Food for Plants. 119 



In many places in Europe the cereals, like oats and 

 wheat, are planted or sown in rows and cultivated as we 

 cultivate Indian corn. It is claimed that this increases 

 yield materially, and is of great aid in helping to avoid 

 lodging. It requires less seed per acre and increases the 

 yield. 



Another method in vogue is to sow less seed per acre 

 broadcast and use more fertilizer, so that the individual 

 stalks are stronger and bigger. 



Autumn dressings of Nitrate are used frequently in 

 Europe, and in connection with minerals a "dressing of 

 as much as three hundred (300) pounds of Nitrate per 

 acre is used annually. 



Instructions for Using Nitrate of Soda on Oats. 



As soon as you sow the oats in the spring, apply the 

 Nitrate of Soda by broadcasting it evenly, by hand or 

 machine, over the entire surface of the oat field at the 

 rate of 100 pounds per acre. In bulk this is equal to 

 about one bushel. 



Formula for Oats. 



Nitrate alone 100 lbs. per acre 



or preferably 



Nitrate ' 150 " " " 



Acid Phosphate 150 " " " 



When potash salts can be conveniently obtained we 

 advise the use of fifty pounds of sulphate of potash 

 to the acre every other year. 



Rye. 



This is another illustration of the necessity of care in 

 the use of fertiUzer Nitrogen. Eye does best on light 

 soils so long as they are not too sandy, but if the soil 

 is rich in vegetable matter, or if a fertilizer is used con- 

 taining much organic ammoniate, the grain yield will be 

 disappointing; the crop fails to mature in season because 

 the nitration of organic Nitrogen or humus is greatest 



