Food for 'The results obtained by these officials may be summarized 

 _Plants ^g follows: 



64 I. Nitrate of Soda acts very beneficially and with great 



certainty upon all straw-growing plants. 



2. It is of special value for forcing the rapid develop- 

 ment and early maturity of most garden crops. 



3. It is of great importance in the production of sugar 

 beets, potatoes, hops, fodder crops, fibre plants, and tobacco. 



4. It is exceedingly valuable in developing and main- 

 taining meadow grass and pasture lands. 



5. In the early stages of development it produces 

 favorable results upon peas, vetches, lupines, clover, and 

 alfalfa. 



6. It has been applied with much advantage to various 

 kinds of berries, bush fruits, vineyards, orchards and nursery 

 stock, and small fruits generally. 



7. It provides the means in the hands of the farmer, 



for stimulating his crops so that they may better withstand 



the ravages of drought, or the onslaughts of plant diseases 



or insect pests, such as boll weevil, etc. 



_ ^ . 8. It may be used as a surface applica- 



Top-Dressing. . ^ ■^ r ■ ■ ^\ 



tion to the soil, from time to time, as the 



plants indicate a need of it by their color and growth. 



9. It is immediately available, and under favorable 

 conditions its effect upon many crops may be noticed within 

 a few days after its application. 



10. It may be used either as a special fertilizer, as a 

 supplemental fertilizer, or as a mixed fertilizer, in combina- 

 tion with other fertilizer ingredients. 



11. The best results are obtained from its application 

 when the soil has been treated with ample supplies of avail- 

 able phosphoric acid and potash, or where these are already 

 present in ample quantities in the soil. It should always be 

 remembered that it furnishes but one element of plant food, 

 namely. Nitrogen, but this is the most expensive element of 

 the three essential ingredients; and of the various commercial 

 forms of Nitrogen (ammoniates) Nitrate is the cheapest. 



12. Its uniform action seems to be to energize the 

 capacity of the plant for developing foliage and growth. 

 Its action is characterized by imparting to the plant a deep 

 green, healthy appearance, and by causing it to grow rapidly 

 and to put out numbers of new shoots. 



