably be best to use in addi- tion to the Nitrate an equal quantity of bone meal phosphate, say two pounds of each per tree. Grapes. Grape plantations should be located and planted by an expert, and one, too, who has had experience with the locality selected as the site of the vineyard. The treatment of the young plants is a matter of soil and climate, and for which there are no general rules. When the vines have reached bearing age, however, their fertilization becomes a very important matter. The new wood must be thoroughly matured to bear next year's fruit, and an excess of ammoniate late in the season not only defeats this object, but also lessens the number of fruit buds. Potash and phosphoric acid must be used freely, about 50 pounds of potash and 60 Fo dfo . r pounds of available phosphoric acid to the acre. This _ is not a crop for ordinary commercial fertilizers. The 190 fertilizer suggested above should be applied in the spring and at the same time broadcast along the rows Nitrate of Soda at the rate of 200 pounds per acre. If the plants lose color in spots late in the season, work into the soil about the vine an ounce or so of Nitrate, but this must not be done later than midsummer. Profitable Fertilization of Grapes. Summary of Experiments by the Director of Darmstadt Agricultural Experiment Station, Darmstadt, Germany. Systematic, fertilizer experiments with grapes have been conducted in this country so rarely that we must seek information in this line from foreign experimenters. The experiment detailed below was conducted by the Darmstadt Agricultural Experiment Station, Darm- stadt, Germany. The vines were grown singly in pots. The fertilizer application in the two pots illustrated herewith were at the rate of 3.3 ounces of Nitrate of Soda, .6 of an ounce muriate of potash and 2 ounces acid phosphate per vine. At the rate of 907 vines per acre (vines 6 by 8 feet) this application is the equivalent of 189 pounds Nitrate of Soda, 113 pounds acid phos- phate and 34 pounds muriate of potash per acre. The illustrations (pages 192-193) show the growth of vine and also the production of fruit from the two pots, and the excellent effect of Nitrate of Soda were unmistakably shown. The actual yields of fruit were : Per Acre. Potash and acid phosphate without Nitrate of Soda.. . 1,024 Ibs. Potash and acid phosphate with Nitrate of Soda 4,929 " A remarkable point in this experiment was data to show the growth of leaf and wood for each 100 pounds of grapes, as follows: With Nitrate, for 100 Ibs. grapes 47 Ibs. 13 Ibs. Without Nitrate, for 100 Ibs. grapes 119 34 The evidence tends to confirm the belief that in- sufficient or improperly balanced fertilizers produce wood and leaf growth often at the expense of the fruit; that is, the merchantable portion of the crop. In fer- tilizing grapes the phosphate and potash should be applied early in the spring, before the vines begin to I 9 I grow; Nitrate of Soda should be applied just at the time the vines commence growth in the spring. A better plan perhaps is to apply the Nitrate in two doses, one when the vines start growth in the spring, the second some time three weeks later. Nursery Stock. The soil should be moderately light loam, some- what deep and thoroughly worked. It is an advantage if the soil has previously been in corn, or some other clean cultivation crop. Nursery stock should not be planted on turned-under clover stubble. A soil rich in ammoniates produces an overgrowth of wood, which fails to mature. This is caused by continued supplies of natural Nitrate up to the time of frost, and as a consequence new sap wood is continually being formed only to be killed back in winter. The ammonia in all low grade fertilizers is slowly Nitrated by the action of certain soil organisms, which continue at work so long as there are any ammoniates to work upon, or the soil not frozen. All through the season of growth, more or less Nitrated ammonia is being supplied, which acts to prevent the complete ripening of the summer's growth. This is a marked evil in growing nursery stock. The work is not matured and is badly killed back by frost, causing serious disfigurement; also the young trees become too slender and suffer more in transplanting. Apply along the rows a fertilizer consisting of 200 pounds of acid phosphate and 200 pounds of sulphate of potash, at the rate of 400 pounds per acre, and work well into the soil. When the young trees are in full leaf, apply in the same manner 300 to 400 pounds of Nitrate of Soda to the acre; and, four weeks later, repeat the Nitrate application, using 150 to 200 pounds. This will ensure a rapid growth early in the season with ample time for thorough maturing before cold weather. Food for Plants 192 Fertilizer per Vine,^Omitting Nitrate Nitrogen. 0.6 oz. Muriate or Sulphate of Potash per vine, or 34 Ibs. per acre. 2 oz. Acid Phosphate per vine, or 113 Ibs. per acre. Food for Plants Fertilizer per Vine, With Nitrate Nitrogen. 0.6 oz. Muriate or Sulphate of Potash per vine, or 34 Ibs. per acre. 2 oz. Acid Phosphate per vine, or 113 Ibs. per acre. 3.3 oz. Nitrate of Soda per vine, or 189 Ibs. per acre. Food for The Nitrate of Soda supplies only Nitrated ammonia, ! which is immediately available for the uses of the plant. *94 Nursery stock must be constantly watched for evidences of disease, and prompt action taken when such are discovered. Orange Groves. An orange that weighs a pound would sell in New York for a dime. When it takes six to weigh a pound they are worthless. Satisfactory results have been obtained in Florida by fertilizing during the cold season. About two months before the period of growth begins, apply for each full-grown tree a mixture of 7 pounds of high- grade superphosphate and 7 pounds of sulphate of potash, by working it into the soil; after which one pound of Nitrate of Soda may be sown on the surface. In order to accomplish this application economically it is well to mix the Nitrate with two or three times the quantity of fine, dry soil before applying. The working of the soil must not be so deep or thorough as to start the growth of the tree. An excess of Nitrate is to be avoided, but the amount mentioned is not too much. All other ammoniates on the market must be converted into Nitrate by weathering and the action of the soil bacteria before they can possibly be available for plant food. Nitrate of Soda is a pre-digested ammoniate. With sulphate of ammonia there is danger of loss, as it must be converted into Nitrate before it is available as food, and during this comparatively long process it may all be lost by rains and leaching. Dried blood, cotton-seed meal and all other am- moniates, if used in such quantities as to afford an adequate supply of Nitrate, may cause die-back. No disease results from the proper use of Nitrate of Soda. Besides the possible losses indicated, when other am- moniates are used, there is an actual loss of Nitrogen during the process of Nitration, and all ammoniates must undergo Nitration must be Nitrated before living trees or plants will feed on them. From six weeks to two months after the above applications Nitrate may be used again as above indi- cated. If desirable, two or three months later a further od for application of one and a half pounds of Nitrate of Soda _ and potash may be made. In the case of your par- J 95 ticular soil, it may well be that it is sufficiently rich in potash, and therefore, may not require a large appli- cation of it. In any event, the grower must be governed by the condition of his grove and the general character of soil and climate in his particular locality. The early decay of orchards as well as failure to set fruit buds, is largely a matter of lack of plant food. Orchards should have Nitrate, applied early in the season, as late supplies of Nitrogen are liable to cause a heavy setting of leaf buds at the expense of next year's fruit. The ordinary ammoniates are not satisfactory for orchard work, as they continue to supply available ammonia all through the season ; not enough in the early part of the year to properly set the fruit, hence severe dropping; too much late in the year when none is needed and which causes the formation of leaf rather than fruit buds. The soil between the trees should be regularly tilled, much as in corn growing. That it is not generally done is no argument against the value of such cultivation methods. Food for Plants Of General Interest. 196 Average Annual Rainfall in the United States. Place. Inches. Neah Bay, Wash 123 Sitka, Alaska 83 Ft. Haskins, Oregon 66 Mt. Vernon, Alabama 66 Baton Rouge, Louisiana .... 60 Meadow Valley, California. . 57 Ft. Towson, Oklahoma 57 Ft. Meyers, Florida 56 Washington, Arkansas 54 Huntsville, Alabama 54 Natchez, Mississippi . . 53 New Orleans, Louisiana 51 Savannah, Georgia 48 Springdale, Kentucky 48 Fortress Monroe, Virginia. . 47 Memphis, Tennessee 45 Newark, New Jersey 44 Boston, Massachusetts 44 Brunswick, Maine 44 Cincinnati, Ohio 44 New Haven, Connecticut ... 44 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. . 44 New York City, N.Y...... 43 Charleston, South Carolina. . 43 Gaston, North Carolina 43 Richmond, Indiana 43 Marietta, Ohio 43 St. Louis, Missouri 43 Muscatine, Iowa 42 Baltimore, Maryland 41 New Bedford, Massachusetts 41 Providence, Rhode Island.. . 41 Ft. Smith, Arkansas 40 Place. Inches. Hanover, New Hampshire . . 40 Ft. Vancouver 38 Cleveland, Ohio 37 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ... 37 Washington, D. C 37 White Sulphur Springs, Va. 37 Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma 36 Key West, Florida 36 Peoria, Illinois 35 Burlington Vermont 34 Buffalo, New York 33 Ft. Brown, Texas 33 Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. . . 31 Detroit, Michigan 30 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 30 Penn Yann, New York 28 Ft. Kearney 25 Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 25 Salt Lake City, Utah 23 Mackinac, Michigan 23 San Francisco, California ... 21 Dallas, Oregon 21 Sacramento, California 21 Ft. Massachusetts, Colorado 17 Ft. Marcy, New Mexico 16 Ft. Randall, Dakota 16 Ft. Defiance, Arizona 14 Ft. Craig, New Mexico 11 San Diego, California 9 Ft. Colville, Washington. ... 9 Ft. Bliss, Texas 9 Ft. Bridger, Utah 6 Ft. Garland, Colorado 6 Number of Years Seeds Retain Their Vitality. Vegetables. Years. Vegetables. Years. Cucumber 8 to 10 Melon 8 to 10 Pumpkin 8 to 10 Squash 8 to 10 Broccoli 5 to 6 Cauliflower 5to 6 Artichoke. . . . 5 to 6 Endive 5 to 6 Pea 5 to 6 Radish 4 to 5 Beets 3 to 4 Cress 3 to 4 Lettuce 3 to 4 Mustard. . . 3 to 4 Okra .................. 3 to 4 Rhubarb .............. , 3 to 4 Spinach ............... 3 to 4 Turnip ................ 3 to 6 Asparagus ............. 2 to 3 Beans ................. 2 to 3 Carrots ................ 2 to 3 Celery ................. 2 to 3 Corn (on cob) .......... 2 to 3 Leek .................. 2 to 3 Onion ................. 2 to 3 Parsley ................ 2 to 3 Parsnip ................ 2 to 3 Pepper ................ 2 to 3 Tomato ................ 2 to 3 Egg-Plant .............. 1 to 2 Herbs. Anise .................. 3 to 4 Caraway ............... 2 Summer Savory ........ 1 to 2 Sage .................. 2 to 3 2 100 feet in length Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. Ib. Ibs. Ibs. 2 lines 101% Ibs. 25% Ibs. 72 2,560 460 2 200 12% Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. How Grain will Shrink. Food for Plants How Deep in the Ground to Plant Corn. The following is the result of an experiment with Indian Corn. That which was planted at a depth of 1 inch came up in ....................... 8 J^ days. \Yz inch, came up in ...................... 9^ days. inches, came up in ..................... 10 days. inches, came up in ..................... HJ^ days. inches, came up in ..................... 12 days. inches, came up in ..................... 13 days. inches, came up in ..................... 13^ days. The more shallow the seed was covered with earth, the more rapidly the sprout made its appearance, and the stronger after- wards was the stalk. The deeper the seed lay, the longer it re- mained before it came to the surface. Four inches was too deep for the maize, and must, therefore, be too deep for smaller kernels. Amount of Barbed Wire Required for Fences. Estimated number of pounds of Barbed Wire required to fence space for distances mentioned, with one, two or three lines of wire, based upon each pound of wire, measuring one rod feet). 1 line 1 square acre ............ 50% Ibs. 1 side of a square acre. . . . 12% 1 square half-acre ........ 36 1 square mile ............ 1,280 1 side of a square mile. ... 230 1 rod in length .......... 1 100 rods in length ........ 100 3 lines 152 Ibs. 38 Ibs. 108 Ibs. 3,840 Ibs. 690 Ibs. 3 Ibs. 300 Ibs. 18% Ibs. Farmers rarely gain by holding on to their grain after it is fit for market, when the shrinkage is taken into account. Wheat, from the time it is threshed, will shrink two quarts to the bushel 198 Food for or six per cent, in six months, in the most favorable circumstances. Plants JJ ence) it follows that ninety-four cents a bushel for wheat when first threshed in August, is as good, taking into account the shrink- age alone, as one dollar in the following February. Corn shrinks much more from the time it is first husked. One hundred bushels of ears, as they come from the field in Novem- ber, will be reduced to not far from eighty. So that forty cents a bushel for corn in the ear, as it comes from the field, is as good as fifty in March, shrinkage only being taken into account. In the case of potatoes taking those that rot and are other- wise lost together with the shrinkage, there is but little doubt that between October and June, the loss to the owner who holds them is not less than thirty-three per cent. This estimate is taken on the basis of interest at 7 per cent., and takes no account of loss by vermin. One hundred pounds of Indian meal is equal to 76 pounds of wheat, 83 of oats, 90 of rye, 111 of barley, 333 of corn stalks. Length of Navigation of the Mississippi River. The length of navigation of the Mississippi River itself for ordinary large steamboats is about 2,161 miles, but small steamers can ascend about 650 miles further. The following are its prin- cipal navigable tributaries, with the miles open to navigation: Miles. Minnesota 295 Chippewa 90 Iowa 80 Missouri 2,900 Big Horn 50 Allegheny 325 Muskingum 94 Kentucky 105 Wabash 365 Tennessee 270 Osage 302 White 779 Little White ". 48 Big Hatchie 75 Sunflower 271 Tallahatchie 175 Red 986 Cypress 44 Black 61 Bartholomew 100 Macon 60 Atchafalaya 218 Lafourche.. 168 Miles. Wisconsin 160 Rock 64 Illinois 350 Yellowstone 474 Ohio 950 Monongahela 110 Kanawha 94 Green 200 Cumberland 600 Clinch 50 St. Francis 180 Black 147 Arkansas 884 Issaquena 161 Yazoo 228 Big Black 35 Cane 54 Ouachita 384 Bceuf 55 Tensas 112 Teche 91 D'Arbonne.. 50 The other ten navigable tributaries have less than fifty miles each of navigation. The total miles of navigation of these fifty- five streams is about 16,500 miles, or about two-thirds the dis- Food for tance around the world. The Mississippi and its tributaries may ^ ants be estimated to possess 15,550 miles navigable to steamboats, and ~ 20,221 miles navigable to barges. Carrying Capacity of a Freight Car. This Table is for Ten Ton Cars. Whiskey 60 barrels Lumber 6,000 feet Salt 70 barrels Barley 300 bushels Lime 70 barrels Wheat 340 bushels Flour 90 barrels Flax Seed 360 bushels Eggs 130 to 160 barrels Apples 370 bushels Flour 200 sacks Corn 400 bushels Wood 6 cords Potatoes 430 bushels Cattle 18 to 20 head Oats 680 bushels Hogs 50 to 60 head Bran 1,000 bushels Sheep 80 to 100 head Butter 20,000 pounds How to Measure Corn in Crib, Hay in Mow, etc. This rule will apply to a crib of any size or kind. Two cubic feet of good, sound, dry corn in the ear will make a bushel of shelled corn. To get, then, the quantity of shelled corn in a crib of corn in the ear, measure the length, breadth and height of the crib, inside of the rail; multiply the length by the breadth and the product by the height; then divide the product by two, and you have the number of bushels of shelled corn in the crib. To find the number of bushels of apples, potatoes, etc., in a bin, multiply the length, breadth and thickness together, and this product by 8, and point off one figure in the product for decimals. To find the amount of hay in a mow, allow 512 cubic feet for a ton, and it will come out very generally correct. Business Rules for Farmers. The way to get credit is to be punctual in paying your bills. The way to preserve it is not to use it much. Settle often; have short accounts. Trust no man's appearances they are deceptive perhaps assumed, for the purpose of obtaining credit. Beware of gaudy exterior. Rogues usually dress well. The rich are plain men. Trust him, if any, who carries but little on his back. Never trust him who flies into a passion on being dunned; make him pay quickly, if there be any virtue in the law. Be well satisfied before you give a credit that those to whom you give it are men to be trusted. Sell your goods at a small advance, and never misrepresent them, for those whom you once deceive will beware of you the second time. Food for Deal uprightly with all men, and they will repose confidence ^ ants in you, and soon become your permanent customers. 200 Beware of him who is an office seeker. Men do not usually want an office when they have anything to do. A man's affairs are rather low when he seeks office for support. Trust no stranger. Your goods are better than doubtful charges. What is character worth, if you make it cheap by credit- ing everybody? Agree beforehand with every man about to do a job, and, if large, put in into writing. If any decline this, quit, or be cheated. Though you want a job ever so much, make all sure at the outset, and in case at all doubtful, make sure of a guarantee. Be not afraid to ask it; the best test of responsibility; for, if offence be taken, you have escaped a loss. Business Laws in Brief. Ignorance of law excuses none. It is a fraud to conceal a fraud. The law compels no one to do impossibilities. An agreement without consideration is void. Signatures made with lead-pencil are good in law. A receipt for money paid is not legally conclusive. The acts of one partner bind all the others. Contracts made on Sunday cannot be enforced. A contract made with a minor is invalid. A contract made with a lunatic is void. Contracts for advertising in Sunday newspapers are invalid. Each individual in a partnership is responsible for the whole amount of the debts of a firm. Principals are responsible for the acts of their agents. Agents are responsible to their principals for errors. A note given by a minor is void. It is not legally necessary to say on a note "for value received." A note drawn on Sunday is void. A note obtained by fraud, or from a person in a state of in- toxication, cannot be collected. If a note be lost or stolen, it does not release the maker; he must pay. The indorser of a note is exempt from liability if not served with notice of its dishonor within twenty-four hours of its non- payment. How to Treat Sunstroke. Take the patient at once to a cool and shady place, but don't carry him far to a house or hospital. Loosen the clothes thor- oughly about his neck and waist Lay him down with the head a little raised. Apply wet cloths to the head, and mustard or turpentine to the calves of the legs and the soles of the feet. Give a little weak whiskey and water if he can swallow. Mean- while, let some one go for the doctor. You cannot do more Food for without his advice. Sunstroke is a sudden prostration due to long exposure to 20I great heat, especially when much fatigued or exhausted. It com- monly happens from undue exposure to the sun's rays in summer. It begins with pain in the head, or dizziness, quickly followed by loss of consciousness and complete prostration. Time Required for Digesting Food. Food. How Cooked. H. M. Apples, sour, hard Raw 2 . 50 Apples, sweet, mellow Raw 1.30 Bass, striped Broiled 3 . 00 Beans, pod Boiled 2 . 30 Beans and green corn Boiled 3.45 Beef Fried 4.00 Beefsteak Broiled 3 . 00 Beef, fresh, lean, dry Roasted 3 . 30 Beef, fresh, lean, rare Roasted 3 . 00 Beets Boiled 3 . 45 Bread, corn Baked 3 . 15 Bread, wheat, fresh Baked 1 . 30 Cabbage Raw. . 2 . 30 Cabbage, with vinegar Raw 2 . 00 Cabbage Boiled 4 . 30 Carrot Boiled 3.13 Catfish Fried 3.30 Cheese, old, strong Raw 3 . 30 Chicken, full grown Fricasseed 2 . 45 Codfish, cured dry Boiled 2 . 00 Custard Baked 2.45 Duck, tame Roasted 4 . 00 Duck, wild Roasted 4 . 30 Eggs, fresh Raw 2 . 00 Eggs, fresh Scrambled 1 . 30 Eggs, fresh Roasted 2.15 Eggs, fresh Soft boiled 3.00 Eggs, fresh Hard boiled 3 . 30 Eggs, fresh Fried 3.30 Fowls, domestic Roasted 4 . 00 Hashed meat and vegetables . . . Warmed 2.30 Lamb, fresh Broiled 2.30 Milk Boiled 2.00 Milk Raw 2.15 Mutton, fresh Broiled 3.00 Oysters, fresh Raw 2 . 55 Oysters, fresh Roasted 3 . 15 Oysters, fresh Stewed 3 . 30 Parsnips Boiled 2.30 Food for Pork, steak Broiled 3 . 15 Plants Pork, fat and lean Roasted 5 . 15 202 Pork, recently salted Stewed 3 . 00 Pork, recently salted Fried 4.15 Potatoes, Irish Baked 2.30 Potatoes, Irish Boiled 3.30 Salmon, salted Boiled 4 . 00 Sausages, fresh Broiled 3 . 20 Soup, bean Boiled 3 . 00 Soup, chicken Boiled 3 . 00 Soup, mutton Boiled 3 . 30 Soup, beef, vegetable Boiled 4 . 00 Trout, salmon, fresh Boiled 1 . 30 Turkey, domesticated Roasted 2 . 30 Veal, fresh Boiled 4.00 Veal, fresh Fried 4.30 How to Rent a Farm. In the rental of property, the greater risk is always on the landlord's side. He is putting his property into the possession and care of another, and that other is not infrequently a person of doubtful utility. These rules and cautions may well be observed : 1. Trust to no verbal lease. Let it be in writing, signed and sealed. Its stipulations then become commands and can be en- forced. Let it be signed in duplicate, so that each party may have an original. 2. Insert such covenants as to repairs, manner of use and in restraint of waste, as the circumstances call for. As to particular stipulations, examine leases drawn by those who have had long experience in renting farms, and adopt such as meet your case. 3. There should be covenants against assigning and under- letting. 4. If the tenant is of doubtful responsibility, make the rent payable in installments. A covenant that the crops shall remain the lessor's till the lessee's contracts with him have been fulfilled, is valid against the lessee's creditors. In the ordinary case of rent- ing farms on shares, the courts will treat the crops as the joint property of landlord and tenant, and thus protect the former's rights. 5 Every lease shou'd contain stipulations for forfeiture and re-entry in case of non-payment or breach of any covenants. 