Nitrate of Soda used as a top-dressing on the soil. Frequent Food fof 

 trials at Agricultural Experiment Stations the world over 8 



fully prove this to be so. 97 



MARYLAND 

 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, 



Bulletin No. 91. 

 Page 44. Table 7. 



Nitrate of Soda vs. No Nitrate of Soda Applied on 

 Wheat; Wheat Unfertilized in Fall. 



Plot No. Yield of Grain per Acre, Bushels. 



1. Neither fertilizer nor Nitrate of Soda 10.4 



2. Nitrate of Soda, with no Other Fertilizer 18.1* 



Comparison of Nitrate of Soda and Sulphate of Am- 

 monia Both With and Without Lime. 



As has already been explained, the Nitrate of Soda and 

 Sulphate of Ammonia represent the mineral sources of Nitro- 

 gen commonly found on the market. The Nitrate of Soda 

 is readily soluble in water and is directly available to plants ; 

 while the Sulphate of Ammonia, though quite soluble, has to 

 be changed into Nitrate before it can be used by crops. 

 Hence the action of these two materials is not the same on 

 different soils and under varying weather conditions. The 

 sulphate has been preferred by some because it would act 

 slower; yet if conditions for nitration were unfavorable, it 

 might not be available to the crop when needed. Again, 

 under some circumstances, Sulphate of Ammonia has been 

 found to be actually harmfulf to plants. The use of Lime In 

 connection with the Sulphate of Ammonia has been found by 

 Professor Wheeler, of Rhode Island, to be valuable, in 

 many cases, as a correction of its harmful effects and to be 

 necessary for its nitrification. Professor Wheeler has made 

 a very exhaustive study of the use of Lime with these mineral 

 sources of Nitrogen ; they agree, in the main, with the results 

 obtained at this Station. 



*Gain of 7.8 bushels, or 75 per cent. 



j" On account of its leaving a strong mineral acid residue in the soil, 

 after its Nitrogen has been nitrated by the soil. 



