selected with that fact in mind. The soil must be kept very ^°o^ *°^ 

 clean and mellow. Stable manure is very objectionable on ^° ^ 

 account of its weed seeds. It is only by a quick, even 4i 

 growth that large, crisp stalks can be produced, and there 

 must be no check through a scanty supply of plant food. 

 In the spring, as soon as the ground can be worked, clear 

 off the rows and loosen up the soil, and apply broadcast 

 along the rows a top-dressing of Nitrate of Soda, from 200 to 

 300 pounds. With this crop, the full application of Nitrate 

 can be made at one time. 



Market Gardening with Nitrate. 



The following is the result of a practical 

 study of conditions on a large truck farm, Results in an 

 near New York.- In every case the opera- Unfavorable 

 tions of the farm were carried out on a Growing Sea- 

 strictly business basis. The soil is a '°^ ^^*^ ^°^ 

 heavy clay with a rather intractable clay Prices for 

 subsoil, decidedly not a soil naturally suited Products, 

 to growing garden crops. The weather was unfavorable, 

 including the most severe drought in thirty years; from 

 March 22d to July 8th practically no rain fell. Owing to 

 the unfavorable season, the grade of garden products was 

 low causing a low ruling in prices. Details by crops follow: 



Asparagus. 



The bed was twenty years old, and had been neglected. 

 As soon as workable, it was disc-harrowed, and later smooth- 

 harrowed with an Acme harrow. Nitrate of Soda was 

 applied to the three test plots April loth, 200 pounds per 

 acre, sown directly over the rows and well worked into the 

 soil. A second application of 100 pounds per acre was 

 made to plot i April 24th; and, on the 29th, a third applica- 

 tion of equal amount. 



The experiment comprised three plots, two fertilized 

 with Nitrate of Soda, and one without Nitrate, plot 3. 

 Plots I and 2, treated with the Nitrate, produced marketable 

 stalks ten days in advance of plot 3, a very material advan- 