6 To prevent a tenant's committing waste, the ^courts will grant an injunction. 7. Above all, be careful in selecting your tenant. There is more in the man than there is in the bond. Facts for the Weatherwise. If the full moon rises clear, expect fine weather. A large ring around the moon and low clouds indicate rain in twenty -four hours; a small ring and high clouds, rain in several Food for days. Plants The larger the halo about the moon the nearer the rain clouds, 20 . and the sooner the rain may be expected. When the moon is darkest near the horizon, expect rain. If the full moon rises pale, expect rain. A red moon indicates wind. If the moon is seen between the scud and broken cloud during a gale, it is expected to send away the bad weather. In the old of the moon a cloudy morning bodes a fair after- noon. If there be a general mist before sunrise near the full of the moon, the weather will be fine for some days. Farmers' Barometers. If chickweed and scarlet pimpernel expand their tiny petals, rain need not be expected for a few hours, says a writer. Bees work with redoubled energy before a rain. If flies are- unusually persistent either in the house or around the stock, there is rain in the air. The cricket sings at the approach of cold weather. Squirrels store a large supply of nuts, the husks of corn are usually thick, and the buds of deciduous trees have a firmer pro- tecting coat if a severe winter is at hand. Corn fodder is extremely sensitive to hygrometr'c changes. When dry and crisp, it indicates fair weather; when damp and limp, look out for rain. A bee was never caught in a shower; therefore when his bees leave their hive in search of honey, the farmer knows that the weather is going to be good. How to See the Wind. Few persons know that it is possible actually to see the wind, but it can be done as follows: Take a polished metal surface of two feet or more, with a straight edge; a large hand-saw will answer the purpose. Choose a windy day for the experiment, whether hot or cold, clear or cloudy; only let it not be in murky, rainy weather. Hold your metallic surface at right angles to the direction of the wind i. e., if the wind is north hold your surface east and west, but instead of holding it vertical incline it about forty-two degrees to the horizon, so that the wind, striking, glances and flows over the edge as the water flows over a dam. Now sight carefully along the edge some minutes at a sharply defined object, and you will see the wind pouring over the edge in graceful curves. Make your observations carefully and you will hardly ever fail in the experiment. The results are better if the sun is obscured. Food for Plants Philosophical Facts. 204 The greatest height at which visible clouds ever exist does not exceed ten miles. Air is about eight hundred and fifteen times lighter than water. The pressure of the atmosphere upon every square foot of the earth amounts to two thousand one hundred and sixty pounds. An ordinary sized man, supposing his surface to be fourteen square feet, sustains the enormous pressure of thirty thousand, two hundred and forty pounds. The barometer falls one-tenth of an inch for every seventy- eight feet of elevation. The violence of the expansion of water when freezing is suf ficient to cleave a globe of copper of such thickness as to require a force of 27,000 pounds to produce the same effect. During the conversion of ice into water one hundred and forty degrees of heat are absorbed. Water, when converted into steam, increases in bulk eighteen hundred times. In one second of time in one beat of the pendulum of a clock light travels two hundred thousand miles. Were a cannon ball shot toward the sun, and were it to maintain full speed, it would be twenty years in reaching it and yet light travels through this space in seven or eight minutes. Strange as it may appear, a ball of a ton weight and another of the same material of an ounce weight, falling from any height will reach the ground at the same time. The heat does not increase as we rise above the earth nearer to the sun but decreases rapidly until, beyond the regions of the atmosphere, in void, it is estimated that the cold is about seventy degrees below zero. The line of perpetual frost at the equator is 15,000 feet altitude; 13,000 feet between the tropics; and 9,000 to 4,000 between the latitudes of forty and forty-nine degrees. At a depth of forty-five feet under ground, the temperature of the earth is uniform throughout the year. In summer time, the season of ripening moves northward at the rate of about ten miles a day. The human ear is so extremely sensitive that it can hear a sound that lasts only the twenty-four thousandth part of a second. Deaf persons have sometimes conversed together through rods of wood held between their teeth, or held to their throat or breast. The ordinary pressure of the atmosphere on the surface of the earth is two thousand one hundred and sixty pounds to each square foot, or fifteen pounds to each square inch; equal to thirty perpendicular niches of mercury, or thirty-four and a half feet of water. Sound travels at the rate of one thousand one hundred and forty-two feet per second about thirteen miles in a minute. So that if we hear a clap of thunder half a minute after the flash, Food for we may calculate that the discharge of electricity is six and a ^ ants half miles off. 2o7~ Lightning can be seen by reflection at the distance of two hundred miles. The explosive force of closely confined gunpowder is six and a half tons to the square inch. How to Preserve Eggs. To each pailful of water, add two pints of fresh slacked lime and one pint of common salt; mix well. Fill your barrel half full with this fluid, put your eggs down in it any time after June, and they will keep two years, if desired. A solution of silicate of soda, commonly known as water glass, is also used for the same purpose. Estimating Measures. A pint of water weighs nearly 1 pound, and is equal to about 27 cubic inches, or a square box 3 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3 inches deep. A quart of water weighs nearly 2 pounds, and is equal to a square box of about 4 by 4 inches and 3}/ inches deep. A gallon of water weighs from 8 to 10 pounds, according to the size of the gallon, and is equal to a box 6 by 6 inches square and 6, 7 or 7^ inches deep. A peck is equal to a box 8 by 8 inches square and 8 inches deep. A bushel almost fills a box 12 by 12 inches square and 15 inches deep. In exact figures, a bushel contains 2150.42 cubic inches. A cubic foot of water weighs nearly 64 pounds (more correctly 62^ pounds), and contains from 7 to 8 gallons, according to the kind of gallons used. A barrel of water almost fills a box 2 by 2 feet square and \% feet deep, or 6 cubic feet. Petroleum barrels contain 40 gallons, or nearly 5 cubic feet. Square Measure. 144 sq. in. 1 sq. foot 160 sq. rods 1 acre 9 sq. feet 1 sq. yard 43,560 sq. ft. 1 acre sq. yards 1 sq. rod 640 acres 1 sq. mile 2.47 acre 1 Hectare. Food for Plants 206 Number of Brick Required to Construct any Building. (RECKONING 7 BRICK TO EACH SUPERFICIAL FOOT.) Superficial Feet of Wall. Number of Bricks to Thickness of 4 inch. 8 inch. 12 inch. 16 inch. 20 inch. 24 inch. 1 7 15 23 30 38 45 53 60 68 75 150 '225 300 375 450 525 600 675 750 1,500 2,250 3,000 3,750 4,500 5,250 6,000 6,750 7,500 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 300 450 600 750 900 1,050 1,200 1,350 1,500 3,000 4,500 6,000 7,500 9,000 10,500 12,000 13,500 15,000 23 45 68 90 113 135 158 180 203 225 450 675 900 1,125 1,350 1,575 1,800 2,025 2,250 4,500 6,750 9,000 11,250 13,500 15,750 18,000 20,250 22,500 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 600 900 1,200 1,500 1,800 2,100 2,400 2,700 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 15,000 18,000 21,000 24,000 27,000 30,000 38 75 113 150 188 225 263 300 338 375 750 1,125 1,500 1,875 2,250 2,625 3,000 3,375 3,750 7,500 11,250 15,000 18,750 22,500 26,250 30,000 33,750 37,500 45 90 135 180 225 270 315 360 405 450 900 1,350 1,800 2,250 2,700 3,150 3,600 4,050 4,500 9,000 13,500 18,000 22,500 27,000 31,500 36,000 40,500 45,000 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 200 300 ... 400 500 600 700 800 . 900 1000 Facts for Builders. One thousand shingles, laid 4 inches to the weather, will cover 100 square feet of surface, and 5 pounds of shingle nails will fasten them on. One-fifth more siding and flooring is needed than the number of square feet of surface to be covered, because of the lap in the siding and matching. One thousand laths will cover 70 yards of surface, and 11 pounds of lath nails will nail them on. Eight bushels of good lime, 16 bushels of sand, and one bushel of hair, will make enough good mortar to plaster 100 square yards. A cord of stone, 3 bushels of lime and a cubic yard of sand, Food for will lay 100 cubic feet of wall. Five courses of brick will lay one foot in height on a chimney; 16 bricks in a course will make a flue 4 inches wide and 12 inches long, and 8 bricks in a course will make a flue 8 inches wide and 16 inches long. Cement 1 bushel and sand 2 bushels will cover 8^2 square yards 1 inch thick, 4*/ square yards % inch thick, and 6% square yards ^ inch thick. One bushel cement and 1 of sand will cover 2 1/2 square yards 1 inch thick, 3 square yards % inch thick, and square yards }/ inch thick. Weight of a Cubic Foot of Earth, Stone, Metal, Etc. Plants 207 Article. Pounds. Alcohol 49 Ash wood 53 Bay wood 51 Brass, gun metal 543 Blood 66 Brick, common 102 Cork 15 Cedar 35 Copper, cast 547 Clay 120 Coal, Lehigh 56 Coal, Lackawanna 50 Cider 64 Chestnut 38 Earth, loose 94 Glass, window 165 Gold 1,203% Hickory, shell bark 43 Hay, bale 9 Hay, pressed 25 Honey 90 Iron, cast 450 Iron, plates 481 Iron, wrought bars 486 Ice Lignum Vitae wood 83 Logwood 57 Lead, cast 709 Article. Pounds. Milk 64 Maple 47 Mortar 110 Mud 102 Marble, Vermont 165 Mahogany 66 Oak, Canadian 54 Oak, live, seasoned 67 Oak, white, dry 54 Oil, linseed 59 Pine, yellow 34 Pine, white 34 Pine, red 37 Pine, well seasoned 30 Silver 625% Steel, plates 487% Steel, soft 489 Stone, common, about.. 158 Sand, wet, about 128 Spruce 31 Tin 455 Tar 63 Vinegar 67 Water, salt 64 Water, ram 62 Willow 36 Zinc, cast 428 What a Deed to a Farm in Many States Includes Every one knows it conveys all the fences standing on the farm, but all might not think it also included the fencing-stuff, posts, rails, etc., which had once been used in the fence, but had been taken down and piled up for future use again in the same Food for place. But new fencing material, just bought, and never attached P^ ants to the soil, would not pass. So piles of hop poles stored away, if 2og once used on the land and intended to be again so used, have been considered a part of it, but loose boards or scaffold poles merely laid across the beams of the barn, and never fastened to it, would not be, and the seller of the farm might take them away. Standing trees, of course, also pass as part of the land; so do trees blown down or cut down, and still left in the woods where they fell, but not if cut, and corded up for sale; the wood has then become personal property. If there be any manure in the barnyard, or in the compost heap on the field, ready for immediate use, the buyer ordinarily, in the absence of any contrary agreement, takes that also as be- longing to the farm, though it might not be so, if the owner had previously sold it to some other party and had collected it together in a heap by itself, for such an act might be a technical severance from the soil, and so convert real into personal estate; and even a lessee of a farm could not take away the manure made on the place while he was in occupation. Growing crops also pass by the deed of a farm, unless they are expressly reserved; and when it is not intended to convey those, it should be so stated in the deed itself; a mere oral agreement to that effect would not be, in most States, valid in law. Another mode is to stipulate that possession is not to be given until some future day, in which case the crops or manures may be removed before that time. As to the buildings on the farm, though generally mentioned in the deed, it is not absolutely necessary they should be. A deed of land ordinarily carries all the buildings on it, belonging to the grantor, whether mentioned or not; and this rule includes the lumber and timber of any old building which has been taken down, or blown down, and packed away for future use on farm. Relative Value of Different Foods for Stock. One hundred pounds of good hay for stock are equal to: Articles. Pounds. Articles. Pounds. Beets, white silesia 669 Lucern 89 Turnips 469 Clover, red, dry 88 Rye-Straw 429 Buckwheat Clover, Red, Green 373 Corn Carrots 371 Oats 59 Mangolds 368^ Barley 58 Potatoes, kept in pit. . . . 350 Rye Oat-Straw 347 Wheat 44^ Potatoes 360 Oil-Cake, linseed. 43 Carrot leaves (tops) 135 Peas, dry Hay, English 100 Beans 28 Food for Hints for Farmers. Plants Vincent's Remedies for farm animals have been used with 2 9 considerable success for several years, and they are recommended here as being worthy of trial. First for Horses. When horses have chills, or have taken cold, or have colic, 15-20 drops of Aconite in a teacup of warm water will start perspiration, and if the horses are kept heavily blanketed, if the ailments are not more than ordinary, they will come out of them in good condition. For Cattle. When cows get chilled, and if for any reason after dropping calves, the cows appear to shake, 15 drops of Aconite in a teacup of warm water will start perspiration, and if the cows are kept well blanketed, they will come out of the trouble without further treatment, unless the ailments are more than usual. For Calves. A disease which has killed many fine young animals, even under the best conditions, is known as "scours." Vincent's cure in this case is a teaspoonful of Essence of Pepper- mint in half a teacup of warm water. This is to be administered after feeding night and morning, and is almost a certain cure, having saved the lives of many valuable calves. For Sheep. A disease known as "stretches," caused by some stoppage in the bowels, can be frequently remedied by rais- ing the sheep by its hind legs and holding it in that position for some minutes. In nine cases out of ten, a permanent cure is effected. This is worth remembering on account of many sheep having died from this cause. Weights and Measures for Cooks, Etc. 1 pound of wheat flour is equal to 1 quart 1 pound and 2 ounces of indian meal make 1 quart 1 pound of soft butter is equal to 1 quart 1 pound and 2 ounces of best brown sugar make. 1 quart 1 pound and 1 ounce of powdered white sugar make 1 quart 1 pound of broken loaf sugar is equal to 1 quart 4 large tablespoonfuls' make % gill 1 common-sized tumbler holds Yi pint 1 common-sized wine-glass is equal to ^/i gill 1 tea-cup holds 1 gill 1 large wine-glass holds 2 ounces 1 tablespoonful is equal to Yi ounce Capacity of Cisterns for Each 10 Inches in Depth. 25 feet in diameter holds 3059 gallons 20 feet in diameter holds 1958 gallons 15 feet in diameter holds 1101 gallons Food for 14 feet in diameter holds 959 gallons Plants 13 feet in diameter holds 827 gallons 2 10 12 feet in diameter holds 705 gallons 11 feet in diameter holds : 592 gallons 10 feet in diameter holds 489 gallons 9 feet in diameter holds 396 gallons 8 feet in diameter holds 313 gallons 7 feet in diameter holds 239 gallons 6 }/ feet in diameter holds 206 gallons 6 feet in diameter holds 176 gallons 5 feet in diameter holds 122 gallons 4}/ feet in diameter holds 99 gallons 4 feet in diameter holds 78 gallons 3 feet in diameter holds 44 gallons feet in diameter holds 30 gallons feet in diameter holds 19 gallons Surveyor's Measure. 7.92 inches 1 link, 25 links 1 rod, 4 rods 1 chain, 10 square chains or 160 square rods 1 acre, 640 acres 1 square mile. Strength of Ice of Different Thickness. Two inches thick will support a man. Four inches thick will support a man on horseback. Five inches thick will support an eighty -pound cannon. Eight inches thick will support a battery of artillery, with carriages and horses. Ten inches thick will support an army; an innumerable multitude. Amount of Oil in Seeds. Kinds of Seed. Per Cent. Oil. Kinds of Seed. Per Cent. Oil Rapeseed 55 Oats Sweet almond 47 Clover hay 5 Tumipseed 45 Wheat bran 4 White mustard 37 Oat straw 4 Bitter almond 37 Meadow hay Hempseed 19 Wheat straw 3 Linseed 17 Wheat flour 3 Indian corn 7 Barley Food foi Plants To Revive Ferns. 211 Nitrate of Soda dissolved in water should be given to ferns that are small or weak, one-quarter of an ounce of Nitrate to a gallon of water. One-half an ounce of Nitrate to a gallon of water should be used on plants that are large and vigorous. Soot and salt are also good to use occasionally. How to Kill Poison Ivy. Spraying with arsenate of soda (one pound to twenty gallons of water) will kill all vegetation. One application, if the plants are young and tender, will do this. In the middle of summer, however, they should be cut down first, and more than one appli- cation given. To Find the Number of Plants to the Acre. Divide the number of square feet in an acre, which is 43,560 by the multiplied distance the plants are set each way. For in- stance: Suppose the plants are set two feet apart and the rows are four feet apart. Four times two are eight; dividing 43,560 by eight we have 5,445, the number of plants to the acre when set 2 feet by 4 feet. If set 5 by 1, there are 8,712 plants to the acre, etc. Results of Saving Small Amounts of Money. The following shows how easy it is to accumulate a fortune, provided proper steps are taken. The table shows what would be the result at the end of fifty years by saving a certain amount each day and putting it at interest at the rate of six per cent. : Daily Savings. The Result. Daily Savings. The Result. One cent $ 950 Sixty cents $57,024 Ten cents 9,504 Seventy cents 66,528 Twenty cents 19,006 Eighty cents 76,032 Thirty cents 28,512 Ninety cents 85,537 Forty cents 38,015 One dollar 95,041 Fifty cents 47,520 Five dollars 465,208 Nearly every person wastes enough in twenty or thirty years, which, if saved and carefully invested, would make a family quite independent; but the principle of small savings has been lost sight of in the general desire to become wealthy. Food for Plants 212 Savings Bank Compound Interest Table. Showing the amount of $1.00, from one year to fifteen years, with compound interest added semi-annually, at different rates: Three Per Cent. Four Per Cent. Five Per Cent. One year $1.03 $1.04 $1 05 Two years 1 06 1 08 1 10 Three years 1.09 1 12 1 15 Four years 1 12 1 17 1 21 Five years 1.16 1 21 1 28 Six years 1.19 1.26 1.34 Seven years 1.23 1 31 1 41 Eight years 1.26 1.37 1.48 Nine years . . 1 30 1 42 1 55 Ten years 1.34 1.48 1.63 Eleven years 1.38 1.54 1.72 Twelve years 1.42 1.60 1.80 Thirteen years . 1.47 1.67 1.90 Fourteen years 1.51 1 73 1 99 Fifteen years 1.56 1.80 2.09 Time at which Money Doubles at Interest. Rate. Simple Interest. Two per cent 50 years Compound Interest. . . 35 years, 1 day Two and one-half per cent . 40 years 28 years, 26 days Three per cent 33 years, 4 months . . 23 years, 164 days Three and one-half per cent28 years, 208 days 20 years, 54 days Four per cent 25 years 17 years, 246 days Four and one-half per cent . 22 years, 81 days ... 15 years, 273 days Five per cent 20 years 15 years, 75 days Six per cent 16 years, 8 months . . 11 years, 327 days One dollar loaned one hundred years at compound interest at three per cent, would amount to $19.25, at six per cent, to $340.00. Food for The Cost of Nitrate of Soda. ^- 21-7 Its Use more Profitable than ever. The steady upward movement in prices of Nitrate of Soda has been attracting widespread attention, and the uninterrupted gradual rise in prices is warranted, based on solid facts which govern the industry. Labor troubles and the extra cost of production, together with the steady increase in the consumption, have been and are factors in the situation. The increase in the con- sumption in this country for several years has been striking. Labor troubles in the Nitrate regions follow- ing the great earthquake, as the laborers wended their way to Valparaiso and other sections of the country where better wages were paid them, caused considerable irregularity of shipments, and vessels experienced long delays, owing to the scarcity of labor to move the goods. The tremendous demand for agricultural purposes, however, has really caused the rise in price. The con- sumption all over the world for agricultural purposes has expanded at a very great rate lately, and perhaps more particularly in this country in the cotton belt than anywhere else. This great demand has grown very rapidly, hence the effect on prices. Production is likely to expand so as to fully meet the fresh demand as rapidly as the supply of labor can be provided for on the West coast of Chile. The earthquake was followed by a wave of rebuilding activity which made labor very scarce and high. Looking at the prices current, taking the price for all Nitrogenous fertilizers, it will be noted that they have likewise risen. Many observers of the (Nitrogen) am- moniate market in recent years have asserted that there are not enough ammoniates annually produced to meet the consumption requirements, and the tendency on the part of fertilizer manufacturers is to make lower grade goods; a policy which seems to have invariably a disastrous effect on those who follow it. It is proper to observe also that all the Nitrogen in Nitrate of Soda is available. In the other ammoniates Food for generally quoted the Nitrogen is, of course, not com- _ pletely available from an agricultural standpoint even 2I 4 though some may be soluble in water. Nitrate does not leave an acid residue in the soil, but, on the contrary, it leaves a sweet alkali residue, of great benefit to most soils. A further point of interest is the very satisfactory increase in the prices of agricultural commodities whereby farmers are getting a very handsome return on their produce. It would seem, therefore, that on the whole Nitrate of Soda is still the cheapest ammoniate on the market, and it is to be expected that its intelli- gent use will yield more profit than ever. Nitrate always pays handsomely on hay, and one hundred pounds per acre alone is a very effective appli- cation. Even at the present prices for Nitrate, one hundred pounds without the use of any other fertilizer, will produce an increased yield of more than half a ton of barn-cured hay. The use of Nitrate on this crop promises to be very remunerative. POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION AS TO PRICES OF FARM PRODUCTS AND NITRATE PRICES. From the farmer's point of view, a reduction in cotton and produce prices is to be deplored, but the point to be considered is whether abstention from the use of