pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda should be applied. The Food for 

 roots immediately absorb this available form of Nitrogen, Plants 

 which stimulates and strengthens the plant, and enables it to 5 1 

 appropriate the excess of minerals which have been applied, 

 and, as a consequence, a large, vigorous and healthy growth 

 of top is made, which not only results, in storing the food in 

 the roots for use the next season, but it enables the plant to 

 resist the ravages of the rust. There is no other form of 

 Nitrogen that can be used or other means by which this 

 object can be so readily accomplished as by a liberal supply 

 of Nitrate of Soda, and the result is, not only a larger yield, 

 but a greater proportion of large shoots, which increases the 

 market value of the crop ; the growers who practice this sys- 

 tem have no difficulty in contracting their entire crop from 

 year to year at very remunerative prices. 



A careful study of the special needs of 



plants shows that there is no other one crop Early Tomatoes - 

 that responds more favorably to the use of immediately avail- 

 able Nitrogen than early tomatoes. The influence of the use 

 of Nitrate is not only shown in the increase in the yield in 

 some cases practically doubling it but in the improved qual- 

 ity of crop, and because of the larger crop an increased ma- 

 turity is virtually secured. These are all points of extreme 

 practical importance. The results of all the experiments 

 conducted in different parts of the country and in different 

 seasons show an average gain in yield of about 50 per cent., 

 with an average increased value of crop of about $1.00 per 

 acre. 



In the growth of this crop two meth- 

 ods are used, depending largely upon the Methods of 

 character of the soil and its previous treat- Practice, 

 ment in reference to commercial fertilizers or manures. In 

 the first, where the farmyard manure and commercial fer- 

 tilizers, rich in minerals, have been used on previous crops, 

 then Nitrogen in the form of Nitrate only is used, and the 

 application ranges from 150 to 250 pounds per acre. By 

 this method the yields are not so large, but the crop is usual- 

 ly earlier, and the net profit is quite as great as if larger ap- 

 plications of manure or fertilizer were made at the time of 

 setting the plants. The object is early tomatoes, and, under 

 average conditions of season and markets, any application 

 of fertilizer or any practice which would tend to encourage a 



