266 Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca, N. Y. 



It appears that all the fertilizer plots were about equally early 

 in first fruits, but after the first two pickings the single treatment 

 plot gave the heaviest returns, and this advantage was main- 

 tained throughout the picking season. As between the two inter- 

 mittent treatment plots (Nos, 2 and 3}, it will be obsei-ved that 

 heavy pickings were much more early in No. 2, in which the fer 

 tiliy.ing was completed late in July. The habit of the variety as 

 to the season of its bearing was not greatly affected by the differ 

 ent treatments, but the amount of fniit borne at stated intervals 

 was greatly influenced. It is probable that the plant had deter- 

 min(-d the date of its first fruiting, so to speak, before the fertil- 

 izer became available to it, for the plants were beginning to flowei 

 when the first application \^'as made; but as soon as the fertilizer 

 came into use, the habit of the plant was influenced, and the late 

 fertilizing, delayed, in a measure, the productiveness. At all events, 

 I can offer no other explanation of the Pacts at the present time. 



But these tests alford a means of comparing nitrate of sodi; 

 with no fertilizing, for the check plot (No. 4) received no treat- 

 ment. In each case, the check plot gives the poorest results^ 

 showing that nitrate of soda has a distinct value as a fertilizer. 

 The differences in the appearance of the two plots (Nos. 1 and 4) 

 is well sihown in the accompanying engraving (page 2«)7), in which 

 the check plot occupies the left-hand portion. This appears like a 

 contradiction of some of our former experiments in which we 

 found no benefit to arise from the use of this material. But in 

 foriner tests, the soil was very poor and there was very little 

 potash or phosphorous to mate the nitrogen in the nitrate of soda; 

 but in this test the soil was fairly good. If we repeat our state- 

 ments of a year ago, it will be seen that our present resultn are ji 

 confirmation of former trials rather than a contradiction of them: 

 '' It should be borne in mind that this substance [nitrate of soda] 

 is an incomplete fertilizer and that unless the soil contains potash 

 and plLosphorous in sufficient amount the nitrate is nearly valuta- 

 less. It is simply a convenient and useful fonu in which to apply 

 nitrogen alone." So that, while nitrate of soda is a good tomato 

 fertilizer when applied early upon fairly good soils, we can not 

 recommend that anyone sliould rely upon it exclusively year after 

 year. Potash and phosphoric acid must also be applied at intervals. 



