428 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



shows that a large application may be used. It should be remem- 

 bered that in supplying plants with food, the same law holds true 

 as in supplying animals with food. After the early stages of growth 

 have been passed it is not possible for the food to be as valuable as 

 if supplied in the early stages of growth. In the case of a growing 

 pig, for example, if he is supplied with simply a ration of corn until 

 he has passed the growing period it is not possible, by subsequent 

 feeding, to build a large frame work of muscle and bone. So with 

 plants, if the food is not supplied in the early stages of growth it 

 is not possible by subsequent application of fertilizers to secure as 

 large or as thrifty plants as if the food had been supplied at an 

 earlier period. 



The subject of plant food undoubtedly has an important part in 

 producing new varieties of plants and also in the perpetuation of 

 some desirable property. The subject of plant food is interesting 

 not only to the farmer and horticulturist, but also to the floricult- 

 urist. Take, for instance, any plant of a leafy nature, the leaves of 

 which are of a yellowish tinge and the plant in a generally unthrifty 

 condition. If not more than half teaspoon of a mixture of nitrate 

 of soda, sulphate of potash and acid phosphate of lime dissolved in 

 half a gallon of water be fed to the plant a little at a time, for a few 

 days, the influence of this plant food upon the foliage, vigor and 

 general appearance of the plant will be apparent. If luxuriant 

 foliage is desired the proportion of nitrate of soda should be in- 

 creased. If flowers of greater brilliancy are sought then part of the 

 nitrate should give way to more of the phosphate. 



The feeding of plants is founded upon a rational basis ; it is 

 simply supplying that which nature is unable to furnish because of 

 an impoverished condition of the soil. The feeding of plants, like 

 the feeding of animals, is an exact science based upon the laws of 

 nature. Many of these laws, however, are as yet not perfectly 

 understood, but it is hoped that in the near future our knowledge in 

 regard to the subject of plant food will be more extensive. 



