173 



Time of applying nitrate of soda on fall sovm oats, 1896. 



80 LBS. NITRATE OF SODA PER 

 ACRE APPLIED 



No nitrate of soda (av. 2 plots). 



March 28 (av. 2 plots) 



April 21 (av. 2 plots) 



April :30(av. 2 plots) 



May 12 (1 plot) 



One-half on March 28 



One-half on April 30 



Increase 

 per acre 



from 

 nitrate 



Bus. 



12.9 

 2.7 

 4.6 

 4.3 



7.1 



The largest average yield, '29.3 bushels per acre, whs 

 obtained by applying 80 pounds per acre of nitrate of soda 

 March !>8. 



Here the increase per acre attributed to %"! worth of 

 nitrate of soda was 12.9 bushels, worth at 40 cents per bushel 

 15.16, leaving a net profit of $3.16 per acre from the use of 

 this fertilizer at this date. A profit was also obtained by 

 applying 40 pounds of nitrate of soda March 28 and an equal 

 quantity April 30, The yield was less, however, than when 

 the entire amount was applied March 28. 



Nitrate of soda applied under very unfavorable conditions 

 April 21 brought financial loss. Later applications, although 

 under rather favorable soil conditions, were unprofitable. 



The preceding experiment was in its essential points re- 

 peated in 1897-98. Red Rust Proof oats were sown on four 

 plots on a reddish loam soil November 17, 1897. The fertilizer 

 used on each plot at the time of sowing consisted of 200 pounds 

 of acid phosphate and 472 pounds of cotton seed per acre. In 

 addition nitrate of soda at the rate of 80 pounds per acre was 

 employed as a dressing in the spiing, two plots being thus 

 treated March 4, 1898, a third plot on March 29, and a fourth 

 plot on April 27. The soil was damp when the two earlier 

 applications were made and barely dry on the suiface at the 

 time of making the last one. 



The crop was harvested May 23. 



The results follow : 



