F °piants rea ^y starve for Nitrate; a situation instantly relieved 

 by top-dressings of Nitrate of Soda. 



38 



Suggestions for Top-Dressing Crops. 



It must be understood that fertilizers do not take 

 the place of tillage. However thoroughly a crop may 

 be fertilized, without proper preparation of the soil the 

 result must be more or less a failure. In top-dressing 

 it is very important that the Nitrate of Soda be thor- 

 oughly ground, so an even distribution can be made; 

 the fertilizer must go to the plant, not the plant to the 

 fertilizer. 



From New Jersey Agricultural 

 Experiment Station. 



Abstract of Bulletin 172. 

 The Cost of Active (Available) Nitrogen. 



By Edward B. Voorhees and William S. Myers. 



The annual consumption of fertilizers is, as near 

 as can be estimated, 7,000,000 tons, which at an aver- 

 age cost of $25 per ton, makes a total expenditure of 

 $175,000,000. 



This great quantity of fertilizer is being used for 

 increasing the crops of grain, hay, potatoes, fruits, 

 market garden and staple crops. The money is ex- 

 pended for Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, and 

 notwithstanding the claims made for superior brands 

 and special formulas, the returns have been alone due 

 to the actual amounts of Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 

 potash that these crops have been able to obtain from 

 the total in the fertilizers used, and there is no mystery 

 of mixing about it. 



Of the sum annually paid for the three constituents, 

 Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, if on the basis 

 of an average of: 



Ammonia 2% 



Available phosphoric acid 8% 



Potash 4% 