Nitrate is a wise way of meeting the situation. The utility of a fertilizer obviously depends upon its productivity, and as its productivity is not affected by its price, an increase in the latter justifies abandonment of the fertilizer only when its productivity ceases to be profitable. The profit to be reasonably expected from the use of fertilizer, although somewhat less than when it was cheaper, is not so materially interfered with by any rise in price of Nitrate as to economically justify any substantial reduction in its consumption. SUMMARY OF INCREASED YIELDS. Food for Plants From an Application of 100 Pounds per Acre of Nitrate of Soda. ~ It should be pointed out that in the recorded experi- ments with Nitrate of Soda on money crops heretofore published in Experiment Station re- ports and bulletins, farm products were much lower in price, I he prices of agricultural products have risen to a high water mark, and in certain cases the advance has been to extreme figures, and all farm commodities are now higher than they have been for some years. Our state- ments heretofore published, showing the profit resulting from the crop increases due to the use of Nitrate of Soda, if rearranged on a basis of present values for crops, would show more profit than before. It should also be remarked that the prices of other ammoniates have r,o.. Aw i i ii XT- i coi i Utner Ammo- risen higher than JN itrate ot boda, and n i a tes Higher it is, as heretofore, the cheapest of all than Nitrate, ammoniates in the market. Probable Economists of authority tell us that Stability of the cost of living is to remain for a considerable time on the high basis now established, so that it is to be expected that the prices of agricultural products will remain at a high level. In this connection your attention is called to many experiments with fertilizers in which Nitrate of Soda is said to have been Good Results used in order to produce results to be Due to Nitrate, exploited as due to materials other than this standard money crop producer. Further, one may add, that when Slight Added Nitrate is used at the rate of 100 pounds and per Ton* per acre, the actual cash increase in O f Fertilizer. Fertilizer cost per acre is very small. The highest agricultural authori- ties have established by careful experi- ^ a t ^ itrate mentation that 100 pounds of Nitrate of crops Soda applied to the crops quoted ju se m p^ce of has produced increased yields as tabu- Farm Products, lated : Food for Increased Yield per Acre of Crops receiving Nitrate at the rate of 100 pounds to the Acre 2I 6 over those receiving none. Wheat 300 pounds of grain. Oats 400 pounds of grain. Corn 280 pounds of grain. Barley 400 pounds of grain. Potatoes 3,600 pounds of tubers. Sweet Potatoes 3,900 pounds of tubers. Hay 1,000 pounds, barn-cured. Cotton 500 pounds cotton-seed. Sugar-Beets .4,000 pounds of tubers. Cabbages 6,100 pounds. Carrots 7,800 pounds. Onions 1,800 pounds. Turnips 37 per cent. Strawberries 200 quarts. Asparagus 100 bunches. Tomatoes 100 baskets. Celery 30 per cent. Rye 300 pounds of grain. Beets 4,000 pounds of tubers. It should be remembered that plants take up most of their Nitrogen during the early period of their growth. It is now known that there is not as much danger of it being leached out of the soil by the rains during the growing season as has been generally believed, since the rains seldom reach lower than the bottom of the furrow, and the movement of the soil moisture is up instead of down. Besides, soil moisture is strongly held by good soils by capillary attraction. Nitrate of Soda looks somewhat like common dairy salt, and horses, cows and sheep, if they can get to it, may eat it to an injurious extent. The emptied bags, especially in damp weather, have more or less Nitrate adhering to them. After emptying, it is a good plan to soak in water, which will make an excellent liquid manure, say one empty bag to a barrel of water. If lumpy, the Nitrate should be broken up fine, which is easily done by pounding it on the barn floor with the back of a spade or shovel, or by a hand grind- od for ing machine made especially for home mixing, which ans is now in common use in Europe and is beginning to be 2I 7 used in America. Nitrate of Soda, unlike other ammoniates and "complete fertilizers," can be mixed with lime or ashes without loss of Nitrogen. The fallow in modern agriculture, S. RHODIN (K. Landtbr. Akad. Handl. och Tidskr., 45 (1906), No. 1, 57-72, fig. 1). -The evidence and views in regard to the value of bare fallow, especially in Swedish agriculture, are briefly discussed. While bare fallow of loose sandy soils is not to be recommended, because the losses of Nitrogenous substances occurring, generally speaking, exceed the gains through Nitration, this is not the case with other types of soils. Here an accumulation of Nitrates takes place through the fallow, which greatly benefits the following grain crop. Field experiments with cabbages in 1903 and with potatoes in 1904 and 1905 were conducted for the pur- pose of determining whether inoculation of sandy soils with fallow soil would prove beneficial on account of the large bacterial content of the latter. The systems of fertilization followed are shown below, the different plats receiving as a basal fertilizer 37 per cent, potash salt and Thomas phosphate, at the rate of 225 to 400 Ibs. per acre, respectively. The Nitrate of Soda was applied at the rate of 300 Ibs. per hectare (121 Ibs. per acre) and the inoculated soil at the rate of 6 cubic yards per hectare. Yields per Acre and Percentage Increase of Crops on Inoculated and Uninoculated Gravelly Soil. Cabbages, 1903. Potatoes, 1904. Potatoes, 1905. No fertilizer Pounds 8,906.88 24,582.99 24,939.27 33,222.67 60,834.00 Per cent. 86 100 101 135 250 Pounds 6,791.49 17,368.42 20,819.84 23,046.56 30,172.06 Per cent. 39 100 120 132 173 Pounds 9,908.90 15,809.72 20,485.83 18,370.44 23,046.56 Per cent. 62 100 130 116 145 Potassium phosphate Potassium phosphate + soil from bean field Potassium phosphate + soil from fallow field Potassium phosphate + Nitrate of Soda. Food for FARMERS' BULLETIN No. 107. Plants 218 Prepared in the Office of Experiment Stations, Washington, D. C. "Under existing conditions farmers are advised to purchase fertilizer materials and to make their own mix- tures rather than to purchase mixed or complete special fertilizers. This course is believed to be advisable for two reasons: First, because the 'specials' are not properly compounded, and second, because the needed plant food can be thus procured at lower cost."* The continuous use of muriate of potash may so far deplete the soil of lime that an occasional application of this material may be required in the case of such use. The sulphate of potash is a safer material to use where a growth of clover is desired than the muriate, and therefore it may often be wise to use the sulphate. The high-grade sulphate should be selected. These materials should as a rule be mixed just before use, and applied broadcast (after plowing) and harrowed in just before planting the seed. Where Ni- trate of Soda is to be used in quantities in excess of 150 pounds per acre, one-half the amount of this salt may be withheld until the crop is 3 or 4 inches high, when it may be evenly scattered near the plants. It is unnecessary to cover this, though it may prove more promptly effective in absence of rain if cultivated in. The quantities recommended are in most cases moderate. On soils of good physical character it will often prove profitable to use about one and one-half times the amounts given. Terms Used in Discussing Fertilizers. NITROGEN may exist in three distinct forms, viz.' as Nitrates, as Nitrogenous organic matter, as am- monia salts. NITRATES furnish the most readily available forms of Nitrogen. The most common is Nitrate of Soda. NITRATION, or Nitrification, is the process by which *U. S. Department Agriculture Farmers' Bulletins, 65 and 84 (Experiment Station Work, II, page 27; VII, page 5). soluble Nitrate is formed from the less available and ? 0< * for Tj 1 o n TO less soluble Nitrogen of sulphate of ammonia, dried blood, cotton-seed meal, tankage, etc. It is due to 2I 9 the action of microscopic organisms, and all nitrogenous fertilizers must undergo this process of Nitration before plants can use them. PHOSPHORIC ACID, one of the essential fertilizing ingredients, is derived from materials called phosphates. It does not exist alone, but in combination, most com- monly as phosphate of lime in the form of bones and Rock phosphate. Phosphoric acid occurs in fertilizers in two forms available and insoluble phosphoric acid. SUPERPHOSPHATE. In natural phosphates the phosphoric acid is insoluble in water and not available to plants, except in the form of a very fine powder. Superphosphate is prepared from these by grinding and treating with sulphuric acid, which makes the phos- phoric acid more available. Superphosphates are some- times called acid-phosphates. POTASH, as a constituent of fertilizers, exists in a number of forms, but chiefly as sulphate and muriate. The chief sources of potash are the potash salts, muriate of potash, sulphate of potash. Canada wood ashes and cotton-hull ashes are also sources of potash, as is also Nitrate of Potash. Ammoniates. Nitrogenous Fertilizers. Per Cent. Lbs. Nitrogen Nitrogen. Per Ton. Nitrate of Soda 15 . 00 300 Cyanamid 17.00 340 Dried blood 13.00 260 Tankages 4.00 to 12.00 80 to 240 Dry fish scrap 9.00 180 Cotton-seed meal 6 . 80 136 Barnyard manure / . . . 05 1 Castor pomace 5 .00 100 Bone meal 3.00 60 Phosphates. Per Cent. Lbs. Phosphoric Phosphoric Acid. Acid Per Ton. Superphosphate 14 280 Ground bone 22 440 Bone tankage 12 240 Barnyard manure . 32 6 . 40 Food for Potashes. Plants Per Cent. Actual Lbs. Potash. 220 Potash. Per Ton. Nitrate of Soda 1 to 3 20 to 60 Sulphate of potash 48 960 Muriate of potash 50 1,000 Waste from gunpowder works 18 360 Maryland marls 1 . 25 25 Castor pomace 1.5 30 Tobacco stems 7.5 150 Barnyard manure . 43 8.6 Sodas. Per Cent. Actual Lbs. Soda Soda. Per Ton. Carbonate of Soda 50 1,000 Sulphate of Soda 43 860 Nitrate of Soda.. 35 700 Some Practical Hints Regarding Nitrate. It is the quickest acting plant food known. It is immediately available for the use of plants as soon as it goes into solution. It does most of its work in one season. More must not be expected of it, as it gives quick returns and large profits when properly applied. It tends to sweeten sour land. When applied broadcast it should be evenly distrib- uted. In applying 100 pounds to an acre, one pound has to be evenly spread over 48 square yards, and this requires care and skill. It is well to mix it with sand, marl, ashes, land plaster or some other finely divided material of about the same weight in order to secure a more even distribu- tion. Where plants are grown in hills or rows it should be applied near the growing plants and thoroughly mixed with the soil. It does not matter whether it is sown in dry or wet weather except that when applied broadcast to crop s like cabbage, which have a large leaf surface, it should Food for be done when the leaves are not wet from rain or dew. ants It does not blow away, and dews are sufficient to 221 dissolve it. It is not necessary to wait for rain. It should be sown early in the spring for cereals, just as they are starting to make their first growth; for roots, after they are transplanted or set out. Autumn sowing is generally not advisable except as an extra top-dressing for Danish or winter cabbage just as they are starting to head, which is practised very profitably by large cabbage growers. It enables the plant to make use of the necessary mineral elements in the soil to the best advantage. There are no unknown conditions that enter it, in reference to the solubility, and hence the availability of Nitrate of Soda. The points to be observed in the use of Nitrate of Soda are : Avoid an excess, Gener *,J do not sprinkle wet foliage with dry JNitrate, and in general Nitrate must not be allowed to come in contact with the stems or leaves of plants. Nitrate of Soda is a nitrated nitrogen and is immediately available as plant food. Applica- tions of Nitrate of Soda may be made at the rate of 100 pounds to the acre. There is no nitrogenous fertilizer in the market at the present time, which sells as low for the nitrogen contained in it. In looking at quo- tations nitrogen in dried blood, tankages and mixed fertilizers costs anywhere from sixteen to twenty cents per pound. Nitrate is, therefore, the cheapest fertilizer in the market. It should be borne in mind that prices for all agricultural crops have risen proportionately much higher than nitrogenous fertilizers. Manures. Dr. Voelcker, F.R.S., made analyses of fresh and rotted farmyard manures. These analyses show a larger percentage of soluble organic matter in rotted than in fresh manure. The fresh manure contains more carbon and more water, while in the rotted manure the Nitrogen is in more available form for root- absorption. Food for If the process of fermentation has been well man- Plants aged, both fresh and rotted manures contain the same 222 amounts of Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. T . There should be a sufficient amount of litter to absorb and retain the urine and also the ammonia formed in the decomposition of the manure. Leaves, straw, sawdust, moss, etc., to which is added some peat, muck, or fine, dry, loamy earth, mixed with gypsum (land plaster), may be used for litter. The relative value of the manure is dim- inished by the use of too much litter, but on the con- trary, if insufficient absorbent material is used, too much moisture prevents fermentation and the consequent chemical changes in the nitrogenous constituents of the manure. The best method for the manage- Management of t f f armyard man ure is to make Farm- Yard -, , . , Manure. an( * keep it under cover, in sheds, or better still, in covered pits from which there can be no loss by drainage. It should also be kept sufficiently moist, and by the addition of charcoal, peat, or vegetable refuse and gypsum the volatilization of ammonia may be reduced to a minimum. Manure so made is worth 50 per cent, more than that thrown into a heap in the barnyard to be leached by the storms of months before being spread upon the land. Where pits cannot be provided the manure pile should rest upon a hard, clay bottom, or on a thick layer of peat or vegetable refuse, which acts as an absorbent and prevents the loss of much liquid manure. The time-honored custom of hauling manure upon the land and of dumping it in small heaps from two to three feet in height, is a wasteful and clumsy practice that should be abandoned by every farmer. A simple and effectual way of dis- posing of the night-soil on a farm is to so construct the closet that the urine will at once drain to a lower level, and there be mixed with an equal quantity of quicklime. The solid ex- crement should be covered daily with a small quantity of quicklime mixed with a little fine charcoal or peat. Such a receptacle can be made by any farmer at com- paratively little cost, and will more than compensate Food for for the care it entails by doing away with ill-smelling ans odors and the disagreeable and often dangerous task of 22 3 cleaning vaults, besides furnishing a very rich manurial product for admixture with farmyard manure or com- post. Such receptacle should be kept in the form of a shallow drawer or box with an inclined bottom, and should rest upon stout runners like a stone boat or drag, so that, at frequent intervals, it can be drawn by a horse to the manure pile or compost heap. On the bottom of the drawer should be kept a thin layer of quicklime mixed with peat, wood-pile dirt, or loam. As an alkali, soda has no advantage over potash, since the decomposing action of the soda is rarely due to its alkalinity. If wood-ashes are used for potash the lime carbonate will neutralize the acid properties of the peat, and the growth of the Nitrate ferment will thus be greatly promoted. Soda, is in rare instances, needful as a plant food; if needed it would be better economy to use soda ash. In these composts the writer invariably substitutes kainit, or other products of the German mines, for common salt. Sawdust, leaves, cornstalks, tan bark, and all kinds of coarse vegetable Humus ^ materials are more rapidly decomposed by the aid of caustic alkalies than by any other means. Coarse materials, like cornstalks, trimmings from fruit trees, hedges, grape vines, etc., are rich in plant food, and instead of being burned should be composted with potash and lime in separate heaps. More time must be allowed for the decomposition of coarse materials, and they should always be composted in large heaps and kept moist. The process of nitration in the niter- bed, the compost-heap, or in the soil is NitSication precisely the same. The formation of Nitrates is due to the continuous life and development of a micro-organism known as the nitric ferment or nitric bacteria, which lives upon the nitrogenous organic mat- ters, ammonium compounds, and other things present F piants m ^ e so ^' ^ e n ^ r ^ c f ermen t is a microscopic plant - somewhat like the yeast used for leavening bread, and 22 4 for fermenting malt liquors; and under favorable con- ditions of temperature and moisture, and in the pres- ence of oxygen is propagated with marvelous rapidity in the soil. One of the results of the life of this minute plant is the formation of Nitrates. Nitration is extremely feeble in winter and at tem- peratures below 40 F. almost entirely ceases. It is most active at about 98 F. to 99 F., and is more rapid in the dark than in bright sunlight. At temperatures over 100 F. the formation of Nitrates rapidly decreases and at 131 F. entirely ceases. As we have just stated, it has been noticed that the nitric ferment thrives best in the dark, hence, this is one good reason for making compost beds under sheds or in sheltered situations. When so made the conditions for nitrification are more favorable and the beds are protected from the leaching action of storms. To ensure rapid nitrification all the food elements required by the nitric ferment must be present. The ash ingredients of plants, phosphates, ammonia, car- bonaceous matter, and an excess of oxygen must be present. Peat containing much copperas, coal-tar, gas-lime containing sulphites and sulphides, kill the ferment. The Nitrate ferment is developed during the slow de- cay of organic matter in all soils. Materials Used in Making Commercial or Chemical Fertilizers. Nitrate of Soda or Chile Saltpetre occurs in vast deposits in the rainless districts of the West coast of South Saltpetre. . . . n . .-^ t .-i America, chiefly in Chile, trom whence it is imported to this country for use in chemical manu- facture and in agriculture. As imported into the United States, Nitrate of Soda usually contains about fifteen per cent, of Nitrogen. Nitrate of Soda resembles com- mon salt, with which and sodium sulphate it is often adulterated. This salt is at once available as a direct Food for fertilizer. Whenever practicable it should be applied Plapts _ as a top-dressing to growing crops, and if possible the 225 dressings should be given in two or three successive rations. Nitrate of Soda is usually applied at the rate of from 100 to 200 pounds per acre on land previously dressed with farm-yard manure. To secure an even distribution, the Nitrate should be well mixed with from three to five parts of fine loam or sand. Much has been said and written about Nitrate of Soda exhausting the soil. This is all a mistake and is the outcome of incorrect reasoning. Nitrate of Soda does not exhaust soils. It does promote the development of the leafy parts of plants, and its effects are at once noticeable in the deep, rich green, and vigorous growth of crops. The growth of plants is greatly energized by its use, for the Nitrate in supplying an abundance of nitrogenous food to plants, imparts to them a thrift and vigor which enables their roots to gather in the shortest time the largest amount of other needed foods from a greater surface of surrounding soil. The thirty- seven to forty per cent, of Soda which Nitrate contains is practically of no use to agricultural plants. In the increased crop obtained by its use there must necessarily be more potash and phosphoric acid than would have been contained in a smaller crop on which the Nitrate of Soda had not been used. The increased consumption of phosphoric acid and potash is due to the increase in the weight of the crop. The office of the Nitrate is to convert the raw materials of the soil into a crop; for we obtain by its use, as Dr. Griffiths has tersely said, "the fullest crop with the greatest amount of profit, with the least damage to the land." On cereals Nitrate of Soda should be used alone or mixed with dry super- phosphate and applied as a top-dressing. On grass lands it may be applied as a top-dressing at the rate of 150 to 200 pounds per acre. Some of. our most successful onion growers use Nitrate of Soda at the rate of from 500 to 700 pounds per acre, applying the Nitrate in three successive top- F Ptan? r dressings, the last ration being given when the crop is about half grown. 