important. For example, a soil may be rich in organic Food for 



ammonia from vegetable matter turned under as green ^^^°^^ 



manure, and through a late wet spring fail to supply the loi 



available Nitrate in time to get the crop well started before 



the hot, dry summer season sets in. In this case the use of 



a Nitrate ammoniate alone in the highly available form, 



such as Nitrate of Soda, will force growth to the extent of 



fully establishing the crop against heat and moderate drouth. 



This method of manuring is simply Top-Dressing, familiar 



to us all, but which many of us do not fully understand. 



In like manner, if the soil is too rich in ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ 



organic ammoniate, which during the sum- pv,r,cT.v.ofa 

 11 1 -1 ui J I'nospnaie. 



mer months rapidly becomes available, and 



as the fall approaches, the crop fails to show signs of manur- 

 ing, liberal top-dressing of acid phosphate will hasten 

 the maturity of the crop. All soils contain more or less 

 plant food as a natural condition, but this plant food is 

 rarely economically balanced for the uses of the farmer or 

 planter. If crops show a tendency to lodge badly, potash 

 is needed. In many ways, in fact, the special functions of 

 the plant food elements are important, and should have the 

 careful attention of those who have to deal with the plant 

 food problem. There is no "royal road" to the under- 

 standing of the fertilizer or manure questions; they must 

 be "worked out." 



Nitrated ammonia as plant food seems g^g^-^g^j Influ- 

 to influence more especially the develop- ^^^^ ^^ Nitrate 

 ment of stems, leaves, roots, etc., while the ^^ Edible Value 

 formation of fruit buds is held in reserve; , piant 

 in fact, the growth of the framework of the 

 plant. This action is of course a necessary preliminary to 

 the maturity of the plant, and the broader the framework 

 the greater the yield at maturity. The color of the foliage 

 is deepened, indicating health and activity in the forces at 

 work on the structure of the plant. Nitrates also show 

 markedly in the economic value of the crop; the more 

 freely Nitrates are given to plants the greater the relative 

 proportion in the composition of the plant itself, and the 

 most valuable part of all vegetable substance for food pur- . 

 poses at least, is that containing the greatest proportion of 

 combined and modified ammonia. 



