154 PRACTICAL FARM CHEMISTRY. 



etc., have reached some size, however, we should 

 use more care, for if much of the nitrate lodges in 

 the heart of a plant, and slowly dissolves there, it 

 often does considerable injury to the foliage. I al- 

 ways use it alone by itself, and fail to see a single 

 reason in favor of mixing it with any other fertilizer 

 before sowing, although it could be mixed and ap- 

 plied without loss, if the other articles to be mixed 

 with it — perhaps wood ashes, phosphates, etc. — are 

 perfectly dry and the mixture is to be used imme- 

 diately. 



My practice always has been to apply nitrate of 

 soda in small and often repeated rations, perhaps 

 fifty to one hundred pounds per acre, once in eight 

 or ten days, during the earlier stages of growth of 

 the crops. While I am well satisfied with the re- 

 sults of this mode of application, I do not fear that 

 a very great loss would follow a single and large 

 application — say of 300 to 400 pounds — at time of 

 planting. 



In localities far from the sea shores, cotton-seed 

 meal may often be employed to best advantage for 

 the purpose of supplying the deficient nitrogen, but 

 the effect can not be expected to be so prompt as 

 that of nitrate of soda. Use 1,200 to 2,000 pounds 

 per acre, and apply broadcast by means of a fertil- 

 izer drill before planting. 



Sulphate of ammonia, a clean, fine salt-like sub- 

 stance, can be sown by hand, in same way as nitrate 

 of soda, and about in same aggregate quantity, but 

 all in one application just before planting. 



