Food for Plants. 53 



Instructions for Using* Nitrate of Soda on Corn. 



As soon as the corn is planted in the spring, apply the 

 Nitrate of Soda by broadcasting- it evenly over the entire 

 surface of the corn field you are fertilizing, at the rate of 

 200 pounds per acre, which is equal in bulk to about two 

 bushels. 



Our Formula for Corn. 



Nitrate alone -<>'• "'>• ?«• af'i"e 



or preferably 



Nitrate \ -WO " " " 



Acid Phosphate , 300 " " " 



When potash salts can be conveniently obtained we 

 advise the use of fifty pounds of sulphate of potash to the 

 acre ever}^ other 3'ear. 



SMALL FRUITS. 



Under this head we treat of blackberries, currants, 

 gooseberries and raspberries. Strawberries are treated 

 separately. All these small fruits are commonly grown 

 in the garden, generally under such conditions that sys- 

 tematic tillage is not practicable. For this reason such 

 plant food essentials as may exist naturally in the soil 

 become available to the uses of the plants very slowly. 

 This is as true of the decomposition of animal or vege- 

 table ammoniates as of phosphates and potashes. Conse- 

 quentlv, small fruits in the garden suffer from lack of 

 sufficient plant food. All these plants when planted in 

 gardens are usually set in rows four feet apart, the 

 plants about three feet apart in the rows ; about 4,200 

 plants to an acre. In field culture, blackberries are 

 usually set four feet apart each way. 



So far as possible, small fruits should be cultivated 

 in the early spring, and all dead canes removed. Work 

 into the soil along the rows 300 pounds of acid phosphate 

 and 50 pounds of sulphate of potash if obtainable; when 

 the plants are in full leaf, broadcast along the rows 300 

 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, and work in with a rake. If 

 at any time before August the vines show a tendency to 

 drop leaves, or stop growing, apply more Nitrate. Small 



