Food for Nitrate of Soda. The soil was plowed early in May, 



ants and snbsoiled, thoroughly breaking the soil to a depth 



h6 of 10 inches. Thirty bushels of slaked lime were 



broadcasted per acre immediately after 

 Extraordinary plowing, followed by a dressing of 20 

 Returns on ^ ons Q | s ^ aD } e manure, all well worked 



e ' into the soil. Plants were set May 10th. 



The tract was portioned into three tracts for experi- 

 mental purposes; plot 1 received 675 pounds of Nitrate 

 of Soda per acre in six applications, May 16th, 22nd, 

 June 1st, 10th, 17th and 24th. Plot 2 received 475 

 pounds in five applications, May 16th, 22nd, June 1st, 

 17th and 24th. Plot 3 was not treated with Nitrate 

 of Soda. 



Plot 1 was ready for market July 6th, and was all 

 off by the 10th. Plot 2 was ready for market July 11th 

 and was all harvested by the 14th. Plot 3 was prac- 

 tically a failure and was not harvested. Plot 1, being 

 first in the market, had the advantage of the best prices ; 

 the gross receipts were, per acre, $957.80; from which 

 must be deducted $18.67 for Nitrate of Soda and the 

 application of same — a net result of $939.13 per acre. 

 Plot 2 gave a gross return of $676.30, from which 

 $13.72 must be deducted for fertilizer, leaving $662.58 

 per acre net. Plot 1 makes therefore a gain of $276.55 

 over plot 2, simply from the earliness in maturing, due 

 to the heavy applications of Nitrate, for the total crop 

 was approximately the same for both plots. 



Cucumbers. 



Plants were set in box frames May 4th. The 

 frames were well filled with rotted manure, and were 

 banked as a protection against late frosts. A portion 

 of the field was treated with Nitrate of Soda; on May 

 10th each plant was given a quart of a solution made 

 by dissolving three pounds of Nitrate of Soda in 50 

 gallons of water. Applications in quantity the same 

 were made on the experimental plot May 16th, 22nd, 

 29th, June 3rd, 9th, 15th, 22nd and 26th; making a 

 total of 165 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre. On 

 June 27th the experimental plot was setting fruit 



