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cases, and in every case I found that where chemical manures were 
used injury was insignificant or entirely wanting, while in many other 
fields in which old methods were employed no stand was obtained after 
two or even three replantings, and the fields looked excessively ragged 
and uneven. In one of the bulletins of the Delaware Experiment 
Station this fact is quite evidently brought out, though not aimed at in 
the experiment made. Muriate of potash is less effective than kainit, 
but has very decided insecticide value. Nitrate of soda ranks close 
to kainit in effectiveness, and is peculiarly valuable as a fertilizer from 
the rapidity with which it becomes available as plant food, strengthen- 
ing and stimulating growth as well as destroying insects. I have had 
opportunities several times this year to note wire-worm injury on farms 
treated by chemical fertilizers as compared with those on which the 
usual routine was followed, and the verdict was always and vastly in 
favor of the chemical manures. No insects can live for any lengthy 
time in a soil saturated with these fertilizers. and I have tried all forms 
that have come under my notice. Mr. Fletcher found white hellebore 
very effective against the cabbage maggot; tried on a maggot that is 
found in diseased onions, hellebore was far inferior in its action to kainit 
or nitrate of potash. Truckers using these materials constantly are a 
unit in claiming practical exemption from cut-worm injury, which is 
often very severe on planted crops. 
I have no desire to present statistics on this subject; these I will 
reserve for another occasion; my object will be gained by the few cita- 
tions that have been made and which are examples of those upon which 
I base my faith that the intelligent use of fertilizers will be of very 
great aid in eventually freeing us from the injuries of many troublesome 
species. 
This, combined with other intelligent farm practice will, 1 think, 
prove the main reliance of the farmer in future. Insecticides will and 
must continue to be used in some cases; but in my opinion they have 
been sometimes relied upon to the exclusion of more radical measures. 
The strength at which a substance proves effective, and its action on 
the plant, are matters of importance. Two hundred pounds of nitrate 
of soda and 600 pounds of kainit are not unusually large applications, 
and ealeulating this amount to onion rows I found that to make a 
thorough application I must use the nitrate at the rate of 54 ounces to 
1 gallon of water, and kainit 1 pound to 1 gallon. I made certain that 
these were effective insecticide mixtures, and then had one of our lead- 
ing onion-growers try them over onion rows. They did not injure the 
plants in the least, either as to leaf or bulb, and as 10-foot rows were 
treated, injury would have been quickly noticed. Even the tender foli- 
age of rose will stand a solution of kainit at the rate of 8 ounces in 1 
gallon. 
As a matter of fact the solutions which come into contact with the 
