312 THE SMALL GRAINS 



Little or none of the nitrate of soda will be needed if the 

 preceding crop is cowpeas. The quantity of each fer- 

 tilizer necessary of course varies with local conditions of 

 soil and the kind of rotation used, if any. Phosphorus is 

 usually the most needed plant-food for wheat. At the 

 Ohio Experiment Station, the following is considered a 

 complete fertilizer for wheat : 



200 pounds steamed bone meal 



100 pounds acid phosphate 

 40 pounds muriate of potash, applied in the fall 

 60 pounds nitrate of soda, applied in the spring 



Total 400 pounds, having the formula 4-16-5 



On heavy loam and clay soils a good complete ferti- 

 lizer for oats is one made up of 3 parts, by weight, of acid 

 phosphate to 1 of nitrate of soda and applied at the rate 

 of 200 pounds to the acre. To this may be added 20 to 

 40 pounds muriate of potash for sandy or gravelly soils. 

 In the usual soil of the cotton belt, the most universal 

 need of oats is for nitrogen, where it is profitable to apply 

 an average of 80 pounds of nitrate of soda to the acre. 



It should be noted that large quantities of nitrogen 

 applied in any form will induce lodging, and favor the 

 occurrence of rust and other fungi. On the other hand, it 

 is believed that kainit and phosphates have a tendency 

 to strengthen the straw and reduce the danger of lodging. 

 Over fertilization is especially possible in case of the oat 

 crop. 



338. Time and method of application. All commer- 

 cial fertilizers, except nitrate of soda, are applied about 

 the time of seeding. Nitrate of soda, being immediately 

 available, should not be applied until the roots of the 

 plants are well developed and ready to absorb the soluble 