226 From what is known of the fertilization action of Nitrate of Soda, the following conclusions may be safely drawn, viz.: First. Nitrate of Soda is, in most cases, a reliable fertilizer for cereals, roots and grasses, increasing the yield over other nitrogenous fertilizers. Second. Many crops grown with Nitrate of Soda mature from one to two weeks earlier than when grown with other nitrogenized fertilizers. Third. The best results are obtained by applying the Nitrate to crops in fractional top-dressings during the active stages of growth. Fourth. Crops grown with Nitrate of Soda gener- ally have a higher feeding value than those grown with other forms of Nitrogen. Fifth. Crops grown with Nitrate of Soda seem to resist the attacks of parasitic organisms better than those grown without its aid. Sixth. Nitrate of Soda does not exhaust the land. Economy in the Purchase of Fertilizers. Home Mixtures Economy in the purchase of fertilizing materials or of agricultural chemicals depends not only on the price paid per pound or per ton, but also on the relation existing between the price paid and the amounts and forms of the Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash furnished. To illustrate, we will assume that two fertilizers, both made from the best class of materials, are offered by a manufacturer at thirty dollars and at thirty-five dollars per ton. The first is guaranteed to contain three per cent, of Nitrogen, seven per cent, of available phosphoric acid, and three per cent, of potash. The second is guaranteed to contain five per cent, of Nitrogen, ten per cent, of available phosphoric acid, and seven per cent, of potash. We have but to calculate the commercial values of these fertilizers to ascertain their true relation to the prices asked by the manufacturer. By simply multiply- ing the actual content of Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and Food for potash by the trade value for these constituents in mixed lants fertilizers, we find that there is an actual difference of 227 nearly $14 in their commercial values, whereas the diff- erence in price made by the manufacturer is only $5. The fertilizer materials in the higher priced fertiliz- ers are about thirty -three per cent, cheaper than those in the lower priced article. As a general rule the more concentrated the form of fertilizing materials in commercial fertilizers, or the higher the grade of unmixed raw materials purchased by the farmer for home mixing, the greater will be the saving in actual cost. The higher the grade of materials the less will be the expense for freight, mixing, and spreading upon the land. There are these decided advantages about the mix- ing of materials at home, viz., each raw material can be separately examined, and if there is any cause for suspecting inferior forms of Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, or potash, samples may be sent to the State Experiment Station for analysis. The detection of error or fraud is more certain and much easier in unmixed raw materials than in mixed fertilizers. Another important advantage of home-mixing is the opportunity afforded the intelligent farmer to adapt the composition of a fertilizer to the special soil requirements of his land and to the wants of the crop to be grown. And, lastly, home mixtures have, as a rule, proved to be much cheaper than ready-made fertilizers. However, the economy of home-mixing should in every instance be determined by actual calculation. Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, as we have already seen, are necessary for the complete develop- ment of farm crops, and are the constituents most likely to be deficient in cultivated soils; different crops have different capacities for consuming these plant foods, so that when no increase in crop production follows a rational application of one, two, or all three of these constituents the soil evidently contains them in suffi- cient stores to develop crops to limitations fixed by season and existing climatic conditions. By a careful F< Pkn? r study f the capacities of different crops for using Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, we may, within 228 reasonable limits, approximate the quantities, which, under average conditions of crop, soil, and season, should be restored to the land to balance the consump- tion of growing crops. In using fertilizers, or in special crop feeding, it should be borne in mind that lands in a high state of cultivation generally respond to heavy fertilization with much greater immediate profit than those of ordinary fertility. It is estimated that the total fertilizer business of our country is not far from six million tons. It may be somewhat more, but, accepting six million tons as the figure, it would take four hundred thousand cars to handle this business. Assuming the average fertilizer consumed to be worth only twenty dollars a ton, it would seem certain that forty per cent, of this tonnage is absolutely inefficient and useless, from every stand- point, since such average fertilizer which runs only twenty dollars per ton contains fully forty per cent, of filler. From this standpoint, one hundred sixty thousand cars are engaged once every year for the season in carrying filler material from our fertilizer factories to our farmers, on which our farmers pay the freight. This is really perfectly valueless to the farmer and planter, and of no ultimate value to the transportation company in producing outbound tonnage; neither does it contribute in any way to diminishing the high cost of living, in fact, it prevents increasing our food supplies, since it compels a large body of men engaged in produc- tion, as well as in transportation, from producing anything of value to anybody. It is sheer waste. The elimination of filler from our fertilizers, and putting in its place an active form of nitrogen to bring up the productive capacity of our fertilizers to the European standard, since our average contains but two per cent, nitrogen, eight per cent, phosphoric acid and four per cent, potash, whilst the European average contains four and a half per cent, nitrogen, eight per cent, phosphoric acid and four per cent, potash. is a crying necessity. The money which is now expended by our farmers for fertilizers and their transportation od for should be expended on material worthy of transporta- ans tion, for it would immediately create different condi- 22 9 tions, and would make the fertilizer communities now served by the railroad immensely more prosperous. Not only would the railroads have more outbound tonnage, but they would have more inbound tonnage, as a result of the increased purchasing capacity of our farmers and planters. Since we have pretty close to three hundred million acres of lands on which fertilizer could be used, the Cotton. Cotton 4 Bales. The average yield of Five Egyptian acres of cotton where Nitrate of Soda is used at the rate of 100 Ibs. or more to the acre. Cotton 2 Bales. The average yield of Five United States acres of cotton of average production and aver- age fertilization. possibilities of increasing the food supplies of all our crops are obvious, since Nitrate has now been recognized by accepted Scientific Authorities as a crop producer of first-rate importance. The average crop production for six staple crops of different countries is stated hereunder, as is also the Food for average composition of fertilizers used by farmers in Plants 230 the several countries : Crop United States Egypt Germany England Cotton 185 Ibs. 80 bu. 97.15bu. 12 tons 785. 49 Ibs. 14 bu. f 2% Nitrogen* 8% Phos. Acid [ 4% Potash 400 Ibs. Oats 48 bu. 199.84 bu. 16 tons 1614. 70 Ibs. 28 bu. 4% Nitrogen 8% Phos. Acid 4% Potash 45 bu. Potatoes Sugar Beets Tobacco ... Wheat 33 bu. 4|% N.trogen 8% Phos. Acid 4% Potash Average Fertilizer 4>5% Nitrogen 8% Phos. Acid 4% Potash * The nitrogen in ready mixed fertilizers in the United States is frequently all inactive, and sometimes never available. It will be seen that the average crop production of staple crops is very much greater in Europe and Egypt than in this country. In those countries enormous quantities of Chilean Nitrate are used as a fertilizer, and their average fertilizer contains two and a half per cent, more of active Nitrogen, (Nitrate) than ours. This corresponds to about three hundred pounds of Nitrate of Soda in each ton, and this formula eliminates most of the useless filler. The Home Mixing of Fertilizers A hundred years ago the farmers of America and Europe had at their disposal but few materials for in- creasing the fertility of the land. Barnyard manure was then the great fertilizer, but only capable, as we realize now, of restoring but incompletely the plant- food carried away by the crops. Yet barnyard manure was justly esteemed for its fertilizing value, and on many a farm cattle were kept, not because they were in themselves profitable, but because of the manure that they produced. However, for all of the cattle kept on the farms of Europe, the productive power of its soils was declining. At this time the use of bones be- Food for came prevalent and this marked the beginning of more ants rational methods of soil treatment. 2 3i The Rise of the Fertilizer Mixing Industry. It was not until the second quarter of the nine- teenth century, however, that new and important fer- tilizer materials came into the market. The increasing number of soil and crop analyses had demonstrated the invariable presence of the essential constituents in both soils and plants; while the numerous vegetation experi- ments showed that Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash were often present in the soil in amounts too small for profitable yields. There then came into being a great fertilizer mix- ing industry. Peruvian guano held for a time a promi- nent place in the agriculture of contemporary Europe. It was not long, however, before the supply of the best grades of guano became depleted, though this did not occur until the chemist pointed the way to new treas- ures of plant-food. Nitrate of Soda, the most valuable source of commercial Nitrogen at present, came to play an increasingly important role after the middle of the nineteenth century. The potash salts of the German mines became a marketable commodity when the last battles of our civil war were being fought; and when the great conflict was over, the phosphate deposits of South Carolina, and subsequently of Florida and Ten- nessee, were ready to supply the third important con- stituent of commercial fertilizers. The Make-Up of Commercial Fertilizers. The fertilizers sold to American farmers are valu- able in so far as they contain the essential available constituents, Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash. When all are present the fertilizer is said to be complete, otherwise it is incomplete. It is the aim of the fertilizer mixers to supply to farmers both incomplete and com- plete fertilizers, chiefly the latter. Furthermore, usage and state legislation compel them to guarantee that their various brands contain a certain proportion of the Food for essential constituents, but, unfortunately for the farmer, _ they do not require any disclosure whatever as to the 2 32 availability of the most valuable content, viz., Nitrogen; hence, the attempt to state a formula on the bags, or on the tags attached to the latter, is a wholly incomplete affair. As an example, we may take a fertilizer whose formula is 4-8-10, that is, one containing 4 per cent, of Nitrogen, 8 per cent, of phosphoric acid and 10 per cent. of potash. Materials of various qualities and grades are em- ployed for the preparation of so-called complete fer- tilizers, as may be seen from the following list: Materials Furnishing Nitrogen. Nitrate of Soda Nitrate of Lime, Sulphate of Ammonia, Calcium Cyanamid, Dried Blood, Tankage, Fish Scrap, Cottonseed Meal, Horn and Hoof Meal , Hair and Wool, Leather Scrap. Materials Furnishing MaterialsFurnishing Phos. Acid. Thomas Slag Acid Phosphate, Bone Meal, Phosphatic Guano, Fish Scrap, Bone Tankage. Potash. Potash Salts (from Germany), Unleached Wood Ashes. Aside from these materials, there are others that are occasionally employed by mixers to furnish filler. Availability in Fertilizers. In the making of complete goods from the various straight fertilizers the mixer is largely guided by the cost, as well as the quality of the latter. The question of quality is particularly important, since no high grade fertilizer can be made from inferior ingredients. The conception of quality has been gradually developed by investigators and farmers and the term Availability is commonly employed when the value of straight or mixed fertilizers is considered. We call a fertilizer Available when the Nitrogen, phosphoric acid or potash contained in it may be readily used by the crop; and not Avail- Food>r able when it is transformed so slowly in the soil as to _ offer but little plant-food to the crop at any one time. 2 33 A striking illustration of the significance of Availability in fertilizers is found in the action of comparatively small amounts of Nitrate on grass or grain applied early in the spring. It has been repeatedly observed that soils containing as much as .15 per cent, of Nitrogen, or 6,000 pounds per acre-foot out of a total of 2,000 tons, which such an acre-foot weighs, and capable of yielding about one ton of hay per acre, may be made to produce two tons of hay when top-dressed in the spring with only 100-150 pounds of Nitrate. At first it may seem strange that the 23 or 24 pounds of Nitrogen in 150 pounds of Nitrate of Soda should produce this magic effect, when measured against the 6,000 pounds of ordinary Nitrogen already in the soil. But the mys- tery is made clear to us when we remember that Nitrate of Soda is a soluble food that may be directly taken up by plant-roots, whereas the Nitrogen of the soil itself is nearly all locked up in inert humous compounds which must first pass through the various stages of Nitration before they become available. With some qualifica- tions a similar comparison could be made between the phosphoric acid in ground phosphate rock, known as "floats," and that in acid phosphate; or between potash in feldspar rock or clay and that in sulphate of potash. In order to protect the farmer against fraud, fer- tilizer laws have been enacted in most of the Eastern States. These laws compel the mixers and dealers to guarantee their goods, that is, to state on the bags or tags how much Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash their fertilizers contain; furthermore, they are also compelled, but in an incomplete measure, to guarantee the quality, i. e., Availability, of the plant-food sold by them. The farmer is given, however, a fair measure of protection in so far as the phosphoric acid and potash purchased by him are concerned. He is told definitely how much phosphoric acid is present in available form. He knows, also, that the potash in mixed fertilizers is derived almost exclusively from the German potash Food for salts, all of them readily available. On the other hand, he is given little protection in his purchase of Nitrogen. 2 34 To be sure, the fertilizer laws compel the mixer to state how much Nitrogen there is present in this commodity; yet he is not compelled to tell the exact source or avail- ability of the Nitrogen employed by him. From the consumer's standpoint this is a serious question, since Barley. Pots manured with Phosphoric Acid, Potash and Nitrate of Soda. Nitrate of Soda none 1 gr. 2gr. 3gr. In agricultural practice from 76 Ibs. to 200 Ibs. of Nitrate of Soda per acre is applied in one or more dressings. a pound of Nitrogen costs about four times as much as a pound of either phosphoric acid or potash. If the law required merely the stating of the total per cent, of phosphoric acid or of potash without giving the amount of soluble or available percentages of the same, how incomplete the essential information would be as to the nature or value of the "so-called" complete fertilizers. Food f or More than that, the Nitrogen is not only costly but ans calls for greater farming skill in its use, lest the yields 2 3S and quality of the produce be unfavorably affected. The Activity as well as the Availability of Nitrogen in materials like leather scrap, hair or peat is but one- fifth to one-tenth as much as that in Nitrate of Soda, and we can therefore realize the necessity of complete knowledge as to the agricultural use of Nitrogen. It is conceded by all authorities that more accurate knowledge in this direction may be secured by the prac- tice of HOME-MIXING, that is, by the purchase of the straight fertilizers and their mixing at home on the farm in amounts and proportions best suited for any particular soil and crop. Advantages of Home Mixing. The practice of home-mixing has its friends as well as its opponents, but when all the arguments pro and con are summed up the decision must be entirely in its favor. The advantages claimed for home-mixing are: 1 . Better adaptation to soil and crop. Soils vary in their chemical composition, and in their previous history, as to cropping and fertilization. One soil may be deficient in available Nitrogen, another de- ficient in available phosphoric acid. In one in- stance a heavy application of manure, a crop of crimson clover, or alfalfa stubble may have been plowed under; and in a second instance a thin timothy sod. Evidently a crop of corn would not find the same amounts and proportions of food in these cases, and it is therefore idle to assume that a so-called corn fertilizer, whatever its composition, would prove as efficient in the one case as in the other. Again, it is common knowledge that some crops are particularly grateful for applications of Nitrogen, while others are responsive to applica- tions of phosphoric acid or of potash. Yet even Fo pi d f ? r here the soil and climate exert an important modi- _ fying influence. For instance, clovers and other 2 3 6 legumes are capable of securing their Nitrogen from the air and, except in the early stages of growth, are independent of the supply in the soil or fer- tilizers. On the other hand, they require large amounts of potash, phosphoric acid and lime. Nevertheless, certain limestone soils require only applications of potash, while many silt loam or clay soils require only applications of phosphoric acid. In a word, then, no single formula for any particular crop can be devised to suit all soils and seasons. When the mixing is done on the farm, proper adjustment can be made to suit local con- ditions, known best by the farm manager after adequate experience. One advantage of .Home-Mixing is that the farmer may make any combination of plant-food he wishes, and know the form and availability of the ingredients of his own fertilizer, and he will save not only the high price paid for filler, but also the cost of transporting it. 2. Better information concerning the quality of materials. The present high prices of organic am- moniates are forcing the fertilizer mixers to employ various organic materials of inferior quality. Since the fertilizer laws do not require any distinction between the sources of Nitrogen, mixers feel free to meet competition and to reduce the cost of mixing by employing inert materials like leather-scrap, hair, wool and garbage tankage. Moreover, even the better grades of organic ammoniates like dried blood, tankage, and ground fish are now adulter- ated more than formerly, florae-mixing protects the farmer against the use of inferior materials and permits him to purchase his Nitrogen in the readily available forms. Many of the ingredients used by the manu- facturers of "complete" fertilizers are produced directly or indirectly by themselves. Others, like Nitrate of Soda, potash salts and basic slag, are not produced in this country. Naturally the Food for manufacturers will use as much as possible of the ans materials produced by themselves, on which they 2 37 make both a raw material and a mixing profit, and spend as little as possible for imported materials on which they can make but one profit. Carrots. Pots manured with Phosphoric Acid, Potash and Nitrate of Soda. Nitrate of Soda none 3gr. gr- agricultural practice from 2 cwt. to 4 cwt. of Nitrate of Soda per acre is applied in one or more dressings. The "complete" fertilizer manufacturers use large quantities of low grade materials which the farmers would not buy for .Home-Mixing because of the doubtful value of the Nitrogen owing to its not being available, that is, indigestible as plant food. But the manufacturer finds them doubly valuable as filler, because he can label his goods as F piants containing so and so much Nitrogen, notwith- standing its indigestible quality as a plant food. 238 3. Lower cost per unit of plant-food. As shown by the analyses and valuations of fertilizers made by different experiment stations, the so-called overhead charges made by the mixers amount, on the aver- age, to more than six dollars per ton. Otherwise stated, the farmer who buys mixed fertilizers is made to pay about six or seven dollars per ton for mixing, bagging, shipping, agents' commissions, profit, long credit, etc. The overhead charges tend to increase the cost per unit of plant-food in all fertilizers, and to a particularly marked extent in the cheaper brands. Home-mixing enables the farmer to secure available plant-food at a lower cost per unit. 4. More profitable returns from the use of fertilizers may be secured when one understands their com- position and the functions of their single ingredients. The man who takes the trouble to make himself acquainted with the origin, the history and the action of different fertilizers is perforce bound to secure larger returns from them than the man who blindly follows the experience of others. For this reason the Acme-mixing of fertilizers is an educa- tional factor of great importance. The farmer who does his own mixing is bound to observe the effect of season, of crop and of rotation. He is bound to learn something of the particular influences of Nitrogen, of phosphoric acid and of potash. In the course of time he is led to experiment for him- self, with different mixtures, proportions and methods of application, and by doing all these things he becomes more skilled and successful in the business of crop production. The opponents of Acme-mixing have claimed, on their part, that the farmer cannot prepare mixtures as uniform as those made at the factory. They have also claimed that the mixtures made at the farm are more costly than similar mixtures made at the factory. As Food for to the first of these objections, it has been demonstrated Plants by most of the experiment stations in the East and the 2 39 South that home-mixtures can be made mechanically as satisfactory as the best of the commercial brands. It is merely necessary to screen the single ingredients and to use some sort of a filler like dry peat or fine loam to prevent caking. The second objection is not at all borne out by the actual experience of farmers who have been using home-mixtures for years. Equipment and Methods for Home- Mixing. The equipment required for home-mixing is very simple and inexpensive. It consists of a screen with three (8) meshes to the inch, and about 4-5 feet long and l]/2 to 2 feet wide, a shovel with square point, an iron rake, and platform scales. The mixing may be done on a tight, clean barn floor, and a heavy wooden post is useful for crushing big lumps of the material; frequently the use of a sieve may be dispensed with by this means. Previous to mixing, the materials are screened, the lumps broken up and again screened. The mixing may then be best accomplished by spreading out the most bulky constituent in a uniform layer about six inches thick. The next most bulky constituent is then similarly spread out on top of the first, and is followed in its turn by the others until the pile is complete. The several layers are then thoroughly mixed by shovelling the en- tire heap three or four times. Thorough mixing is shown by the absence of streaks of different materials. The mixture may be put in bags or other convenient receptacles and kept in a dry place until needed. In mixing various materials some knowledge is re- quired concerning the action of different ingredients upon each other. Such knowledge will prevent the danger of loss of constituents or the deterioration of quality. The materials that should not be employed together in mixed fertilizers