175 



Time of applying nitrate of soda to sprinc/soion oats, 1896. 



120 LBS. NITRATE OF SODA 

 APPLIED 



No nitrate of soda... 



March 28 



April 28 (av. 2 plots) 



May 6 



One-half March 28 ... 

 One-half April 28 



No. of 



days 



before 



harvest 



YIELD PER ACRE 



Grain Straw 



62 

 31 

 23 

 62 



?} 



Bus. 

 10.4 

 20.3 

 ir, . 1 



10.8 

 13.5 



Lbs. 

 376 



414 

 .357 



433 



Increase 

 per acre 



from 

 nitrate 



Lbs. 



9.9 



2.7 



.4 



3.1 



The results with spring oats confirm the teachings of the 

 experiments with fall-sown oats. From these experiments 

 it appears that the earlier top dressing of nitrate of soda re- 

 turned a profit. It is evident that nitrate of soda when used 

 as a top dressmg on oats should be applied not later than the 

 last of March and at least 55 days before the grain is mature. 



In regard to the amount of nitrate of soda which can be 

 profitably used in spring as a top dressing for oats, extensive 

 experiments have not been made here. A single test in 1896 

 on fall sown oats gave a yield of 



o4.1 bushels with 160 lbs. nitrate of soda, 



29.3 bushels with 80 lbs. of nitrate of soda, 



16.4 bushels with no nitrate of soda. 



The larger and smaller amounts were applied as a top 

 dressing on the same day, March 29. The use of 80 pounds 

 per acre resulted in a profit ; the increase due to the additional 

 80 pounds just about covered the cost of the additional fertil- 

 izer. Eighty pounds per acre is certainly safer than a larger 

 quantity, although a heavier application sometimes proves 



best. 



Effect of Lime. 



February 1, 1896, Red Rust Proof oats were sown on 

 four plots of land previously used for truck crops. The soil 

 was rich and more abundantly supplied with vegetable matter 

 than most of the upland in this locality. All plots were fer- 

 tilized alike with a complete fertilizer, except that two plots, 

 received in addition slaked lime at the rate of 660 pounds per 

 acre. 



