y^\ BRA ?^ 

 e OF THE 



( l/NIVERS 



FOOD FOR PLANTS. 



In part from the writings of Joseph Harris, M. Sc. 



Nitrate is a powerful plant tonic and energizer; it is 

 not a stimulant in any sense of the word; a very small 

 •quantity does a very large amount of work. 



We never recommend the use of Nitrate of Soda alone, 

 except at the rate of not more than one hundred (lOo) pounds 

 to the acre, when it may be -used without other fertilizers. 

 The phosphate, lime and potash manures should usually 

 be applied in connection with Nitrate of Soda at the rate of 

 about two hundred and fifty (250) pounds to the acre of each. 

 This rate will be found generally profitable for all crops. 

 Nitrate is best applied as a Top-dressing in the spring as 

 soon as vegetation begins to sprout. It will be found quite 

 satisfactory also in its after effect in perceptibly sweetening 

 sour land. 



It is well known that animals, and especially young 

 animals, must have all the food they can -c a -k 



I 111 i"^ P OOG iiCCCSS3.iy 



eat in order to properly develop and grow f , pi * 



fat. This is equally true of plants. Plants 



will manage to live on very little food, but to grow, thrive 



and bear fruit they likewise require an abundance of food. 



The food of plants consists of a number of elements, 

 including Nitrates, phosphates, lime and potash. A suffi- 

 cient quantity of all these necessary elements, except Nitrates, 

 phosphates and potash, exists in nearly all soils. Nitratrs 

 are nearly always deficient, phosphates usually, and potash 

 often. In some soils there may be enough of all the elements 

 of plant food except one. This may be assumed to be 

 Nitrate. In this case the growth and yield .^ ^^ 



of the crop will be limited only by the . t j- 



rj.j- ■ 1 'i-i IS Indispensable 



quantity of JS itrate it can assimilate. 1 here 



might be an abundant supply of all the other elements. 



