Food for harvested early, as anyone can grow them in their regular 



^^^"^^ season; their growth must be promoted or forced as much as 



I20 possible in a season when the natural agencies are not active 



in the change of soil Nitrogen into available forms, and the 



plants must, therefore, be supplied artificially with the active 



forms of Nitrogen, if a rapid and continuous growth is to be 



maintained. Their edible quality is dependent, to a marked 



degree, upon this rapidity of development; hence a supply 



of plant-food in reasonable excess of ordinary demands is 



essential, in order that unfavorable conditions of season may, 



in part at least, be overcome. 



^ ^ , Owing to the fact that Nitrate of Soda is 



Top-Dressings r ^ j r u J u 



( w-4- *■ f frequently used after the seed has germm- 



oi JNitrate or i i i j ^' i ^i 



ated and the crop made a partial growth, 



this method of use is referred to as "top- 

 dressing" — that is, broadcasting over the entire surface, or, 

 in the case of hoed crops, alongside the row. This form of 

 Nitrogen is peculiarly adapted for this method of application, 

 since it is so completely soluble that but a slight amount of 

 moisture is necessary in order to distribute it throughout the 

 soil, and, because of its ready availability, it is used by the 

 plant as soon as it comes in contact with its roots. It is the 

 only form that possesses both these characteristics, and is, 

 therefore, to be particularly recommended for those crops 

 which need an early and abundant supply of Nitrogen. 



^ ,., ^ The aim usually in the use of artificial 



Profits From r ^^^ ^ ^1 r 



, „ , fertilizers is to so supplement sou supplies 



the Use of r i r j i.^ • c^ a 



of plant-food as to obtain a proht, and, as 



er 1 izers. already intimated, the profits for the differ- 



ent crops will, to some extent, be in proportion to their 

 economical use of the constituents applied. Still, one should 

 not be deterred from the use of fertilizing materials, even if 

 the conditions should render the application apparently 

 wasteful, or a small recovery of the constituents applied, 

 provided the increase in yield will more than pay the cost of 

 the application. The farmer should calculate what increase 

 in crop is necessary for him to obtain in order to make the use 

 of fertilizers profitable, and if only this is obtained, he should 

 not condemn their use. Many persons seem to have gotten 

 the impression that there is some mystery connected with 

 fertilizers, and that their use is a gamble at best, and are not 

 satisfied unless the returns from the investment in them are 



