Food for Plants. 127 



Chilean Nitrate per acre as would result in any abnormal 

 accumulation of alkali. Moreover, the use of acid phos- 

 phates, associated as they are commercially with sul- 

 phate of lime, converts any black alkali residue into 

 harmless forms of soda. The vast majority of soils in 

 the United States, probably 95 per cent., have a tendency 

 to grow acid rather than to grow alkali; and Chilean 

 Nitrate is, therefore, highly beneficial in such cases. 



The use of potash salts tends to leave acid residuals, 

 and when phosphates and potashes are used rationally, 

 and in quantities suitable for normal plant feeding, the 

 question of Chilean Nitrate leaving abnormal amounts 

 of alkali residues becomes a purely fanciful one, and is 

 not worthy of the serious attention of a practical busi- 

 ness horticulturist or farmer. 



In all our literature, the rational and not the irra- 

 tional use of fertilizers is recommended, i. e., normal 

 amounts of the three elements of fertility. The use of 

 Chilean Nitrate alone is not recommended except at the 

 rate of 100 or 200 pounds per acre, which is a trifling ton- 

 nage application; and we always ad^^se when larger 

 amounts are used, that the horticulturist or fanner use 

 as much in quantity of acid phosphate. 



The vast majority of farm lands of our country, where 

 so-called " Complete " fertilizers have been used, have 

 the tendency to become sour and acid; and Chilean 

 Nitrate could not only be used indefinitely with an 

 extremely beneficial effect in this particular connection, 

 but there is an immediate general need for it. 



An acre of ground one foot deep is the active service 

 part of the soil, and, to a large extent, its chemical com- 

 position determines its usefulness. This service soil 

 weighs on an average 2,000 tons per acre. 



There is enough sulphate of lime or gypsum present, 

 as well as acid, in the average acid phosphate, to 

 materially help the black alkali of many alkaline soils, 

 but gypsum alone may be used also for correcting alkali. 



Since we never recommend the use of Chilean Nitrate 

 alone, except at the rate of from one hundred to two hun- 