are known as incompatibles. As is pointed out in this connection in Farmers' Bulletin No. 225, U. S. Department of Agriculture, it should be F pfants remem bered that " (1) When certain materials are mixed chemical changes take place which result in loss 2 4 of a valuable constituent, as when lime is mixed with guano, Nitrogen escapes ; or in a change of a constituent to a less available form, as when lime is mixed with super- phosphates, the phosphoric acid is made less soluble; and (2), mixtures of certain materials, as, for example, potash salts and Thomas Slag, are likely to harden or * cake,' and thus become difficult to handle if kept some time after mixing." Potash salts may be mixed with Thomas phosphate powder, but acid phosphate should not be mixed with quick lime, nor sulphate of ammonia with basic slag. The modern farmer in America is beginning to understand the nature of straight fertilizers as well as the farmer in Germany. He knows fairly w r ell the character and qualities of the materials now used in mixing fertilizers; and can thus form his own judgment as to what is best for the different crops and soils. It is better to spread fertilizers broadcast by hand, or by a top-dressing machine; fertilizer drills, as a rule, are not of sufficient capacity. Broadcasting is always a more thorough method of applying fertilizers, as it gives the following crops a better opportunity to utilize all the material and prevents too much concentra- tion of plant food by the plants. It also gives a better root development, since the plants are compelled to utilize a larger feeding area to no disadvantage, since it is nature's way. It is generally better to harrow in fertilizers after they are applied, except on the seeded crops or on sod lands. Calculations for Mixing Fertilizers. As an example of how the proportions of the differ- ent ingredients in a mixture may be calculated, let it be assumed that a farmer wishes to prepare a 4-8-6 potato fertilizer out of Nitrate of Soda containing 15 per cent, of Nitrogen; acid phosphate containing 16 per cent, of available phosphoric acid and sulphate of potash con- taining 50 per cent, of actual potash. Remembering that each one hundred pounds of the required mixture Food for is to contain 4 pounds of available Nitrogen, 8 pounds Plants of available phosphoric acid and 6 pounds of available 2 4i potash, we may best determine the amounts of each per ton by multiplying the given figures by 20. Thus: 4 x 20 = 80 Ibs. Available Nitrogen per ton. 8 x 20 = 160 " Available phosphoric acid per ton. 6 x 20 = 120 " Available potash per ton. Hence each ton of the mixture is to contain 80 pounds of available Nitrogen, 160 pounds of available phosphoric acid and 120 pounds of available potash. We next determine the amount of each ingredient necessary to furnish the required quantities of plant- food. Since each one hundred pounds of Nitrate con- tains 15 pounds of Nitrogen, the 80 pounds of Nitro- gen required would represent as many hundreds or fractions thereof, as 15 is contained in 80; or 80 -f- 15% = 533 Ibs. Nitrate of Soda 160 -^ 16% = 1000 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 120 -r- 50% = 240 Ibs. Sulphate of Potash Filler 227 Ibs. Fine dry loam, or peat, or land plaster (gypsum) 2000 Ibs. Calculations of Formula of Mixed Materials. It is desirable, at times to determine the propor- tions of plant-food in any given mixture. For instance, a mixture is made up of 200 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, 200 pounds of tankage, 1,000 pounds of acid phosphate and 200 pounds of sulphate of potash, what is the formula if the Nitrate contains 15 per cent, of avail- able Nitrogen, the tankage 5 per cent, of Nitrogen and 10 per cent, of phosphoric acid, the acid phosphate 16 per cent, of phosphoric acid, and the sulphate of potash 50 per cent, of potash. The amounts of plant food would then be: Food for Nitrogen Phos. Acid Potash Plarts Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. " Nitrate of Soda 200 Ibs. x .15 = 30 Tankage 200 Ibs. x .05 = 10 Tankage 200 Ibs. x .10 = . . 20 Acid Phosphate 1000 Ibs. x .16 = . . 160 Sulphate of Potash 200 Ibs. x .50 = . . . . 100 Total.. ..40 180 100 A ton of the mixture would thus contain 40 pounds of Nitrogen, 180 pounds of phosphoric acid and 100 pounds of potash. To get the weight per hundred we divide each of these amounts by 20, obtaining a formula that may be represented by 2-9-5. To Calculate the Value of Mixed Fertilizers. When acid phosphate with 16 per cent, available phosphoric acid can be bought at $15.50 per ton; when sulphate of potash with 48 per cent, of potash can be bought at $50.00 per ton, and when Nitrate of Soda containing 15 per cent, of Nitrogen can be bought at $52.00 per ton; what would be the value of a mixed fertilizer guaranteed to contain 6 per cent, of available phosphoric acid, 5 per cent, of potash, and 3.25 per cent, of Nitrogen? As a preliminary step we have to determine the cost per pound of the constituents in the straight fer- tilizers. Thus: 2000 Ibs. of Nitrate of Soda x .15 = 300 Ibs. available Nitrogen l.OO divided by 300 Ibs. = $0.173 per Ib. 2000 Ibs. of Acid Phosphate x .16 = 320 Ibs. Phosphoric Acid $15.50 divided by 320 Ibs. = $0.048 per Ib. 2000 Ibs. of Sulphate of Potash x .48 = 960 Ibs. actual Potash l.OO divided by 960 Ibs. = $0.052 per Ib. Next comes the determination of the total plant- food in the mixed fertilizer. Thus:- 3.25%x2000 lbs. = 65 Ibs. Nitrogen which at $0.173 per lb. = $11 25 Food for Plants 6.00%x2000 Ibs. = 120 Ibs. Phosphoric Acid which at 0.048perlb.= 5.76 243 5.00%x2000 Ibs. = 100 Ibs. Potash which at . 052 per Ib. = 5 . 20 $22.21 Assuming that all the Nitrogen in the mixed fer- tilizer was derived from Nitrate, the value per ton would be $22.21, exclusive of the cost of mixing and bagging. Straight Fertilizer Formulas for Farm, Fruit, and Market Garden Crops. The primary object in the preparation of fertilizer formulas is to show the kinds and amounts of materials to use in order to provide in a mixture good forms and proportions of the constituents, which shall be in good mechanical condition. It is not believed that any one formula is the best for all conditions, these vary as widely as the soils and different methods of manage- ment. Substitutions That May Be Made. It is not intended that the kinds of materials shall be absolutely adhered to, for in many cases substitutions of others may be made not only without materially changing the composition of the resultant mixture, but which may also reduce its actual cost. For example, tankage or dried ground fish may be substituted for cot- ton-seed meal in any mixture, and if the right grades are obtained, will substitute the amount of nitrogen in it, though it may be in a slightly less available form; besides, the former contains considerably more phos- phoric acid. In other instances, dried blood may be substituted with advantage for the tankage or cotton- F pi d ants Seec ^ mea l> though naturally one pound of high grade blood will furnish practically twice as much nitrogen as 2 44 one pound of the others. Again, bone tankage, which is quite similar to ground bone in its composition, may be substituted for bone, and vice versa, the substitu- tion depending upon the cost, as the availability of the constituents is not materially different. In the case of potash, the sulphate may be substituted for the muriate without changing the percentage of actual potash in the mixture; whereas if kainit is substituted for the higher grades, four times the weight must be included in order to obtain the same amount of potash, and the amount of the mixture applied per acre must be doubled in order to obtain the same number of pounds of the constituents for a given area. For example, if in a mixture of Nitrate of Soda 100 Ibs. Ground Bone 100 " Sulphate of Potash 100 400 pounds of kainit is substituted for the 100 pounds of sulphate of potash, the percentage composition of the mixture would be just one-half the former, as the con- stituents are distributed throughout twice the weight. Importance of Mechanical Condition. In the next place, care should be exercised in the preparation of mixtures, in order to obtain good me- chanical condition. It is sometimes a difficult matter to obtain a dry mixture from the use of purely mineral fertilizing materials, as superphosphates, and muriate of potash, or kainit it is apt to become pasty in the drill or planter, whereas, if some dry material, as bone or tankage, is added, the mixture is much improved and the composition not materially affected. The Kinds and Amounts to Apply. It should also be remembered that the suggestions in reference both to the particular form of the constitu- ents and the amounts to be applied have reference to their application under average conditions of soil and methods of practice, and as a supplement to the manures Food for of the farm. Where a definite system of rotation is used, ants and the materials are applied with the purpose of pro- 2 4S viding the specific crop with the constituents especially needed, the formulas may be very materially changed. Where the condition of soil is not good, or where ma- nures are not used, the amounts recommended should be largely increased, practically doubled in most cases, and also, particularly for the cereals, a greater proportion of nitrogen should be used. As a rule, soils that are not in good condition will require a larger application of fertil- izers to obtain the same unit of increase than those in good condition, because in the first case they do not permit the ready penetration of the roots and the easy distribution of the constituents. The indiscriminate use of fertilizers on poor soils is seldom followed by as large a return per unit of plant food applied as where systematic methods obtain. Methods of Application. The method of application should depend upon the character of the soil, the crop and the material. On good soils and for crops which require large quantities, a part at least, of the material should be applied broadcast and thoroughly worked into the surface-soil; the re- mainder may be used in the row at the time of seeding or setting the plants. It is particularly desirable that formulas that are rich in potash should be in part broad- casted, in order that this element may be thoroughly intermingled with the soil, as the rate at which this con- stituent fixes, particularly on soils of a clayey nature, is very rapid, and unless thoroughly harrowed in the fixing will take place largely at the surface, and thus not be within reach of the feeding roots. On sandy soils, and for such crops as sweet potatoes, the concentration of the fertilizer in the row is more desirable than in the case of good soils and for white potatoes, though the minerals phosphoric acid and potash may be distributed in part. When applied in the row for sweet potatoes, it is desir- able that it should be done two or three weeks, at least, before the plants are set, thus avoiding possible injury from the excess in the soil. Food for Most manufacturers and dealers in fertilizers are _ willing to supply farmers with the materials suggested, 2 4 6 or to mix them at reasonable rates. If you cannot conveniently get all the materials for mixing your formulas and can secure any reputable brand of ordinary commercial fertilizer, buy a bag of Nitrate of Soda and mix it with four to six bags of such commercial fertilizer; and the mixing may be done on your barn floor. You will thereby improve and fortify the brand you are buying in a way to vastly en- hance its crop-making powers. If the Nitrate should happen to be lumpy, the use of a straight, heavy fence post, rolled over it two or three times will reduce it to splendid condition for home- mixing. One hundred pounds of Nitrate of Soda is equal in bulk to about one bushel, or 25 pounds to about one peck. Materials Not To Be Mixed. Certain ammoniates contain iron, and if mixed with acid phosphate you will lose a considerable portion of your available phosphoric acid. Lime should not be mixed with sulphate of am- monia and materials containing lime, should not be used in this connection without advice from an ex- perienced fertilizer chemist. Excessive quantities of lime should not be mixed with superphosphate, barnyard manure or bone meal. Sulphate of ammonia should not be mixed with Thomas slag and Norwegian Nitrate. Basic slag should not be mixed with sulphate of ammonia, blood or tankage as the lime affects these materials and releases ammonia. If mixed with kainit it must be applied shortly after mixing. Cyanamid must not be mixed directly with sul- phate of ammonia, but if mixed according to directions will give good results. Home-Mixing Table. To ascertain the quantity of each material neces- sary to make 1,000 pounds of Fertilizer of any desired analysis. Food for Plants 247 Percentage Required. Available Nitrogen from Nitrate of Soda. Available Phosphoric Acid. Available Potash from Sulphate of Potash. From 14% Acid Phosphate. From 16% Acid Phosphate. 1% 67 Ibs. 71 Ibs. 63 Ibs. 21 Ibs. 2% 133 143 125 42 3% 200 214 188 63 4% 267 286 250 83 5% 333 357 313 104 6% 400 429 375 125 7% 467 500 438 146 8% 533 571 500 167 9% 600 643 563 188 10% 667 714 625 208 Example: A common and profitable formula for Oats is 4-7-5, that is 4 per cent. Nitrogen, 7 per cent, phosphoric acid, 5 per cent, potash. From the table we ascertain that 4 per cent, available Nitrogen is ob- tained by using 267 pounds Nitrate of Soda, 7 per cent, available phosphoric acid is obtained by using 438 pounds 16 per cent, phosphate and 5 per cent, available potash is obtained by using 104 pounds sulphate of potash, making a total of 809 pounds which contains the same amount of plant food as 1,000 pounds of 4-7-5 ready -mixed fertilizer. Should it be desired to make an even thousands pounds, add a sufficient amount of fine dry loam. Food for Plants 248 Formulas for Farm Crops. Corn. (No. 1) Nitrate of Soda 200 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 500 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 600 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.00 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 8.00 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. (No. 2) Nitrate of Soda 150 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 500 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 250 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 600 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 2.25 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 8.00 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Formula No. 1 is best suited for sandy loams or soils. Formula No. 2 is for medium and heavy loams. Oats and Spring Wheat. Food for Plants ( No - 1) ~~^~ Nitrate of Soda 250 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 450 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.75 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 7.20 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. (No. 2) Nitrate of Soda 200 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 500 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.00 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 8.00 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Formula No. 2 is best suited for use in connection with a leguminous green manure. Winter Wheat, Rye and Hay or Grass Lands. (No. 1) Nitrate of Soda 100 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 600 " Muriate of Potash 50 " Fine Dry Loam 250 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 1.50 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 9.60 per cent.; available potash 2.40 per cent. Food for (No. 2) Plants Nitrate of Soda 200 Ibs. 250 Acid Phosphate 500 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.00 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 8.00 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Mixture No. 1 is best adapted for heavy soils; mixture No. 2, for medium and light loams. Barley. Nitrate of Soda 250 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 450 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.75 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 7.20 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Clovers, Alfalfa, Cow Peas, Soy Beans and Vetch. Nitrate of Soda 70 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 550 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 280 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 300-500 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 1.05 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 8.80 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Cotton. Nitrate of Soda 250 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 600 " Sulphate of Potash 50 " Fine Dry Loam 100 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.75 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 9.60 per cent.; available potash 2.40 per cent. Rice. Nitrate of Soda 100 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 800 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 300 pounds per acre. Apply soon after mixing. Composition: Available Nitrogen 1.50 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 12.80 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Tobacco. Nitrate of Soda 540 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 100 " Sulphate of Potash 200 " Fine Dry Loam 160 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 8.10 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 1.60 per cent.; available potash 9.60 per cent. As a general rule, and subject to any special soil conditions, we recommend that the above Nitrate of Soda mixture intended to be applied to the tobacco crop be given in three equal dressings. The first of these should be incorporated with the soil just before the planting out, the second should be given F pfant r as a to P Dressing at tne time f tne fi rst hoeing and the _ last instalment, in the same manner, about a fortnight 2 S 2 or three weeks later. Sweet Potatoes. Nitrate of Soda 200 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 550 " Sulphate of Potash 150 " Fine Dry Loam 100 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.00 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 8.80 per cent.; available potash 7.20 per cent. Early and Late Irish Potatoes. (No. 1) Nitrate of Soda 320 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 480 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 100 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 4.80 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 7.68 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. In order to secure a satisfactory mechanical con- dition, this mixture will require about 300-400 pounds additional of fine dry loam for each 1,000 pounds of material. (No. 2) Nitrate of Soda 260 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 440 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.90 per cent.; Food for available phosphoric acid 7.00 per cent.; available Plants potash 4.80 per cent. 253 Hops. 9 Nitrate of Soda 600 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 200 " Sulphate of potash 100 " Filler . 100 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 9.00 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 3.20 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Formula for Market Garden Crops Asparagus, Beans, Beets, (early), Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumbers, Egg-Plant, Endive, Kale, Lettuce, Muskmelons, Onions, Peas, (early), Peppers, Pumpkins, Radishes, Spinach, Squash, Tomatoes and Watermelons. Nitrate of Soda 300 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 400 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of about 1,000 pounds per acre, at the time of seeding and an additional applica- tion at the rate of about 500 pounds to be made between the rows later in the season. Composition: Available Nitrogen 4.50 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 6.40 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Food for Formulas for Fruits and Berries 254 Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Grapes, Currants, Strav^erries, Raspberries, Blackberries, and Gooseberries. (No. 1) Nitrate of Soda 300 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 400 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 " 1,000 Ibs. Applications at the rate of about 1,000 pounds per acre for berries and 400-800 pounds for fruit trees. Composition: Available Nitrogen 4.50 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 6.40 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. (No. 2) Nitrate of Soda 200 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 300 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 400 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of about 1,000 pounds per acre for berries and 400-800 pounds for fruit trees. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.00 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 4.80 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Formula 1 is best adapted for medium and heavy soils, Formula 2 for sandy soils. Formulas for Citrus Fruits p? a n d ts for 255 Young Orange Trees. Nitrate of Soda 350 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 350 " Sulphate of Potash 100 " Fine Dry Loam 200 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 5.25 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 5.60 per cent.; available potash 4.80 per cent. Old Orange Trees. Nitrate of Soda 375 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 435 " Sulphate of Potash 90 " Fine Dry Loam 100 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,600 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 5.62 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 7.96 per cent.; available potash 4.32 per cent. Mandarin Oranges. Nitrate of Soda 375 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 420 " Sulphate of Potash 80 " Fine Dry Loam 125 " 1,000 Ibs. Food for Plants Application at the rate of 1,200 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 5.62 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 6.72 per cent.; available potash 4.00 per cent. Grape Fruit. Nitrate of Soda 375 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 435 " Sulphate of Potash 90 " Fine Dry Loam 100 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,800 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 5.62 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 7.96 per cent.; available potash 4.32 per cent. Lemons. Nitrate of Soda 375 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 435 " Sulphate of Potash 90 " Fine Dry Loam 100 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,600 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 5.62 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 7.96 per cent.; available potash 4.32 per cent. Formulas for Olives. Young Olive Trees. Nitrate of Soda .... 