8. It may be used as a surface appli- Food f r 

 cation to the soil, from time to time, as the Top -Dressing. Plants 

 plants indicate a need of it by their color and growth. '3 



9. It is immediately available, and under favorable 

 conditions its effect upon many crops may be noticed within 

 a few days after its application. 



10. It may be used either as a special fertilizer, or as a 

 supplemental fertilizer. 



1 1 . The best results are obtained from its application 

 when the soil contains ample supplies of available phosphoric 

 acid and potash. It should always be remembered that it 

 furnishes the one most expensive and necessary element of 

 plant food, namely, Nitrogen, and of the various commer- 

 cial forms of Nitrogen, Nitrate is the cheapest. 



12. Its uniform action seems to be to energize the 

 capacity of the plant for developing growth. Its action is 

 characterized by imparting to the plant a deep green, healthy 

 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 upon to secure the 

 largest yields of fruits and grain. 



14. Under favorable conditions of moisture and culti- 

 vation, these effects 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 highly soluble form. The 

 farmer should understand that it is not economical to apply 

 more of it than can be 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. 



1 6. The best results are secured when it is applied 

 during the early growing periods of the plant. // applied 

 too late in the development of the plant, it has a tendency to 

 protract its growing period and to delay the ripening of the 

 fruit, as the energies of the plant are immediately concen- 

 trated upon developing its growth, after a liberal application 

 of Nitrate of Soda. This is true with some exceptions. 



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

 applying proper principles of land drainage, or cultivation 

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



