•14 I^'OOI) lOK 1*I.AN1S. 



12. Its uiiit'onii action seems to be to ener,i>"ize the 

 capacity of the plant for developing growth. Its action 

 is characterized by imparting to the plant a deep green, 

 healtliy appearance, and by also causing it to grow 

 rapidly and to put out numbers of new shoots. 



13. The immediate effect of an application of Nitrate 

 of Soda, therefore, is to develop a much larger plant 

 growth and its skillful application must be relied uiK)n to 

 secure the largest yields of fruits and grain. 



14. Under favorable conditions of moisture and culti- 

 vation, these elTects may be confidently anticipated upon 

 all kinds of soils. 



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

 is available and existing in a soluble form. The farmer 

 should understand that it is not economical to apply 

 more of it than can l)e 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 generally has 

 a tendency to protract its growing period and to delay 

 the ripening of the fruit, as after a liberal application of 

 Nitrate of Soda, the energies of the plant are immedi- 

 ately concentrated upon developing its growth. This is 

 true with a few exceptions. 



17. The farmer must not expect it to excuse him from 

 applying proper principles of land drainage, or cultiva- 

 tion of the soil, nor should Nitrate of Soda be used in 

 excessive quantities too close to the plants that are fertil- 

 ized with it. For most seeded crops, an application of 

 one hundred pounds to the acre is sufficient when it is 

 used alone. 



18. It may be applied in a dry state to either agricul- 

 tural or garden lands by sowing it broadcast, or 

 by means of any fertilizer-distributing machine. It 

 can be applied to the surface, oi- it may be cultivated 

 into the soil by some light agricultural implement, 