300 Ibs. Acid Phosphate. 450 " Sulphate of Potash 150 " Fine Dry Loam 100 " Food for Plants 257 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 660 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 4.50 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 7.20 per cent.; available potash 7.20 per cent. Old Olive Trees. Nitrate of Soda 260 Ibs. Acid Phosphate 520 " Sulphate of Potash 85 " Fine Dry Loam 135 " 1,000 Ibs. Application at the rate of 1,150 pounds per acre. Composition: Available Nitrogen 3.90 per cent.; available phosphoric acid 8.32 per cent.; available potash 4.08 per cent. Food for Plants ^~ GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE USE OF NITRATE OF SODA ON STAPLE CROPS. We never recommend the use of Nitrate of Soda alone except at the rate of one hundred pounds to the acre, for seeded crops and two hundred pounds to the acre for cultivated crops. It may be thus safely and profitably used without other fertilizers. It may be even- ly applied at this rate as a broadcast top-dressing, by hand, or by machine, in the Spring of the year, as soon as crops begin rapid, new growth. At this rate very satisfactory results are usually obtained without the use of any other fertilizer, and soda residual, after the nitrogenous food of this chemical is used up by the plant, has a perceptible effect in sweetening sour land. One hundred pounds of Nitrate is equal in bulk to about one bushel. When it is desired to use a larger amount than one hundred pounds of Nitrate per acre for seeded crops (or two hundred pounds per acre for cultivated crops) there should be present some form of available phos- phatic and potassic plant food, and we recommend two hundred pounds of acid phosphate and one hundred pounds of sulphate of potash. In most of our Grass experiments where Nitrate was used alone at the rate of only one hundred pounds per acre, not only was the aftermath, or rowen much improved, but in subsequent seasons, with no further application of fertilizers to the plots a decidedly marked effect was noticed, even on old meadows. This speaks very well indeed for Nitrate of Soda not leaching out of the soil. The readily soluble elements of fertility are the readily available elements. The natural capillarity of soils, doubtless, is in most instances a powerful factor in retaining all readily soluble elements of fertility, other- wise all the fertility of the world in our humid regions would, in a season or two, run into the ocean, and be permanently lost. This is mentioned on account of certain critics having taken the trouble to object to the use of Nitrate on the ground that it would leach Food for away. A case is yet to be seen where the after effects Plants of Nitrate are not distinguishable, and in most cases such 2 S9 effects have been marked. The two thousand tons of active top soil in an acre of land have a powerful holding capacity for all the useful available elements of fertility. These 2,000 tons form the part usually subject to cul- tivation and might be called service soil. For market gardening crops, hops, sugar-beets and other cultivated crops, two hundred pounds of Nitrate per acre may be used to great advantage. When the above amounts of phosphatic and potas- sic fertilizers are used, as much as two hundred and fifty pounds of Nitrate, or even more, may be applied with profit. If you have any reason to suspect adulteration of Nitrate, send a pound or so of it to your Experiment Station for analysis, giving date of purchase, full name and address of dealer and of the company which the seller represents, with full description of marks on the bag or bags from which you draw the sample. On the Pacific Coast, Nitrate may be applied as a top-dressing after the heavy Spring rains are over, but before crops attain much of a start; although recent experience in California suggests that Nitrate may be applied to better advantage just as soon as growth starts in the Spring, or better, before seeding or plant- ing. When Nitrate is applied at the rate of two hun- dred (200) pounds per acre for cultivated crops and used alone this application figures out at the rate of 8 oz. for a plot 10x10. This application is equivalent to about 1 oz. to the square yard. So many inquiries have been made requesting amounts to be applied to small areas that the above word is given in this connection. F Pi d as r America Spends $175,000,000 a 260 Year for Fertilizer. By Richard Spillane It is estimated that the American farmer pays in excess of $175,000,000 a year for fertilizer. If he mixed a little brains with his fertilizer he would get better results. He is improving in his methods, but it will be a long, long time before he overtakes the European agriculturist, particularly the German. One of the indictments against the American people is that, with the greatest natural advantages of any inhabitants of the earth's surface, they make a shockingly bad showing in comparison with their less favored brothers. For example: In Europe, where the land has been tilled for centuries upon centuries, the average yield per acre of the great crops is approximately double that of the United States. The European wheat crop averages 33 bushels per acre; oats, 45 bushels per acre, and potatoes, nearly 200 bushels per acre. In the United States the yield averages: Wheat, 14 bushels per acre; oats, 40 bushels per acre, and potatoes, a trifle more than 97 bushels per acre. Broadly speaking, the foreign farmer studies his soil; the American farmer does not. It has been said of the American farmer that he is one of the greatest slovens on earth. This may be rather a harsh judg- ment, but certainly he merits sharp criticism. It is not the grower of wheat, or oats, or corn, or potatoes alone who neglects his opportunities. The cotton planter is as bad a sinner as his northern fellow. The average yield of cotton per acre in the United States is 185 pounds. In Egypt the average yield per acre is 400 pounds. There is not any more doubt that the yield per acre in the United States could be brought up to 400 pounds an acre than that the sun is going to continue to shine. Europe started half a century before America to nourish the land scientifically. The farmers there, having studied the subject, now know how to treat the Food for land intelligently. In the United States there is a vast Plants area that has not known the need of fertilizer, but in 2fil the older States, the ones along the Atlantic, where the land has been in cultivation 100 or more years the soil has been worn out and needs reinforcing or it is prac- tically valueless for crops. Unfortunately for the United States, a large num- ber of the farmers, neither knowing the needs of their lands, nor the properties that go to make the best fertilizer, think any kind of fertilizer will do. They buy blindly and let it go at that. As a general thing they are actuated by the price. Good fertilizers are costly. The cheap may do just as good, they reason. Sick or worn-out land needs as careful treatment as an ill or worn-out human. To cheat the land is not good business, and does not bring good results. You cannot fool nature. No fertilizer is of much account unless it contains the three great essentials nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. When all are present the fertilizer is said to be complete. When they are not, the fertilizer is incomplete, lacking in energy, and the result from its use is not satisfactory. The materials that furnish nitrogen are Nitrate of Soda, nitrate of lime, sulphate of ammonia, calcium cyanamid, dried blood, tankage, fish scrap, cotton seed meal, horn and hoof meal, hair and wool and leather scrap. The materials that furnish phosphoric acid are Thomas slag, acid phosphate, bone meal, phosphoric guano, fish scrap and bone tankage. The materials furnishing potash are potash salts and unleached wood ashes. A pure fertilizer law is needed as much as a pure food law. The development of agriculture in the United States is retarded by the use of inferior fertilizer. Evidently the American tendency to palm off "something just as good" has been in evidence in the fertilizer trade. At a luncheon given in Chicago on January 9, 1914, by a committee of the National Fertilizer Association, F piants one s P ea ker, evidently desirous of spreading the use of fertilizer in the West, had this to say: "James J. Hill has conducted some wonder-work- ing experiments with fertilizers, which have not re- ceived the attention they deserve in the West. Is it because the West does not want to admit that it needs rejuvenation, or is it because she is complacent? Hill showed in one season, by the use of fertilizers, that he could double the yield of cereals in the Middle North- west. It matters not at this time whether it was done at a profit. The important thing is to demonstrate that yields can be doubled by a certain treatment. "The value of commercial plant food has passed beyond the experimental stage in Europe and in the eastern part of this country. Why not accept the tes- timony of seventy-five years at Rothamsted, of fifty years at Halle, and of thirty years in Georgia and in Maine. I sometimes wonder if the agricultural teach- ers and writers in the West are not standing in the way of agricultural progress by still considering as an academic question the value and need of fertilizers. The question is not Are commercial fertilizers good and useful? but will it pay to use them as James J. Hill has done in his part of the country. To my mind, Mr. Hill has answered the question, "Will it pay?" in the affirmative. By the use of a little over $5 worth of fertilizer per acre he practically doubled the yield of wheat, oats and barley, and you can figure whether it paid or not. I wish that other railway officials might follow his splendid example." No agriculturist needs knowledge of the soil more than the cotton grower. Those figures showing that Egypt old, backward Egypt is far in advance of him in cotton raising should stir him, if the loss he is suffering financially did not. When he knows more about fertilizers he will raise larger crops. Quantity is less important than quality in what is supplied toward energizing land. Considering the fact that of the more than $175,- 000,000 spent for fertilizer, the farmer of the South pays out fully one-half, he should not be satisfied with the result. Analyses of Commercial Fertilizing Materials. Food for Plants Name of Substance. Moisture. Nitrogen. Potash. PHOSPHORIC ACID. Avail- able. insolu- ble. Total. 7. Phosphatic Manures Apatite ._. 36.08 35.89 28.28 17.00 23.50 20.10 29.90 17.60 28.03 27.20 15.20 Bone-ash 7.00 Bone-black 4.60 Bone-black (dissolved) 16.70 8.28 0.30 15.22 Bone meal 7.47 4.12 6.20 Bone meal (free from fats) . . . Bone meal (from glue factory) Bone meal (dissolved) 1 70 2 60 13.53 0.60 4.07 27.43 S. Carolina rock (ground) .... S. Carolina rock (floats) 1.50 S. Carolina rock (dissolved) . . 11.60 3.60 //. Potash Manures. Carnallite 13 68 Cotton-seed hull ashes Kainit Krugite Muriate of potash Nitrate of potash 7.33 3.20 4.82 2.00 1.93 6.31 1.25 4.75 7.25 2.75 12.00 13.09 2^43 23.80 13.54 8.42 52.46 45.19 2.04 38.60 23.50 16.65 18.00 5.50 1.10 8.50 Spent tan-bark ashes Sulph. potash (high grade).. . Sulph. potash and magnesia. Sylvinite Waste from gunpowder works Wood-ashes (unleached) W^ood-ashes (leached) . . . 1.61 1.85 1.40 2.16 1.45 1.91 8.25 1.83 3.52 2.07 ///. Nitrogenous Manures. Castor pomace 9.98 6.80 12.50 12.75 10.17 7.27 12.09 5.56 6.66 10.52 7.25 13.25 4.50 10.44 1.12 1.62 Cotton-seed meal Dried blood Dried fish 0.45 3.05 5.20 Horn and hoof waste Lobster shells IVteat scrap Food for Plants 264 Analyses of Commercial Fertilizing Materials. Continued. Name of Substance. Moisture. d 1 2 PHOSPHORIC ACID. Avail- able. Insolu- ble. Total. ///. Nitrogenous Manures Continued. Malt Sprouts 7.40 1.25 6.00 8.54 1.00 13.20 10.61 9.27 4.04 15.65 2.30 12.12 20.50 6.82 2.29 5.64 2.20 1.70 Nitrate of Soda Nitre-cake 0.40 Oleomargarine refuse 0.88 Sulphate of ammonia Tankage 6.44 1.30 0.10 5.02 6.23 11.25 0.60 0.29 0.10 0.40 Tobacco stems Wool waste IV. Miscellaneous Materials. Ashes (anthracite coal) Ashes (bituminous coal) 0.40 Ashes (corn-cob) 23.20 Ashes (lime-kiln) 15.45 0.86 1.18 0.50 Ashes (peat and bog) 5.20 0.70 Gas lime 4.40 1.73 0.30 Marls (Maryland) 1.25 0.38 1.05 0.56 0.09 Marls (Massachusetts) 18.18 Marls (North Carolina) 1.50 0.04 Marls (Virginia) 15 98 0.49 M^uck (fresh) . . . 76.20 21.40 40.37 53.50 61.50 7.80 0.30 1.30 1.37 0.20 0.75 0.30 0.10 6.20 Muck (air-dry) Mud (fresh water) . . 0.22 0.20 0.26 0.10 Mud (from sea-meadows) .... Peat Pine straw (dead leaves or pine needles) 0.10 0.04 0.20 0.04 0.20 0.03 2.30 0.20 6!64 0.10 Shells (mollusks) Shells (crustacea) Shell lime (oyster shell) 19.50 Soot Spent tan. . 5.54 14.00 30 80 0^20 1.00 2.10 1.94 1.83 0.10 0.30 Spent sumach Sugar-house scum 50.20 19.29 Turf Analyses of Farm Manures. TAKEN CHIEFLY FROM REPORTS OF THE NEW YORK, MASSACHUSETTS AND CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. Food for Plants 265 Name of Substance. Moisture. Nitrogen. Potash. Phosphoric Acid. 7. Cattle (solidfreshexcrement) Cattle (fresh urine) .... 0.29 58 0.10 49 0.17 Hen manure (fresh) 1 63 85 1 54 Horse (solid fresh excrement) Horse (fresh urine) 0.44 1 55 0.35 1 50 0.17 Human excrement (solid) . . Human urine 77.20 95.90 1.00 60 0.25 20 1.09 17 Poudrette (night soil) 0.80 0.30 1 40 Sheep (solid fresh excrement) Sheep (fresh urine) 0.55 1 95 0.15 2.26 0.31 01 Stable manure (mixed) Swine (solid fresh excrement) Swine (fresh urine) 73.27 0.50 0.60 0.43 0.60 0.13 0.83 0.30 0.41 0.07 Analyses of Fertilizing Materials in Farm Products. ANALYSES OF HAY AND DRY COARSE FODDERS. Name of Substance. Moisture. Nitrogen. Potash. Phosphoric Acid. //. Hay and Dry Coarse Fodders, Blue melilot 8.22 1.92 2.80 0.54 Buttercups 1.02 0.81 0.41 Carrot tops (dry) 9.76 3.13 4.88 0.61 Clover (alsike) 9.93 2.33 2.01 0.70 Clover (Bokhara) 6.36 1.77 1.67 0.44 Clover (mammoth red) .... Clover (medium red) 11.41 10.72 2.23 2.09 1.22 2.20 0.55 0.44 Clover (white) 2.75 1.81 0.52 Corn fodder 1.80 0.76 0.51 Corn stover 28.24 1.12 1.32 0.30 Cow-pea vines 9.00 1.64 0.91 0.53 Daisy (white) . .- 9.65 0.28 1.25 0.44 Daisy (ox-eye) 0.80 2.23 0.27 Hungarian grass 7.15 1.16 1.28 0.35 Italian rye-grass 8.29 1.15 0.99 0.55 June grass 1.05 1.46 0.37 Lucern (alfalfa) 6.26 2.07 1.46 0.53 Food for Plants 266 Analyses of Fertilizing Materials in Farm Products. Continued. Name of Substance. Moisture. Nitrogen. Potash. Phosphoric Acid. //. Hay and Dry Coarse Fodders Continued. Meadow fescue 9.79 0.94 2.01 0.34 Meadow foxtail 1.54 2.19 0.44 Mixed grasses 11.26 1.37 1.54 0.35 Orchard grass 8.84 1.31 1.88 0.41 Perennial rye-grass 9.13 1.23 1.55 0.56 Red- top 7.71 1.15 1.02 0.36 Rowen 12.48 1.75 1.97 0.46 Salt hay 5.36 1.18 0.72 0.25 Serradella 7.39 2.70 0.65 0.78 Soja bean 6.30 2.32 1.08 0.67 Tall meadow oat 1.16 1.72 0.32 Timothy hay 7.52 1.26 1.53 0.46 Vetch and oats 11.98 1.37 0.90 0.53 Yellow trefoil 2.14 0.98 0.43 ///. Green Fodders. Buckwheat 82.60 0.51 0.43 0.11 Clover (red) 80.00 0.53 0.46 0.13 Clover (white) 81.00 0.56 0.24 0.20 Corn fodder 72.64 0.56 0.62 0.28 Corn fodder (ensilage) 71.60 0.36 0.33 0.14 Cow-pea vines 78.81 0.27 0.31 0.98 Horse bean 74.71 0.68 1.37 0.33 Lucern (alfalfa) 75.30 0.72 0.45 0.15 Meadow grass (in flower) . . Millet 70.00 62.58 0.44 0.61 0.60 0.41 0.15 0.19 Oats (green) 83.36 0.49 0.38 0.13 Peas 81.50 0.50 0.56 0.18 Prickly comfrey 0.42 0.75 0.11 Rve crass. . 70.00 0.57 0.53 0.17 Serradella 82.59 0.41 0.42 0.14 Sorghum 0.40 0.32 0.08 Spanish moss 60.80 0.28 0.26 0.30 Vetch and oats 86.11 0.24 0.79 0.09 White lupine 85.35 0.44 1.73 0.35 Younc crass. . 80.00 0.50 1.16 0.22 IV. Straw, Chaff, Leaves,etc. Barley chaff 13.08 1.01 0.99 0.27 Barley straw 13.25 0.72 1.16 0.15 Bean shells 18.50 1.48 1.38 0.55 Analyses of Fertilizing Materials in Farm Products. Continued. Name of Substance. Moisture. Nitrogen. Potash. Phosphoric Acid. IV. Straw, Chaff, Leaves, etc. Continued. Beech leaves (autumn). 15 00 80 30 24 Buckwheat straw. .... 16 00 1 30 2 41 61 Cabbage leaves (air-dried) . Cabbage stalks (air-dried) . Carrots (stalks and leaves) . Corn cobs 14.60 16.80 80.80 12.09 0.24 0.18 0.51 50 1.71 3.49 0.37 60 0.75 1.06 0.21 0.06 Corn hulls 11.50 0.23 0.24 0.02 Hops 11.07 2.53 1.99 1.75 Oak leaves 15.00 0.80 0.15 0.34 Oat chaff 14.30 0.64 1.04 0.20 Oat straw 28.70 0.29 0.88 0.11 Pea shells 16.65 1.36 1.38 0.55 Pea straw (cut in bloom) . . Pea straw (ripe) 2.29 1.04 2.32 1.01 0.68 0.35 Potato stalks and leaves . . . Rye straw 77.00 15.40 0.49 0.24 0.07 0.76 0.06 0.19 Sugar-beet stalks and leaves Turnip stalks and leaves. . . \Vheat chaff (spring) 92.65 89.80 14 80 0.35 0.30 0.91 0.16 0.24 0.42 0.07 0.13 0.25 Wheat chaff (winter) 10.56 1.01 0.14 0.19 \Vheat straw (spring) 15 00 0.54 0.44 0.18 \Vheat straw (winter). 10 36 0.82 0.32 0.11 V. Roots, Tubers, etc. Beets (red) 87.73 0.24 0.44 0.09 Beets (sugar) 84.65 0.25 0.29 0.08 Beets (yellow fodder) 90.60 0.19 0.46 0.09 Carrots . . . ; 90.02 0.14 0.54 0.10 Mangolds 87.29 0.19 0.38 0.09 Potatoes 79.75 0.21 0.29 0.07 Ruta bagas 87.82 0.21 0.50 0.13 Turnips 87.20 0.22 0.41 0.12 VI. Grains and Seeds. Barley 15.42 2.06 0.73 0.95 Beans 4.10 1.20 1.16 Buckwheat 14.10 1.44 0.21 0.44 Corn kernels 10.88 1.82 0.40 0.70 Corn kernels and cobs (cob meal) 10.00 1.46 0.44 0.60 Hemp seed 12.20 2.62 0.97 1.75 Linseed 11.80 3.20 1.04 1.30 Lupines. 13.80 5.52 1.14 0.87 Food for Plants 267 Food for Plants . 268 : Analyses of Fertilizing Materials in Farm Products. Continued. Name of Substance. Moisture. Nitrogen. Potash. Phosphoric Acid. VI. Grains and Seeds Continued. Millet 13.00 2.40 47 0.91 Oats 20.80 1.75 0.41 0.48 Peas 19.10 4.26 1.23 1.26 Rye.. 14.90 1.76 0.54 0.82 Soja beans 18.83 5.30 1.99 1.87 Sorghum 14.00 1.48 0.42 0.81 Wheat (spring) 14.75 2.36 0.61 0.89 Wheat (winter) 15.40 2.83 0.50 0.68 VII. Flour and Meal. Corn meal 13.52 2.05 0.44 0.71 Ground barley 13.43 1.55 0.34 0.66 Hominy feed 8.93 1.63 0.49 0.98 Pea meal 8.85 3.08 0.99 0.82 Rye flour 14.20 1.68 0.65 0.85 Wheat flour 9.83 2.21 0.54 0.57 VIII. By-products and Refuse. Apple pomace 80.50 0.23 0.13 0.02 Cotton hulls 10.63 0.75 1.08 0.18 Cotton-seed meal 6.52 1.89 2.78 Glucose refuse 8.10 2.62 0.15 0.29 Gluten meal 8.53 5.43 0.05 0.43 Hop refuse 8.98 0.98 0.11 0.20 Linseed cake (new process) . Linseed cake (old process) . Malt sprouts 6.12 7.79 10.28 5.40 6.02 3.67 1.16 1.16 1.60 1.42 1.65 1.40 Oat bran 8.19 2.25 0.66 1.11 Rye middlings 12.54 1.84 0.81 1.26 Spent brewers' grains (dry) . Spent brewers' grains (wet) . Wheat bran 6.98 75.01 11.01 3.05 0.89 2.88 1.55 0.05 1.62 1.26 0.31 2.87 Wheat middlings 9.18 2.63 0.63 0.95 IX. Dairy Products. Milk 87.20 0.58 0.17 0.30 Cream 68.80 0.58 0.09 0.15 Skim-milk 90.20 0.58 0.19 0.34 Butter 13.60 0.12 Butter-milk 90.10 0.64 0.09 0.15 Cheese (from unskimmed milk) 38.00 4.05 0.29 0.80 Cheese (from half-skimmed milk) 39.80 4.75 0.29 0.80 Cheese (from skimmed milk) 46.00 5.45 0.20 0.80 Analyses of Fertilizing Materials in Farm Products. Continued. Name of Substance. Moisture. Nitrogen. Potash. Phosphoric Acid. X. Flesh of Farm Animals. Beef 77.00 3 60 52 43 Calf (whole animal) 66.20 2.50 24 1 38 Ox 59.70 2 66 17 1 86 Pig.. 52.80 2 00 90 44 Sheep 59.10 2.24 15 1 23 XI. Garden Products. Asparagus 32 12 09 Cabbage 0.30 0.43 11 Cucumbers 0.16 24 12 Lettuce 0.20 0.25 0.11 Onions 0.27 0.25 0.13 Food for Plants 269 Table Showing the Number of Pounds of Nitrogen, Phos- phoric Acid, and Potash Withdrawn Per Acre by an Average Crop. (FROM NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AND CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATIONS' REPORTS.) Name of Crop. Nitrogen. Phosphoric Acid. Potash. Barley 78 35 62 Buckwheat 63 40 17 Cabbage (white) 213 125 514 Cauliflower 202 76 265 Cattle turnips 187 74 426 Carrots 166 65 190 Clover, green (trifolium pratense) Clover (trifolium pratense) 171 37 46 18 154 29 Clover, scarlet (trifolium incarnatum) Clover (trifolium repens) 95 89 17 29 57 58 Cow pea 254 64 169 Corn 146 69 174 Corn fodder (green) 122 66 236 Cotton 110 32 35 Cucumbers 142 94 193 Esparsette 239 36 103 Hops 200 54 127 Hemp .... 34 54 Lettuce 41 17 72 Lucern 289 65 181 Lupine, green (for fodder) ' .... 219 46 63 Lupine, yellow (lupinus luteus) 80 37 155 Meadow hay 166 53 201 Food for Table Showing the Number of Pounds of Nitrogen, Phos- phoric Acid, and Potash Withdrawn Per 270 Acre by an Average Crop. Continued. Name of Crop. Nitrogen. Phosphoric Acid. Potash. Oats 89 35 96 Onions 96 49 96 Peas (pisuni sativum 153 39 69 PODDV. . 87 30 87 Potatoes 119 55 192 Rape 154 79 124 Rice 39 24 45 Rye.. 87 44 76 Seradella 128 57 196 Soja bean 297 62 87 Sugar cane 518 37 107 Sorghum (sorghum saccharatum) . . . Sugar beet (beet-ro~t) 446 95 90 44 561 200 Tobacco 127 32 148 Vetch (visia sativa) 149 35 113 Wheat.. 111 45 58 Fertilizer Experiments on Meadow Land. (KENTUCKY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN, No. 23, FEBRUARY, 1890.) On low and decidedly wet land. ENGLISH BLUE GRASS. Fertilizers Used Per Acre. Amount Per Acre in Pounds. Yield of Hay in Pounds Per Acre. Sulphate of potash 160 3,000 Muriate of potash 160 2,950 Nitrate of Soda 160 3,100 Sulphate of ammonia 130 3,600 No fertilizer 2,850 Stable manure * 20 loads 2,970 Tobacco stems . 4,000 4,700 Fertilizer Experiments on Meadow Land. Continued. TIMOTHY. Kind of Fertilizer Used. Sulphate of potash . . . Muriate of potash Nitrate of Soda Sulphate of ammonia. No fertilizer Stable manure Tobacco stems. . Amount Per Acre in Pounds. 160 160 160 130 20 loads 4,000 Yield of Hay in Pounds Per Acre. 1,900 2,320 2,670 2,520 1,620 2,200 3,350 Food for Plants 271 Time Required for the Complete Exhaustion of Available Fertilizing Materials and the Amounts of Each Remain- ing hi the Soil During a Period of Seven Years. (FROM SCOTTISH ESTIMATES.) ON UNCULTIVATED CLAY LOAM. Kind of Fertilizer. Exhausted (in years). Per cent, remaining in the soil un- exhausted at the end of each year. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lime 12 80 65 55 45 35 25 20 Bone meal 5 60 30 20 10 00 00 00 Phosphatic guanos 5 50 30 20 10 00 00 00 Dissolved bones and plain superphosphates 4 20 10 5 00 00 00 00 High grade ammoniated fer- tilizers, guano, etc 3 30 20 00 00 00 00 00 Cotton-seed meal 5 40 30 20 10 00 00 00 Barn-yard manure 5 60 30 20 10 00 00 00 ON UNCULTIVATED LIGHT OR MEDIUM SOILS. Lime. . . . 