162 Food for Plants. 



line on the lakes. This is too great a difference, as will 

 be admitted by all, and when we think ot* the fact that 

 the railroad companies are ever at work reijairing and 

 improving their liighways w^hile the farmer is apparently 

 so little awake to his own interests in regard to furnish- 

 ing himself with better roads, we wonder why it is. The 

 lesson seems plain and clear, and, as progressive farm- 

 ers, let us continue to aid the good road movement 

 throughout the country. 



Nitrate of Soda is essentially a seaboard article ; sup- 

 plies at interior points are not always available, hence 

 the ports of entry are as a rule the best sources of 

 supply. 



The improvement of our water-ways, so long urged by 

 us, seems at last to be in sight; and farm chemicals at 

 lower rates should ultimately be expected, even at in- 

 terior points. 



It has been the custom of the railroad companies to 

 discriminate heavily and unfairly against Nitrate of 

 Soda by charging almost prohibitory chemical rates, 

 instead of equitable fertilizer rates, and it is hoped by 

 correctly designating the material, the discrimination 

 will not be practiced. 



Farm newspapers, generally, are quite willing to pub- 

 lish wholesale quotations on all those things which the 

 farmer has to sell, and they have not, as a rule, pub- 

 lished wholesale quotations on those articles which he 

 has to buy. Among the latter, agricultural chemicals 

 occupy a position of prime importance, not only as to 

 actual effect on farm prosperity, but as to the actual 

 amount of cash which the farmer has to spend, for his 

 produce comes out of the soil and its amount and 

 quality is determined by the character of the chemicals 

 he puts into it. Agricultural journals generally should 

 make a continued effort in the direction of enhancing his 

 purchasing power, by endeavoring to make him more 

 prosperous. 



