224 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN INSTITUTE.  [VOL. XI 
And there are those—almost as ignorant of the principles of agricultural 
science as those just referred to—who argue that if fertilizers are a source 
of available plant food, all that is necessary is to apply them generously 
and we must obtain increased crop yields. There is an element of truth 
in both view points, but taken as working hypotheses both are false and 
wrong. Weare endeavouring to give our farmers information respecting 
the functions, uses and limitations of fertilizers from a sane and scientific 
standpoint. Fertilizers are no panacea to remedy the evils of poor 
farming, but they can be so used as to increase the farmer’s profits. The 
advocacy in this war-time campaign, of a large and practically indis- 
criminate employment as urged by some well meaning persons, would 
I am sure be fraught with failure and loss. 
We begin, then, this study of the profitable use of fertilizers by a 
consideration of the factors that limit crop growth, other than that of 
available plant food. First, are the conditions that are under our 
control so favourable that the fertilizer can perform its function of 
nourishing the crop? The nature and physical condition of the soil, 
its moisture-holding capacity (dependent on texture and humus content), 
its degree of aeration, its drainage, etc., are to be considered. Next, the 
seasonal conditions of the district likely to prevail are to be taken into 
account, the distribution of rain, the temperature, the hours of sunshine, 
etc. The probability is that over the larger part of the Dominion 
seasonal conditions are the most potent of all the determinative factors 
in crop yields. 
And, lastly, there is the nature of the crop, its special requirements, 
its inherited capacity for growth and reproduction. All these factors have 
an important bearing on the scheme of fertilization, profoundly modifying 
the influence and effect of fertilizers. We cannot now stay to elaborate 
these factors, but one or two illustrations may be given to emphasize their 
réle and importance. Remembering that the soil must be a comfortable 
habitat for the crop’s root system, well aerated, moist and mellow, what 
opportunity has a fertilizer to play its part successfully in nourishing 
the crop in a stiff, heavy, plastic, undrained clay? Or, again, if the light 
and sandy soil, deficient in humus, dries up with a few days’ drought, 
how can fertilizers feed the crop, for plants can only absorb their soil 
plant food in a soluble form? If there is danger of early autumnal frost, 
the fertilizing scheme must be towards hastening the ripening of the 
crop. And, lastly, if we are sowing a variety of oats the prolificness of 
which is measured by say, forty bushels per acre, can we make it yield 
sixty bushels by simply feeding the crop? Thus, soil, season and seed 
must all receive attention if the fertilizer application is to be rational 
and with a fair expectation of profits. 