10 75 60 40 30 20 15 .. Bone meal 4 60 30 10 00 00 00 Phosphatic guanos ..4 50 20 10 00 00 00 .. Dissolved bones and plain superphosphates 3 20 10 5 00 00 00 00 High grade ammoniates, guanos 3 30 20 00 00 00 00 00 Cotton-seed meal 4 40 30 20 10 00 00 00 Barn-yard manure 4 60 30 10 00 00 00 00 Food for ON UNCULTIVATED PASTURE LAND. Plants Per cent, remaining in the soil un- Kind of Fertilizer. Exhausted exhausted at the end of each year, 1234567 Lime 15 80 70 60 50 45 40 35 Bone meal 7 60 50 40 30 20 10 00 Phosphatic guano 6 50 40 30 20 10 00 80 Dissolved bone, etc 4 30 20 10 00 00 00 00 High grade ammoniated guanos 4 30 20 10 00 00 00 00 Cotton-seed meal 5 40 30 20 10 00 00 00 Barn-yard manure 7 60 50 40 30 20 10 00 The figures given above are always used in fixing the price for new tenants. In this country no such careful estimates have been made, but the proportions probably vary but little from those in other countries. Amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid, and Potash Found Profitable for Different Crops Under Average Conditions Per Acre. REPORTS.) Phosphoric Nitrogen, Acid, Potash. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. Wheat, rye, oats, corn 16 40 30 Potatoes and root crops 20 25 40 Clover, beans, peas and other legum- inous crops 40 60 Fruit trees and small fruits 25 40 75 General garden produce 30 40 60 Rotation hi Crops. In the changed conditions of agriculture elaborate systems of crop rotation are no longer necessary. With the help of chemical manures and the judicious use of renovating crops farmers are no longer subject to rigid rule, but may adapt rotations to the varying demands of local market conditions. Some American Rotations. Food for Plants 1. Potatoes. 1. Potatoes. 2. Wheat. 2. Wheat. 3. Clover. 3. Grass, timothy and clover. 4. Clover. 4. Grass, timothy and clover. 5. Wheat, oats or rye. 5. Corn. 1. Roots. 1. Roots. 2. Wheat. 2. Wheat. 3. Clover. 3. Clover. 4. Clover. 4. Clover. 5. Corn, oats or rye. 5. Wheat. 6. Oats. RESULTS IN NEW YORK. The general practice among farmers is to buy com- plete medium or low-grade fertilizers in preference to high-grade fertilizers. In high-grade goods, the cost of plant-food is considerably less than in fertilizers of lower grade. Available phosphoric acid is cheapest in the form of dissolved rock (acid phosphate). Bone-meal fur- nishes a cheap source of phosphoric acid in less available form. Nitrate of Soda is one of the cheapest sources of Nitrogen. Nitrogen in the form of dried blood is rather high. Potash in the form of muriate is the cheapest source of potash. In mixtures of fertilizing materials, whether complete or incomplete, the plant food usually costs more than in unmixed materials. When purchasing mixed fertilizers, farmers are advised to purchase only high-grade goods, and then to make a commercial valuation to compare with the selling price. Even in high-grade goods, the selling price should not exceed the commercial valuation by more than $5. For greatest economy, farmers are advised to purchase unmixed materials and do their own mixing; or, in the case of clubs, several farmers can purchase their unmixed materials and hire a fertilizer manufac- turer to do the mixing for them. The following data, taken from the last U. S. Census Report, are of interest in this connection as 274 indicating in what portion of the Stater the largest amount of money is expended for commercial fertilizers: Long Island (Counties of Nassau, Queens and Suffolk) $1,241,280 Monroe County 214,000 Erie County 186,370 Cayuga County 131,260 Oneida County 112,630 Onondaga, Ontario, Wayne, Ulster, Chautau- qua, each from $102,000 to 110,000 These twelve counties use about one-half of the commercial fertilizers used in the entire State. Composition of Fertilizers in Different Classes. If we compare our four different classes of com- plete fertilizers in respect to the average amounts of Nitrogen, available phosphoric acid and potash con- tained in them, we have the following table : Composition of Different Grades of Fertilizers. IN 100 POUNDS OF FERTILIZER.. CLASS OF FERTILIZERS. Pounds of Nitrogen. Pounds of Available Pliosphorie Acid. Pounds of Potash. Pounds of Total Plant-food. Low-grade 1.22 8.18 2 60 12 00 Medium-grade. . . . 1 70 9 10 3 48 14 28 Medium high-grade. . . . Hisrh-srrade. . 2.47 4.00 8.82 8.36 6.02 7 22 17.37 19.60 In the fourth column, under the heading "pounds of total plant-food," we give the sum of the Nitrogen, available phosphoric acid and potash. We notice the following points in connection with this table: 1. The percentage of phosphoric acid does not vary greatly in the different classes of fertilizers. 2. The percentage of Nitrogen and of potash in- creases in the higher grades. 3. The total amount of plant-food in 100 pounds of fertilizer increases in the higher grades, this increase being due to increase of Nitrogen and potash. 4. Representing the amount of Nitrogen in each Food for grade of fertilizer as 1, we have the following propor- Plants _ tions of available phosphoric acid and potash in the 2 7S different grades: Composition of Different Grades of Fertilizers. Nitrogen. Available Phosphoric Acid. Potash. Low-grade 1 7 2 Medium-grade 1 5 5 2 Medium high-grade 1 3 5 2 5 High-grade 1 2 1 8 Cost of One Pound of Plant-Food in Different Grades of Fertilizers. Low- Grade. Medium- Grade. Medium High- Grade. High- Giade. Cost of one pound of Nitrogen Lowest Cents. 20 Cents. 17.9 Cents. 17 Cents. 13.3 Highest 36.8 28.3 26 26.0 Average 26.3 23.2 21 19.6 Cost of one pound ofAvailable Phosphoric Acid. Lowest 6.1 5.4 5.1 4.25 Highest 11.1 8.6 8.1 7.9 Average 8.0 7.0 6.4 6.0 Cost of one pound of Potash. Lowest 5.2 4.6 44 3.4 Highest 9.5 7.3 6.9 6.7 Averace . . 6.8 6.0 5.4 5.0 From these data, we readily see the truth of the following statements: 1. The cost of one pound of plant-food, whether Nitrogen, phosphoric acid or potash, is greatest in low-grade and least in high-grade fertilizers. One purchaser of low-grade goods paid 36.8 cents per pound for Nitrogen, while the highest price paid in high-grade Food for Plants 276 was 26 cents, which is less than the average paid for Nitrogen in low-grade goods. The least amount paid for one pound of Nitrogen in low-grade goods was 20 cents, in high-grade goods 13.3 cents. Similar relations hold good in respect to the other elements of plant-food. 2. In general, the higher the grade of goods, the lower the cost of each pound of plant-food. Tabulated General Summary. In the table following, we give a general summary of the data that have been presented, showing the cost of one pound of plant-food in different forms to con- sumers : Cost of One Pound of Plant-Food to Consumers. Lowest. Highest. Average. NITROGEN IN Low-grade complete fertilizers. . Cents. 20 Cents. 36 8 Cents. 26 3 Medium-grade complete fertilizers 17 9 28 3 23 2 Medium high-grade complete fertilizers High-grade complete fertilizers 17 13.3 26 26 21 19.6 Dried blood 14.8 22.9 18.5 Bone-meal 11.5 32 14.9 Nitrate of Soda 13 15 13.9 PHOSPHORIC ACID IN Low-grade complete fertilizers 6.1 11.1 8.0 Medium-grade complete fertilizers. . . . Medium high-grade complete fertilizers High-grade complete fertilizers Phosphoric acid and potash mixtures. . Acid phosphate or dissolved rock 5.4 5.1 4.25 4.3 4.4 8.6 8.1 7.9 19.5 11.0 7.0 6.4 6.0 6.6 5.1 Bone (total) 3.1 8.6 3.96 POTASH IN Low-grade complete fertilizers 5.2 9.5 6.8 Medium-grade complete fertilizers .... Medium high-grade complete fertilizers High-grade complete fertilizers 4.6 4.4 3.4 7.3 6.9 6.7 6.0 5.4 5.0 Phosphoric acid and potash mixtures. . Muriate of potash 3.7 4.4 16.5 4.9 5.6 . 4.6 Plants can take up Nitrogen only in the form of od . for Nitrates that is, in combination with alkaline base, such as lime or sodium. . 2 77 The Nitrogen contained in all fertilizers, with the exception of Nitrate of Soda, must first be nitrified that is, converted into Nitrate before the plant can take it up. This nitrification is always attended with greater or less loss of Nitrogen. A sufficiency of lime in the soil hastens nitrification, while a scarcity of lime retards it. Nitrate of Soda is the only nitrogenous fertilizer that will do its work perfectly without lime, because it already contains Nitrogen in a form that is capable of absorption by plants. Leguminous plants assimilate free Nitrogen from the air through the medium of the micro-organisms inhabiting the nodules found in their roots. Legumi- nous plants, in the early stages of their growth, avail themselves of the Nitrates in the soil. Nitrate of Soda has been very profitably used in the cultivation of Lucern, or "Alfalfa," etc. Crops that have suffered from wintering, from insects, etc., can, in most cases, be considerably im- proved by top-dressing with Nitrate of Soda. When the soil is very poor in potash, the soda contained in Nitrate of Soda will, to a certain extent, serve as a substitute for potash. It is not, however, a perfect substitute. Poverty in potash can be fully made good only by applying a sufficient quantity of a potash fertilizer. Nitrate of Soda is easily soluble, and it distributes itself immediately through the soil. i Distribution of Nitrogen in the Grain and Straw of the Principal Cereals. NITROGEN PER Two AND ONE-HALF ACRES. GRAIN. Oats, Barley, Wheat, Rye, 82.42 Ibs. 86.61 Ibs. 81.10 Ibs. 67.44 Ibs. Rape Seed, Peas, Vetches, Broad Beans, 176.32 Ibs. 117.03 Ibs. 143.92 Ibs. 181.16 Ibs. Food for Plants 278 Oats, 26.4 Ibs. Rape Seed, 29.75 Ibs. STRAW. Barley, 26.4 Ibs. Peas, 118.35 Ibs. Wheat, 33.06 Ibs. Vetches, 112.40 Ibs. Rye, 29.31 Ibs. Broad Beans, 79.34 Ibs. Distribution of Nitrogen in the Principal Root Crops. NITROGEN PER Two AND ONE-HALF ACRES. ROOTS. Sugarbeet, Beetroot, Swedes, Carrots, Potatoes, 105.79 Ibs. 138.85 Ibs. 165.30 Ibs. 145.46 Ibs. 112.40 Ibs. TUBERS. LEAF. Sugarbeet, Beetroot, Swedes, Carrots, Potatoes, 52.89 Ibs. 80.66 Ibs. 55.1 Ibs. 168.60 Ibs. 15.11 Ibs. SHAWS. The figures in this table show how many pounds of Nitrogen are withdrawn from two and one-half acres of ground. Thus in the low grade "complete fertilizers" the consumer pays more for his Nitrogen than he pays for it in Nitrate of Soda at One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) per ton!!! In the medium grade "complete fertilizers" he pays more than he would pay for it in Nitrate of Soda at Eighty Dollars ($80.00) per ton!! In the high grade "complete fertilizers" he pays as much for it as he would pay for it in Nitrate of Soda at Seventy-One Dollars ($71.00) per ton! Besides which, since one must buy nearly Twenty Tons of low grade fertilizer to get a ton of Nitrate of Soda, or anything like its equivalent, there is a material saving in freight which may amount to 95 per cent, of the cost. Instead of transporting twenty tons of more or less inert material you need only to pay the freight charges on one ton of concentrated plant food that is : substance instead of shadow. Since Nitrate of Soda is the one immediately available Nitrogenous plant food, and costs less per pound for the available Nitrogen it contains, than any other Nitrogenous fertilizer, its rational use is most profitable at present, and has been so since the very 2 79 beginning of its use in agriculture. What Experiment Station Directors Say : "I can safely state that there are a large number of farmers in New Jersey who mix their fertilizers and who find home-mixed material very satisfactory and less costly than the manufactured products." JACOB B. LIPMAN, Director New Jersey Agric. Exp't. Station. "We advocate home mixing of fertilizers mainly from the fact that we can modify the fertilizers to suit the crop and the soil, and can avoid the purchase of elements not required for ordinary purposes."- W. R. DODSON, Dean and Director, La. State University College of Agriculture and Agric. Exp't. Station. "We practice and preach that farmers should mix their own fertilizers. In our experience, it is entirely practical for the farmer to mix his own fertilizer. The work can be done thoroughly enough for all prac- tical purposes." - H. J. PATTERSON, Director Maryland Agric. Exp't. Station. :< This Station has for the past ten years advised farmers to buy high grade raw materials and mix their fertilizers at home. The home mixing cheapens the cost of fertilizers since only such elements as are needed by the plant or are deficient in the soil are used. Prac- tically all of our most intelligent farmers mix their fertilizers at home." E. R. LLOYD, Director Mississippi Agric. Exp't. Station. "We find that as a farm proposition, home-mixed fertilizers are more economical and more effective than the regular factory brands." CHAS. E. THORNE, Director Ohio Agric. Exp't. Station. "On every account, however, financial, educational, agricultural, it is better to buy the crude stock and home mix if one uses a ton or more." J. L. HILLS, Director Vermont Agric. Exp't. Station. F Piants ^ e cou ^ &i ye man y additional recommendations of home-mixing, but it will suffice to state that of 37 280 Stations heard from, 35 advocate this practice. Frequently fertilizers mixed in the factories, upon being analyzed, show a considerable variation and the claim of "uniform mixed" is not a valid one. In order to secure uniform mixture it is just as necessary to observe care in the factory as on the farm. The claim made by fertilizer manufacturers that they only enjoy a monopoly of the custom and habit of being careful and painstaking in their work is not justified by the facts. Frequent practical trials of home mixing by farmers show variations of less than two-tenths of one per cent, as between calculated and actual percentages found by analysis. Moreover, the composition of ready-mixed fer- tilizers varies with the opinion of the manufacturer. For example: In New Jersey there have been over fifty different fertilizers for potatoes offered as being precisely the thing for the potato crop, yet varying widely in their percentage composition. Bulletin No. 173 of the Alabama Experiment Station states that Nitrate of Soda is the most effective source of nitrogen for oats and that it should be applied as a top dressing in March for that crop. When gold ore is sent to an assay office to be analyzed the sender wishes to have the number of ounces of gold per ton determined; in other words he wants to know the percentage of gold in the ore. In buying a fertilizer the user ought similarly to know the percentage of nitrogen (which is the gold of the fertilizer) , for it is worth five times more in the open market than any other constituent that the fertilizer may contain. When you buy your fertilizer, therefore, why not inform yourself of this very vital gold point. You can make as much money by careful pur- chasing of supplies for your farm as you can in wise marketing of what you produce. Insist on knowing values and the nature and quality of the Nitrogen in your goods, which is worth more than anything else in the open market to you personally for use on your land. FERTILIZERS. After the original Chart arranged by Director J. L. Hills, of the Vermont Experiment Station, for the U. S. Government Fertilizer Exhibit at the St. Louis Exposition. Average cost of a pound of plant food in "low," "medium" and "high" grade "complete fertilizers" (Vermont, 1903.) Food for Plants 281 The Nitrogen Cost per Ib. = $102 a Ton for Nitrate of Soda. =$80 a Ton for Nitrate of Soda. = $71 a Ton for Nitrate of Soda. The Nitrogen in Nitrate off Soda, in 1903, cost 15 cents per Ib. The Available Phosphoric Acid Cost per Ib. in low grade. in medium grade. in high grade. The Phosphoric Acid in Acid Phosphate, in 1903, cost 4 cents per Ib. The Actual Potash Cost per Ib. in low grade, in medium grade. in high grade. The Actual Potash in Sulphate of Potash, in 1903, cost 5 cents per Ib. Food for Table of Quantities Required per Acre. Sow (if alone) per Acre Plants - Agrostis stolonifera See Creeping Bent ........................................ 2 bushels Q canina See R. I. Bent ............................................... 3 bushels " vulgaris See Red Top ............................................... 3 bushels Fancy ....................................................... 20 Ibs. Alopecurus pratensis See Meadow Foxtail ................................ 3 to 4 bushels Anthoxanthum odoratum See Sweet Vernal, peren ........................... 3 # bushels Avena elatior See Tall Meadow Oat Grass .................................... 3 bushels Arrhenatherum avenaceum See Tall Meadow Oat Grass .................... 4 to 5 bushels Awnless Brome Grass ..................................................... 20 to 25 Ibs. Alsike or Hybrid Clover ......................................................... 8 Ibs. Alfalfa Clover ........................................................... 20 to 25 Ibs. Artichokes ............................................................ 8 to 10 bushels Australian Salt Bush ............................................................ 2 Ibs. Barley .............................. Broadcast, 2 to 2^ bushels; Drilled, 1# to 2 bushels Beet Sugar ................................................................ 6 to 8 ibs. Bermuda Grass ................................................................. 6 Ibs. Bromus inermis See Awnless Brome Grass ................................. 20 to 25 Ibs. Bokhara Clover ............................................................... 10 Ibs. Broom Corn .............................................................. 8 to 10 Ibs. Buckwheat ................................... ............................... 1 bushel Beans, Field ................... . ...................................... Drilled, 1 bushel Canada Blue Grass .......................................................... 3 bushels Cynodon dactylon-^-See Bermuda Grass ........................................... 6 Ibs. Creeping Bent or Fiorin ...................................................... 2 bushels Crested Dog's Tail ........................................................ 1 ^ bushels Cynosurus cristatus See Crested Dog's Tail ................................. 1 >? bushels Cow Grass See Mammoth Red Clover ..................................... 10 to 12 Ibs. Crimson or Carnation See Scarlet Clover ........................................ 14 Ibs. Corn, Dent and Flint ..................................................... 8 to 10 qts. " Fodder ..................................... Broadcast, 2 bushels; Drilled, 1 bushel " Pop ................................................................ 6 to 8 qts. Carrots ........................................................................ 4 Ibs. Cotton ....................................................................... 15 Ibs. Dactylis glomerata See Orchard Grass ........................................ 3 bushels Douras ........................... ....................................... 8 to 10 Ibs. English Blue Grass See Meadow Fescue ............................ ........ 2 ]/i bushels " or Perennial Rye Grass ........................................ 2% to 3 bushels Festuca elatior See Tall Meadow Fescue .................................... 2^ bushels heterophylla See Various Leaved Fescue ............................... 3 bushels " ovina -See Sheep's Fescue .......................................... 2 } bushels " tenuifolia See Fine Leaved Sheep's Fescue ........................ 3 bushels " pratensis See Meadow Fescue ...................................... 2 Ji bushels rubra See Red Fescue ............................................. 2]4 bushels " duriuscula See Hard Fescue ........................................ 2 >? bushels Fine Leaved Sheep's Fescue .................................................. 3 bushels Flax Seed ............................................................ X to tf bushels Fiorin See Creeping Bent ................................................... 2 bushels Grasses, Permanent Pasture Mixtures .......................................... 3 bushels " Clover for above ..................................... 10 Ibs. Renovating Mixture .................................................. 1 bushel " Lawn .............................................................. 5 bushels Herd's Grass (of the South) See Red Top ..................................... 3 bushels " (of the North) See Timothy ................................ # to 1 bushel Hungarian Grass See Hungarian Millet ........................................ 1 bushel Hard Fescue .............................................................. 2H bushels Italian Rye Grass ............. .............................................. 3 bushels June Grass See Kentucky Blue ......................................... 2 to 3 bushels " Clover See Red Clover ............................................. 10 to 12 Ibs. Japan Clover ................................................................. 14 Ibs. Johnson Grass ............................................................... 1 bushel Jerusalem Corn .............. . ................................................. 5 Ibs. Kaffir Corn ...................................................... .' ....... 8 to 10 Ibs. Kentucky Blue Grass ........................................................ 3 bushels Table of Quantities Required per Acre. Sow (if alone) per Acre Food for Plants Lupins. . . . ..... .............................................. 2 to 3 bushels Lohum itahcum See Italian Rye Grass ........................................ 3 bushels Lolium perenne See English Rye Grass ................................ 2 K to 3 bushels 2 3 Lucerne See Alfalfa ..................................................... 20 to 25 Ibs. Lespedeza striata See Japan Clover ............................................. 14 ibs. Meadow Foxtail ........................................................ 3 to 4 bushels Fescue ........ .................................................. 2J^ bushels Mammoth or Pea Vine Clover .............................. . .............. 10 to 12 Ibs. Medicago sativa See Alfalfa ............ '. ...................................... 20 Ibs. Millo Maize See Douras .................................................. 8 to 10 Ibs! Millet, German and Hungarian ................................................ 1 bushel Pearl, Egyptian, Cat-Tail or Horse Millet ........ Drills, 5 to 6 Ibs.; Broadcast, 8 Ibs. Japanese ................................ Drills, 10 Ibs. per acre ; Broadcast, 15 Ibs. Mangels .................................................................. 6 to 8 Ibs. Melilotus alba See Bokhara Ciover ............................................. 10 ibs. Onobrychis sativa See Sainfoin .......................................... 3 to 4 bushels Orchard Grass .............................................................. 3 bushels Oats ....................................................................... 3 bushels Parsnip ....................................................................... 6 Ibs. Poa nemoralis See Wood Meadow Grass ...................................... 2 bushels " pratensis See Kentucky Blue ....................................... 2 to 3 bushels " trivialis See Rough Stalked Meadow Grass .............................. 1 J^ bushels " arachnif era See Texas Blue Grass ........................................... 