Food for k u t thi s i s an experiment experienced farmers do 



not often repeat. A fair green crop of clover, for 



128 example, removes from the soil some 160 pounds of 

 Nitrogen, while in 500 pounds of Nitrate of Soda 

 there are less than 100 pounds. Undoubtedly, the 

 Nitrogen taken from the air is a great aid, but we should 

 not expect too much of it. The method of seeding 

 clovers depends much upon locality and soil needs with 

 reference to previous crops. Crimson clover and 

 Canadian field peas are usually sown in August, after 

 earlier crops have been removed, or even in corn fields. 

 Red clover is commonly sown in the spring on wheat or 

 with oats. 



Wheat. 



The soil for this grain, fall planting, ranges from a 

 clay loam to a moderate sandy loam. For spring wheat, 

 moist peaty soils are used. Wheat is usually grown in 

 rotation, in which case it nearly always follows corn, or 

 a clean culture crop. The nature of cultivation is too 

 well known to require mention here. Both spring and 

 winter wheat are commonly fertilized crops, particularly 

 the latter. The average fertilizer for wheat should con- 

 tain Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. This 

 fertilizer is applied with the seed, and at the rate of 500 

 pounds to the acre. Nitrate of Soda is also applied 

 broadcast as a top-dressing, soon after the crop shows 

 growth in the spring, at the rate of 100 pounds per acre. 

 Like all grains, wheat should have its Nitrate plant food 

 early, and in the highly available, easily digested Ni- 

 trated form, such as is only to be found commercially 

 as Nitrate of Soda. 



The plant food needs of a crop of 30 bushels of 

 wheat per acre amounts to about 70 pounds of Nitrogen, 

 24 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 30 pounds of potash ; 

 this includes the straw, chaff and stubble. One hundred 

 pounds of Nitrate of Soda supplies about 16 pounds of 

 Nitrogen, so that the quantity mentioned for top- 

 dressing is a minimum quantity. Much has been said 

 of legume Nitrogen for wheat, the crop being generally 

 grown in rotation. Whatever Nitrogen the clover may 

 have gathered, a crop of timothy and a crop of corn must 



