Plants 



12" 



which received 700 pounds per acre, an increased yield at a ^^^"^ ^°^ 



less cost per unit of harvesting — points of great importance. 



The amount used may range from 400 to ,, ^, , -. tt • 

 o , j-^ J • I Method of Using 



800 pounds per acre, dependmg upon the ; 



conditions, always remembering that the 

 richer the soil and the better its condition the larger will be 

 the amount of Nitrate that can be used to advantage. The 

 beets are usually transplanted, and one-half of the amount 

 of Nitrate of Soda used may be applied either before trans- 

 planting (as the danger of leaching will not be serious) or 

 immediately after, and in about three weeks the balance may 

 be applied. In applying Nitrate after the plants have made 

 considerable growth of top, care should be taken to distribute 

 it as near as possible between the rows, or, if broadcasted, 

 only when the leaves are perfectly dry, so that all of the salt 

 may reach the soil, and thus not be liable to injure the 

 plants. Where it does not seem practicable to make the 

 application of Nitrate of Soda separately, then the Nitrate, 

 in the quantity desired, may be mixed with the commercial 

 fertilizer and all applied at the same time. This practice 

 saves labor and danger of injuring the foliage, though it 

 may result in a slight loss of the Nitrate, as it should be ap- 

 plied long enough before the plants are set to permit of its 

 thorough distribution in the soil. Still, the danger of loss 

 is not great, unless the season is so extremely wet as to pre- 

 vent cultivation. 



In the case of asparagus, which is a per- . 

 . , , ^ , ^1 ^r 1 • Asparagus, 



ennial, the hnal results or the experiments 



have not yet been secured, though the experience of prac- 

 tical growers is unanimous in favor of its use. This crop, 

 as is the case with early beets, requires heavy manuring or 

 fertilizing, or both, for the highest profit. The advantage 

 of the extra dressings of Nitrate of Soda over other forms of 

 Nitrogen lies chiefly in the fact that it may be appropriated 

 immediately, either for supplying the needs early in the season 

 or to stimulate the growth of tops after cutting has ceased 

 and the crowns exhausted. Where manure is used alone 

 in liberal amounts, the top-dressing with Nitrate would not 

 be likely to be so useful an adjunct as where commercial 

 fertilizers, containing high percentages of minerals, have 

 been used, as it must be remembered here, as always, that 

 Nitrogen is not a complete food, but an element of food, and 