6 Ibs. " compressa .............................................................. 3 bushels Phleum pratense See Timothy .......................................... % to 1 bushel Potatoes ............................................................ 12 to 14 bushels Peas, Field ................. ................................................ 3 bushels " Cow .................................................................. 2 bushels Pea Vine Clover See Mammoth Clover .................................... 10 to 12 Ibs. Perennial Red Clover See Mammoth Clover ............................... 10 to 12 Ibs. Rape, English ............................................................. 2 to 4 Ibs. Red Top ................................................................... 3 bushels " Fancy ............................................................... 20 Ibs. Rhode Island Bent .......................................................... 3 bushels Red or Creeping Fescue .................................................... 2 yi bushels Rough Stalked Meadow Grass .............................................. 1*4 bushels Red Clover (Common or June Clover) ...................................... 10 to 12 Ibs. Reana luzurians See Teosinte .............................................. 6 to 8 Ibs. Rye ..................................................................... 1 J^ bushels Ruta Baga ................................................................ 2 to 3 Ibs. Sorghum Halapense See Johnson Grass ........................................ 1 bushel Sweet Vernal true perennial ............................................... 3 % bushels Sheep's Fescue ............................................................ 2 # bushels Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass See Kentucky Blue ........................ 2 to 3 bushe.s Sweet Clover See Bokhara Clover .............................................. 10 Ibs. Scarlet Clover ................................................................. 14 Ibs. Sainfoin ............................................................... 3 to 4 bushels Sorghums ................................................................ 8 to 10 Ibs. Sugar Beet . . . . ............................................................ 6 to 8 Ibs. Sugar Canes .............................................................. 8 to 10 Ibs. Sunflower ..................................................................... 4 qts. Swedish Clover See Alsike ...................................................... 8 Ibs. Soja Bean .................................................................. K bushel Texas Blue Grass ............................................................. -6 Ibs. Tall Meadow Oat Grass ................................................. 4 to 5 bushels " Fescue ....................................................... 2K bushels Timothy or Herd's Grass of the North .................................... Yt to 1 bushel Trifolium pratense See Red Clover ....................................... 10 to 12 Ibs. " perenne See Mammoth Clover .......................... 10 to 12 Ibs. " repens See White Clover .............................................. 8 Ibs. " incarnatum See Scarlet Clover ........................................ 14 jbs. " hybridum See Alsike Clover ...................................... ---- IDS. Toesinte .................................................................. 6 to 8 bs. Turnips ................................................................... 2to3 bs. Ruta Baga, Russian or Swedish ...................................... 2 to A IDS. Vetch, Spring (Tares) ... ................................................. 2 bushelf " Sand or Winter ....................................................... ;, 1 . bu ? h ? 1 Various Leaved Fescue ....................... ................................ busheli Wood Meadow Grass ........................................................ 2 busheli White or Dutch Clover ..................................................... - 8 ' D f Wheat ... .......................................... W bushel* Food for Plants ,8,3 J| S 5 j 4 to 5 Ibs. J3J3 j J^5 .g i4 oo REFERENCE TABLE FOR VEGETABLE SEED SOWERS. ^23333 3333^3222222x2 if) O 04 (N O ^ O5 00 O CO CO ^^ QQ 2? p ,2 ^ &t o <N t : 5; s : : : N N N ' ' ' N o o o o P-^^R. " s 1 iJ H * H 4- l( <M 43 43 J| \^1 \M \M ss^IIsSfils^ ^ S5 ** a ? 5 *" g H "* M I * O CO o 8S888SSS gPjo og S gg.. S ojo QOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 434343434343434343434343434343434343434343434343 333333333SSS32 Q^ o * 20 to 28 POOOOOOOOO";POOOOOrtlOOOPPO(NO Tf< 00 OO ^ LOOONNOOOt- oooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooo *J^_)+J>J*J+J-tJ-4--*-i-fJ^-t-S-^-*- l|i g |l fe u^OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOC ttMU ^i^ UUK DATES FOR SOWING VICINITY NEW YORK CITY. North, later; South, earlier. As a gen- eral rule, it is pretty safe to allow six days' difference in planting for every hundred miles of latitude. UNDER GLASS. 1 OPEN GROUND. April and May . Anril . . . May 15th to Aug. 1st . May 15th to June 15th April to August August and September June April to July February April May and June April May to July February April May and June April May 10th to July 10th. May 15th to July 15th. Marnh February April to August April to July February April and May February April to August May 15th to June 15th February April and May April April 15th to July 1st. April 1st to Aug. 1st . . March . . . April 15th to June 1st. May 20th to June 20th April 1st to Sept. 15th. April and May April to Sept. 15th May 15th to July 1st. May 20th to June 20th Feb. and Mar. June 1st April to September. . . . KIND OF VEGETABLE : : : : : g 8 | :; i :>;:::: *U o * * * ''~ v 9 W * *S a * epQ... o 3 Z? . . r * ra*s : 3* lifii* 13 j - $a M RHMalit 8 1 23 | S| | ||] 5 pso d d cSuufi i Ml l! Potatoes Pumpkins Radish Salsify Spinach Squash, Summer " Winter Tomato Turnip Food for Plants Index. 28s Abstracts of U. S. Experiment Station Record 22 Acre, Number of Plants to the 211 Adaptability of the Onion to All Soils 161 Advantages of Home Mixing 235 Alfalfa, Cow Peas and Clover Question 127 Alfalfa, Formula for 250 Alkaline Soil Necessary for Grass 88 America's Annual Expenditure for Fertilizer 260 Ammoniates, Nitrogenous Fertilizers '. . . . 219 Amount of Barbed Wire Required for Fences 197 Amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash Found Profitable for Different Crops Under Average Conditions per Acre 272 Amount of Oil in Seeds 210 Analyses of Commercial Fertilizing Materials 264, 264 Analyses of Farm Manures 265 Analyses of Fertilizing Materials in Farm Products; Analyses of Hay and Dry, Coarse Fodders 265-269 Apples, Nitrate of Soda on 171 Application of Fertilizer to Cotton 74 Apply and Mix Nitrate of Soda and Other Fertilizers, How to 23 Are the Farmers of Little Europe More Intelligent than those of America? 13 Asparagus 50, 143, 151 Availability in Fertilizer 232 Availability of Nitrogen in Various Forms 16 Average Annual Rainfall in the United States 196 Barley 134, 137 Barley, Formula for 250 Barley and Oats 137 Beets (Table) Grown on Nitrate, Ready for Market Sixteen Days Earlier 145 Berries, Formulas for 254 Better Quality Resulted as Well as Saving in Time and Increase in Crop 144 Buckwheat 140 Bulletin of North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture 74 Burbank, What Luther, says 174 Business Laws in Brief . . 200 Food for PAGE Plants Cabbage, Early 145 286 Cabbages and Cauliflower 154 Calculations for Home Mixing 240, 241 Cantaloupes 155 Capacity of Cisterns for Each Ten Inches in Depth 209 Carrying Capacity of a Freight Car 199 Catch-Crops 25 Cauliflower and Cabbages . 154 Celery 59, 145, 155 Chemical Manures. Nature of 24 Chile Saltpetre 224 Chile's Supply of Nitrate 17 Citrus Fruits, Formulas for 255, 256 Clark's Grass Cultivation, Nitrate of Soda as Used in 91 Clover, Alfalfa and Cow Peas Question 127 Clovers, Formula for 250 Common Salt, Use of '. 164 Comparative Availability of Nitrogen in Various Forms. ... 19 Comparison of Nitrate of Soda and Sulphate of Ammonia, Both With and Without Lime 135 "Complete Fertilizers" and "Phosphates" the Most Expen- sive Plant Food 12 Composition of Different Classes of Fertilizers 274 Composition of Fertilizers in Different Grades 274 Corn 141 Corn, Formulas for 248 Corn, Sweet 147 Cost of Active (Available) Nitrogen 38 Cost of Nitrogen in Nitrate of Soda 276 Cost of One Pound of Plant Food in Different Grades of Fer- tilizers 275 Cost of One Pound of Plant Food to Consumers 276 Cost of Transportation of Fertilizers 21 Cost of Transportation per Ton of Material 21 Cotton 71 Cotton, Experiments at South Carolina Experiment Station. 76 Cotton Fertilizing 74 Cotton and Fibre Plants 71 Cotton, Formula for 251 Cotton, Profitable Use of Nitrate on 76 Cotton-Seed Meal and Nitrate Compared on Wheat 131 Cow Peas, Formula for 250 Cow Peas, Alfalfa and Clover Question 127 Crop Was Saved From Total Failure, How a 145 PAGE Food for Cucumbers 58, 146 Plants Cucumbers, Squashes and Melons 160 287 Currants, Gooseberries, Raspberries 187 Defects and Losses in the Use of Ordinary Nitrogens .' 30 Distribution of Nitrogen in the Grain and Straw of the Prin- cipal Cereals 277 Distribution of Nitrogen in the Principal Root Crops 278 Dollar Spent in Nitrate Returned $21.00 in Increased Crop. 145 Doubling the Cotton Crop 76 Early Cabbage 54, 145 Early Growth of Plants 34 Early Lettuce 148 Early Peas 149 Early Potatoes 60, 150 Early Table Beets 48 Early Table Turnips 55 Early Tomatoes 52, 151 Economy in the Purchase of Fertilizers, Home Mixtures. . . . 226 Economical and Profitable Practice 91 Edible Value of Plant, Special Influence of Nitrate on 31 Effect of Nitrate on Quality of Hay 86 Egg Plant 148 Eminent Scientists Well Acquainted with Value of Nitrate. 9 Equipment for Home Mixing 239 Equivalent Quantity of Nitrate Food 37 Estimating Measures : 205 Excess of Value of Hay Over Cost of Fertilizers 90 Experiments in England, Wheat 131 Experiments on Cotton at the South Carolina Experiment Station 77 Experiments on Tobacco at the Kentucky Experiment Station 82 Experiments with Fertilizers on Cotton 75 Experiments with Fertilizers on Sweet Potatoes 168 Experiments with Fertilizers on Tomatoes 170 Experiments with Forage Crops 68 Experiment on Wheat with Nitrogen 136 Extraordinary Returns on Celery 146 Facts for Builders 206 Facts for the Weatherwise 202 Farm Sewage Disposal 222 Farmers' Bulletin, No. 107. Prepared in the Office of Ex- periment Stations 218 Food for PAGE Plants Farmers' Barometer 203 288 Farmyard Manure Compared with Nitrate 25 Farmyard Manure, Management of 222 Farmyard Manure and Other Products are Valuable, Why. . 29 Ferns, How to Revive 211 Fertilizer Experiments on Meadow Land 270 Fertilizers Employed as Source of Nitrogen 32 Fertilizers (Diagram) 281 Fertilizers for Fruits (Bulletin 66, Hatch Experiment Station) 171 Fertilizers for Vegetables and Small Fruits 15 Fertilizers in Use for Garden Crops, What 16 Fertilizing Cotton 74 Fertilizing Hay Crops in California 122 Field Experiments with Nitrate at Highland Farms 116 Figs 189 Financial Profit from Use of Nitrate 88 Flax 80 Flowers 156 Food Necessary for Plants 5 Forage Crops, Experiments with 68 For Crops of Low Commercial Value 62 Formulas for Citrus Fruits 255, 256 Formulas for Farm Crops 248-253 Formulas for Fruits and Berries 254 Formulas for Market Garden Crops 253 Forty Bushels of Wheat to the Acre a Possible Average 131 Free Use of the Harrow and Pulverizer 163 Fruits 171 Fruits, Formulas for 254 Fruits Generally, Nitrate of Soda for 172 Fruits, Nitrate on 35 Functions of Nitrate, Unusual 30 Gains from Use of Nitrate of Soda 66 Gain in Time Remarkable, Two Weeks in Advance 147 Garden Crops, Market 48, 152 General Directions for Staple Crops 258 General Fruit Formula per Acre 254 General Points as to Methods of Application 221 Good Results Due to Nitrate 215 Gooseberries, Currants, Raspberries 187 Grain and Hay 62 Grains, Grasses, Root Crops, Pastures, Soiling Crops, Nitrate as a Top-Dressing for 24 Grape Fruit, Formula lor 256 PAGE Food for Grapes 189 Plants Grass Growing for Profit 83 289 Grass Lands, Formulas for 249, 250 Grasses, Grains, Root Crops, Pastures, Soiling Crops, Nitrate as a Top-Dressing for 24 Greenhouse Plant Food 158 Growing Timothy Hay for Market 91 Harrow and Pulverizer, Free Use of the 153 Hay 63 Hay and Grain 62 Hay, Growing Timothy for Market * 91 Hay, How Nitrate Improves the Quality of the 86 Hay Lands, Formulas for 249, 250 Hemp 80 Highland Experimental Farms, Report of Experiments 108 Hints for Farmers 209 Hints for Right Use of Nitrate 19 Home-Mixing of Fertilizers 230 Home-Mixing Table 247 Hops. A Record of Four Years' Experiments with Hops. . . 142 Hops, Formula for 253 How a Crop was Saved from Total Failure 145 How All Nitrogen is, of Necessity, Nitrated, and Slowness of Process 35 How All Crops Grow 24 How and Where to Buy Fertilizing Materials 20 How Deep in the Ground to Plant Corn 197 How Nitrate of Soda Helps Crops 45 How Grain Will Shrink 197 How It Pays 88 How Money Crops Feed 28 How Much Shall be Applied 64 How Nitrate Benefits the Farmer 7 How Nitrate Increases Wheat Crops 24 How Nitrate Improves the Quality of the Hay 86 How Nitrate Neutralizes Soil Acids and Sweetens the Soil . . 88 How Nitrate Saves Time, Money and the Crop 34 How to Apply Nitrate of Soda to Wheat 129 How to Apply Phosphatic Fertilizers 20 How to Measure Corn in Crib, Hay in Mow, etc 199 How to Mix and Apply Nitrate of Soda and Other Fertilizers. 19 How to Preserve Eggs 205 How to Rent a Farm 202 How to Save Humus 223 Food for PAGE s How to Save Money on Fertilizers . . 13 290 How to See the Wind 203 How to Top-Dress : 35 How to Treat Sunstroke 200 How to Use Chemical Fertilizers to Advantage 24 Increase in Crop, Better Quality and Saving in Time 144 Increase of Crops from Same Quantity of Nitrogen from Dif- ferent Sources 16 Increased Yield on Turnips and Swedes 171 Indispensable, Why Nitrate is 5 Intrinsic Values of Nitrogens 30 Irish Potatoes, Formula for 252 Kale . 148 Late Potatoes 150 Lawns and Golf Links 158 Lemons, Formula for 256 Length of Navigation of the Mississippi River 198 Lettuce 159 Litter 222 Losses and Defects in the Use of Ordinary Nitrogens 30 Making Two Blades of Grass Grow Where One Blade Grew Before 85 Management of Farmyard Manure 222 Margin of Profit Greater 215 Mandarin Oranges, Formula for 255 Mangolds 160 Manures 221 Market Garden Crops 48, 152 Market Garden Crops, Formula for 253 Market Gardening with Nitrate 143 Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. Bulletin No. 91. Nitrate of Soda vs. No Nitrate of Soda, Applied on Wheat; Wheat Unfertilized in Fall 135 Materials Not to be Mixed 246 Materials Used in Making Commercial or Chemical Manures 224 Melons, Cucumbers and Squashes 160 Methods of Home Mixing 239 Mix and Apply Nitrate of Soda and Other Fertilizers, How to 19 Mixing, Home 227, 230 Modern Agriculture, Position of Nitrate in 9 Moisture in Soil, Necessity of 163 PAGE Food for Money Crops, Results of Nitrate on 36 Plants Muskmelons 57 2gi Nature of Chemical Manures 24 Natural Plant Food, Sources of 32 Nearly Always Deficient, Nitrate 5 Necessity of Moisture in Soil 163 Neutralizes Soil Acids and Sweetens the Soil, How Nitrate. . 88 New Jersey Experiment Station, Abstract from Bulletin 172 38 Nitrate 6 Nitrate, Its Use is Increasing 12 Nitrate Nearly Always Deficient 5 Nitrate Pre-Digested Nitrogen 29 Nitrate Compared with Farmyard Manure 25 Nitrate Test at Kentucky Experiment Station 139 Nitrate of Soda as Used in Clark's Grass Cultivation 91 Nitrate and Cotton-Seed Meal Compared on Wheat 135 Nitrate as a Top-Dressing for Grains, Grasses, Root Crops, Pastures, Soiling Crops 24 Nitrate of Soda, Amount to Apply on Wheat 67 Nitrate of Soda, How Used on Cereals 225 Nitrate of Soda on Apples 171 Nitrate of Soda or Chile Saltpetre 224 Nitrate of Soda for Fruits Generally 172 Nitrate of Soda Niter in Fertilizing. (Bulletin 24, California State Mining Bureau.) By Dr. Gilbert E. Bailey 25 Nitration or Nitrification 223 Nitrogen Should Receive Special Attention 40 Number of Plants to the Acre 21 1 Number of Years Seeds Retain Their Vitality 196 Number Bricks Required to Construct any Building 206 Nursery Stock 191 Oats 138 Oats and Peas for Hay 109 Oats, Formula for 249 Of General Interest 196 Olive Trees, Old, Formula for 257 Olive Trees, Young, Formula for 257 Onions 149 Onion, Adaptability of the, to All Soils 161 On What Crops Nitrate Should Be Used 15 Orange Groves 194 Oranges, Mandarin, Formula for 255 Orange Trees, Old, Formula for 255 Food for PAGE Plants Orange Trees, Young, Formula for 255 292 Other Ammoniates Higher in Price than Nitrate 215 Pastures, Soiling Crops, Root Crops, Grains, Grasses, Nitrate as a Top-Dressing for 24 Peaches 171 Peas and Oats for Hay 109 Peppers 60 Philosophical Facts 204 Phosphates 219 "Phosphates" and "Complete Fertilizers" the Most Ex- pensive Plant Food 12 Phosphoric Acid 6 Pioneer Farmers' Wasteful Methods 9 Plant Food Needs of Crops 36 Points as to Prices of Farm Products and Nitrate Prices. . . . 214 Poison Ivy, How to Kill 211 Position of Nitrate in Modern Agriculture 9 Potashes '. 6, 220 Potatoes 150 Potatoes, Irish, Formula for 252 Potatoes, Late 150, 166 Potatoes, Sweet 167 Potatoes, Sweet, Formula for 252 Potatoes, Applying Fertilizers for 166 Practical Conclusions 90 Practical Suggestions as a Result of Experiments 48 Pre-Digested Nitrogen, Nitrate a 29 Price of Farm Products, Rise in 215 Principal Elements, Nitrate, Phosphoric Acid, Potash 29 Probable Stability of Farm Values 215 Profit, Margin of 215 Profits from Use of Fertilizers 46 Profitable and Economical Practice 91 Profitable Fertilization of Grapes. Summary of Experi- ments at Darmstadt Agricultural Experiment Station, Darmstadt, Germany 190 Profitable Onion Cultivation 161 Profitable Use of Nitrates, How Careful Cultivation May Aid in the 92 Profitable Use of Nitrate on Cotton 76 Pulverizer and Harrow, The Use of the 163 Quantity (Equivalent) of Nitrate Food 37 PAGE Food for Raspberries, Currants, Gooseberries 187 Plants Rational Use of Chilean Nitrate in California 172 ;93 Ready for Market Sixteen Days Earlier, Table Beets Grown on Nitrate 145 Reference Table for Vegetable Seed Sowers 284 Relative Value of Different Foods for Stock 208 Report of Experiments, Highland Experimental Farms 108 Results (Good) Due to Nitrate 215 Results in New York 273 Results of Nitrate on Money Crops 36 Results of Saving Small Amounts of Money 211 Results in an Unfavorable Season with Low Prices for Prod- ucts 143 Returns on Celery Extraordinary 146 Rice, Formula for 251 Rise in Price of Farm Products 215 Root Crops, Pastures, Soiling Crops, Grains, Grasses, Nitrate as a Top-Dressing for 24 Rotation on Crops 272 Rules for Farmers, Business 199 Rye 67, 139 Rye, Formulas for 249, 250 Save Humus, How to 223 Save Money on Fertilizers, How to 13 Savings Bank Compound Interest Table 212 Saving in Time, Increase in Crop, and Better Quality 144 Sewage (Farm) Disposal Small Fruits 187 Small Fruits and Vegetables, Fertilizers for 15 Snap Beans 144 Sodas .... 220 Soiling Crops 27 Soiling Crops, Root Crops, Pastures, Grasses, Grains, Nitrate as a Top-Dressing for Some American Rotations Some Practical Hints Regarding Nitrate 220 Sources of Natural Plant-Food South Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station. Bulletin No. 56 136 South Carolina Experiment Station, Experiments on Cotton 76 Soy Beans, Formula for Special Functions of Plant-Food Special Influence of Nitrate on Edible Value of Plant.. . Spraying with Solution of Nitrate of Soda 175 F d f r PAGE s Square Measure 205 294 Squashes, Cucumbers and Melons 160 Stability (Probable) of Farm Values 215 Straight Fertilizer Formulas 243 Strawberries 188 Strength of Ice of Different Thickness 210 Suggestions for Top-Dressing Crops 38 Summary of Increased Yields. From Application of One Hundred Pounds per Acre of Nitrate of Soda 215 Supply of Nitrate, Chile's 17 Surveyor's Measure 210 Sweet Corn 56, 147 Sweet Potatoes '..... 61, 167 Sweet Potatoes, Formula for 252 Sweetens the Soil and Neutralized Soil Acids, How Nitrate.. 88 Table Beets Grown on Nitrate Ready for Market 16 Days Earlier 145 Table, Home Mixing 247 Table of Quantities of Seed Required 282 Table Showing the Number of Pounds of Nitrogen, Phos- phoric Acid and Potash Withdrawn per Acre by an Aver- age Crop 269 Tabulated General Summary 276 Terms Used in Discussing Fertilizers 218 The Amount to Apply 67 The Alfalfa, Cow- Pea and Clover Question 127 Timothy Hay, Growing for Market 91 The Most Expensive Plant-Food, "Phosphates" and "Com- plete Fertilizers " 12 The Quality of Manure and Fertilizers 29 Time at Which Money Doubles at Interest 212 Time Required for Digesting Food 201 Time Required for the Complete Exhaustion of Available Fertilizing Materials and the Amounts of Each Remain- ing in the Soil During a Period of Seven Years. (From Scottish Estimates.) 271 Tobacco 80 Tobacco, Formula for 251 Tomatoes 52, 151, 168 Top-Dress, How To 35 Top-Dressings- 10, 34 Top-Dressing Experiments 36 Top-Dressing Grass Lands 90 PAGE Food for Top-Dressing for Grains, Grasses, Root Crops, Pastures, Plants Soiling Crops, Nitrate as a 24 29S Turnips and Swedes 171 U. S. Experiment Station Record, Abstracts 22 Unusual Functions of Nitrate 30 Use of Common Salt 164 Use of Legumes 127 Use of Nitrate Increasing 12 Value of Mixed Fertilizers, To Calculate 242 Value of Nitrate, Eminent Scientists Well Acquainted with It 9 Vegetables and Small Fruits, Fertilizers for - 15 Vetch, Formula for 250 Vincent's Remedies 209 Wasteful Methods Pioneer Farmers 9 Weight of a Cubic Foot of Earth, Stone, Metal, etc 207 Weights and Measures for Cooks, etc 209 What a Deed to a Farm in Many States Includes 207 What Crops Take Out of Soils 36 What Experiment Station Directors Say 279 What Fertilizers to Buy 13 What Plant-Food Is 28 What Fertilizers to Use for Garden Crops 16 WTiat Nitrate Has Done for Crops 215 What Nitrate is in Agriculture 7 What Nitrate Looks Like; Its Chemical Properties 7 W r hat Percentage of Water Does Hay Lose During Storage? 124 Wheat 66, 128 WTieat, Formulas for 249, 250 Wheat and Oats, Rye and Barley 134 Wheat Crops, How Nitrate Increases 24 Wheat, Cotton-Seed Meal and Nitrate Compared on 131 Wheat Experiments in England 131 Wheat, How to Apply Nitrate of Soda to 129 Wheat on Ohio Farms 131 Where Nitrate is Found 8 Where and How to Buy Fertilizing Materials 20 Why Farmyard Manure and Other Products are Valuable . . 29 Why Nitrate is Indispensable 5 Winter Spraying with Solution of Nitrate 175 Yield of Cured Hay Under Different Rates of Nitrogenous Fertilization Yield of Forage Crops per Acre 69 Date Due PRINTED IN U.S.A. CAT. NO. 24 161 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A 000 871 296 o