7o6 Rural School Leaflet. 



without much difficulty. About a half bushel will be sufficient, and with 

 a pick-ax this will not be difficult to obtain even in winter. We want 

 this experiment made in the winter, so that there will be plenty of time 

 to think about it before the outdoor work begins in the spring. Wheat 

 is a good kind of plant to work with, since it can stand the cold of the 

 schoolroom. Do not let use feel that this lesson is a failure because 

 sturdy boys have not sufficient energy to get the soil. 

 Describe each of the fertilizing materials. 



Fill each pot with soil and add plant-foods to the different pots as 

 follows : 



1. Nothing. 



2. Nitrate of soda (one-half teaspoonful). 



3. Acid phosphate (one teaspoonful). 



4. Muriate of potash (one-fourth teaspoonful). 



5. Nitrate of soda and acid phosphate. 



6. Nitrate of soda and muriate of potash. 



7. Acid phosphate and muriate of potash. 



8. Nitrate of soda, acid phosphate and muriate of potash. 



9. Same as No. 8, but double the amount of each. 



Dig the fertilizer into the soil, then plant about a dozen kernels of 

 wheat in each pot. Label each pot with the fertilizer names. Place the 

 pots in a window where the young plants can grow. When the young 

 seedlings come up, thin them to the same number in each pot. Grow 

 these until the seedlings have several leaves. What is the difference in the 

 color of the leaves in the different pots ? Those with nitrogen are usually 

 greenest. Which fertilizers give the greatest increase in growth? 



To a limited number of those who cannot readily secure the fertilizing 

 materials, we will send amounts sufficient to carry out this trial, if appli- 

 cation is made soon. The freight must be paid by those receiving the 

 materials. 



The nitrate of soda which we will send contains 15 per cent, of nitro- 

 gen and costs $57 per ton. The acid phosphate contains 14 per cent, of 

 phosphoric acid (PoOr,) and costs $12.50 per ton. The muriate of potash 

 contains 50 per cent, of potash (KoO) and costs $42 per ton. 



Problem t. — How much would a pound of nitrogen cost? Phosphoric 

 acid ? Potash ? 



When a farmer speaks of a fertilizer as being a 2:8:10, he means that 

 it contains two per cent, of nitrogen, eight per cent, of phosphoric acid, 

 and ten per cent, of potash. 



Problem 2. — Which of the fertilizing materials and how much of 

 each would be needed to give 40 pounds of nitrogen, 160 pounds of 

 phosphoric acid, and 200 pounds of potash? How much would the total 

 weight be? Add enough filler (dirt, to this to make it weigh a ton, and 



