With regard to the matter of fertiHzing cantaloupes, con- ^°°^ ^^^ 

 tinuous and rapid growth is essential to earliness and a good ^°^^ 

 crop, and Nitrate of Soda under the proper r 4- i ^^^ 



itions and with proper care, will yield 

 such results. A dressing of Nitrate of Soda alongside the 

 rows in cultivating, in addition to the general fertilizer used, 

 has been most successful. A general fertilizer may be made 

 up as follows: 



Dried Blood or Cotton-Seed Meal 400 lbs. 



Superphosphate (14 per cent.) or Peruvian guano 600 lbs. 



Sulphate of potash 200 lbs. 



The points to be observed in the use of ^ , ^ . . 



TVT. re J A -J J General Points as 



Nitrate of boda are: Avoid an excess, and ,,,,,,, 



• J irr -1 1- r to Method of 



avoid wetting the foliage with solutions of . .. . 



it, and do not sprinkle the wet foliage with 

 dry Nitrate, and in general Nitrate must not be allowed to 

 come in contact with the stems or leaves of plants. Nitrate 

 of Soda is a nitrated ammoniate, and is immediately available 

 as plant food. The general fertilizer above suggested may 

 be applied at the rate of 1,200 pounds to the acre, and subse- 

 quent applications of Nitrate of Soda may be made at the 

 rate of 100 pounds to the acre, say about two weeks apart, 

 during the growing season, and best by placing the Nitrate 

 well mixed with land plaster or fine dry soil before applying, 

 say one-quarter of an ounce to one-half of an ounce to each 

 hill. There is no Nitrogenous Fertilizer in the market at the 

 present time which sells as low as thirteen cents a pound for 

 the Nitrogen contained in it, which is what Nitrate Nitrogen 

 would cost at the price of ^2.00 per cwt. In looking at 

 quotations Nitrogen in Sulphate of Ammonia costs fifteen 

 or sixteen cents wholesale; and Dried Blood, Tankages and 

 Mixed Fertilizers anywhere from sixteen to twenty cents. 

 Nitrate is, therefore, the cheapest Ammjniate in the market 

 even at its present quoted price of two dollars and twenty-five 

 cents a hundred. The latter price is wholesale and applies 

 only to lots of five tons or more. The prices for all Nitro- 

 genous Fertilizers are likewise wholesale for five to fifteen- 

 ton lots, and smaller amounts cost more. It should be borne 

 in mind that prices for all agricultural crops have risen pro- 

 portionately much higher than Nitrogenous Fertilizers, and 

 especially so as to Nitrate of Soda. 



