cultivation, these effects may be confidently antici- £ ood for 

 pated upon all kinds of soils. 



15. All of the plant food contained in Nitrate of " 

 Soda is available and existing in a highly soluble form. 

 The farmer should understand that it is not economical 



to apply more of it than can be utilized by the crop; one 

 of the most valuable qualities of this fertilizer being 

 that it need not lie dormant in the soil from one season 

 to the next. 



16. The best results are secured when it is applied 

 during the early growing period of the plant. If 

 applied too late in the development of the plant, it has a 

 tendency to protract its growing period and to delay the 

 ripening of the fruit, as the energies of the plant are 

 immediately concentrated upon developing its growth, 

 after a liberal application of Nitrate of Soda. This is 

 true with some exceptions. 



17. The farmer must not expect it to excuse him 

 from applying proper principles of land drainage, or 

 cultivation of the soil, nor should Nitrate of Soda be 

 used in excessive quantities too close to the plants that 

 are fertilized with it. For most agricultural crops, 

 an application of one hundred pounds to the acre is 

 sufficient when it is used alone. 



18. It may be applied to either agricultural or 

 garden lands by sowing it broadcast upon the land, or 

 by means of any fertilizer-distributing machine in use. 

 If applied in the dry state, in order to insure uniform 

 distribution, a convenient method is to mix it with 

 twice its weight of air-slacked lime, land plaster, or even 

 with dry loam or sand before applying it. It can 

 be applied to the surface, and without cultivation will 

 be absorbed by the soil, or it may be cultivated into 

 the soil by some light agricultural implement, such as a 

 harrow, weeder, cultivator or horse hoe. The capillary 

 movement of the soil waters will distribute it in the soil, 

 and the capillary attraction of the soil when in good tilth 

 will retain it safely until the plant uses it. 



Accepting the conclusions of these scientific men, 

 the use of Nitrate of Soda in agriculture ought to 

 increase proportionately to the dissemination of the 

 knowledge of its usefulness among our farmers. An 



