Plants 



133 



of the crop, though the method of fertiHzation will also ^^od for 

 influence this to a certain extent. 1 his plant seems to have 

 the power of acquiring from the soil Nitrogen that is inaccess- 

 ible to other plants, and thus, where large applications of this 

 element are made, a tendency to undue vine growth seems 

 to be encouraged, and also to change the marketable quality 

 of the tubers, causing a long, rooty growth, rather than a 

 compact, nodular form. The use of a small amount of 

 Nitrogen is, however, desirable, an increase of from fifty to 

 seventy bushels per acre being secured from such use. Hence, 

 soils rich in Nitrogen, or those upon which Nitrogen has been 

 previously applied in considerable quantities, do not produce 

 tubers of the character demanded by our northern markets — 

 a small, round tuber, which cooks dry and has a nutty flavor. 

 These characteristics of quality cannot be secured in crops 

 grown on heavy soils, nor on sandy soils too liberally supplied 

 with Nitrogen. 



The fertilizer may be applied at the time Methods of 



of making up the rows, in order that it Practice 



may be evenly distributed before the slips 

 are planted. This will encourage immediate growth of 

 plant, and the small quantity of Nitrate which is applied 

 early in the season will not militate against the proper de- 

 velopment of the tuber, as an absence of Nitrogen in the 

 soil after the Nitrate has been taken up will discourage 

 the formation of the rooty form of tuber, which is market- 

 able at a lower price. 



Experiments have also demonstrated the necessity in the 

 soils of an abundance of minerals, and a fertilizer containing 

 2.5 per cent. Nitrogen, 7 per cent, available phosphoric acid 

 and 10 per cent, potash, one-half the Nitrogen to be drawn 

 from Nitrate, seems to meet the requirements better than 

 one containing a larger amount of Nitrogen. 



II. For Crops of Low Commercial Value. 



The growth of hay and the cereals, wheat __ d G ' 



and rye, forms a very important part of the 

 farming interests of the Eastern, Middle and Southern Coast 

 States. The areas of these crops in eighteen States, includ- 



