52 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



remarkable crop, and it was attributed to the fact that the 

 fertilizer applied was composed mostly of nitrogen. I can- 

 not speak from any scientific knowledge, only from observa- 

 tion ; but the crop was so heavy on that little piece of land 

 where nothing but that material was put on, that it took 

 two of us to clear the oats away from the mowing machine 

 when they were cut down. 



Mr. Lyman. In using nitrate of soda, you will, if you 

 are not very careful, be likely to injure the crop. That is 

 especially so with celery and also with asparagus. It seems 

 to cause the celery to grow hollow. You must be very 

 careful not to use too much. 



Mr. Samuel AVheeler. I have had some experience in 

 the use of nitrate of soda on small fruits, and I have used 

 it on asparagus a little, — not, however, entirely alone. I 

 find it is something that must be used very judiciously, and, 

 as Mr. Hersey has stated, we must use our own intelligence, 

 our own thoughts, in the application of it. I think if very 

 many tried to apply it to lettuce or any small vegetable like 

 that, they would be very apt to make a mistake. In regard 

 to the use of commercial fertilizers on asparagus, there is 

 under my observation a piece that has been set out perhaps 

 for half a dozen years ; nothing but commercial fertilizers 

 has been used on this piece ; it is growing better from year 

 to year, and the parties who own it have been very much 

 pleased and satisfied with the results obtained from the use 

 of those fertilizers. I have not grown asparagus very 

 largely, but I have a small piece on which I discontinued 

 the use of barnyard manure some number of years ago, 

 and that piece has had, in addition to commercial fertilizers, 

 nitrate of soda applied ; and I cannot see any difference 

 from year to year when that is put on as a partial fertilizer 

 instead of the fertilizers compounded for that purpose, hav- 

 ing all the ingredients in one. I will say that the piece has 

 continued to increase in productiveness for the last number 

 of years, and I will also state that we have had the name 

 of sending in some of the very best asparagus that has been 

 sent to the commission house where we have sent ours. 



Mr. Augur. One word in regard to the use of nitrate of 

 soda on strawberries. I can emphasize the remark which 



