It will be seen that the addition of Nitrate of Soda to Food for 



the bone-black and potash gave an increase of 65 bushels per Plants 



acre, and that the Nitrate, bone-black and potash, together J 33 

 costing $12.34, produced a little larger yield than 20 tons of 

 manure, costing $30.00. 



"Another point of considerable importance, since it has reference to the 

 salability of the potatoes, was noticed at the time of digging, viz.: That those 

 grown with chemical manures alone were bright and smooth of skin, while at 

 least one-third of those grown with barn-yard manure were rough and par- 

 tially covered with scurf." 



Tomatoes. 



Tomatoes are successfully grown on all soils, excepting 

 very light sand or a very heavy clay; with irrigation, they 

 may be grown profitably on light sandy soils. The soil must 

 be plowed deeply, and thoroughly worked. It is generally 

 best to buy plants from a reputable grower, unless the crop is 

 planted on a large scale for canning, in which case plants are 

 grown under special instructions of the cannery. The main 

 feature in profitable tomato growing is to maintain a rapid, 

 steady growth. The soil should be kept pulverized at the sur- 

 face as a mulch, for the crop uses enormous quantities of 

 water. The plants continue bearing until frost, hence the 

 earlier fruiting commences 'the heavier the crop through sim- 

 ply having a longer period in bearing. Ten tons per acre 

 is by no means an unusual yield, but plant food must be used 

 with a free hand. 



The New Jersey Experiment Station made an experi- 

 ment with different forms of ammoniates on this crop, and the 

 Nitrated ammoniate (Nitrate of Soda) not only produced the 

 largest crops, but also the largest quantity of "early" toma- 

 toes, and the lowest per cent, of culls. The yield was twelve 

 per cent, greater than that from sulphate of ammonia, and 

 sixty-eight per cent, greater than that from dried blood. As 

 soon as the plants are well rooted, top-dress with 200 to 300 

 pounds of Nitrate of Soda per acre, worked into the soil 

 about the plants. Farm-yard manure may be used on this 

 crop when grown for canning, but the results are always 

 doubtful, as a continued stretch of dry weather may injure the 

 crop through drying out the soil by the large quantity of 

 vegetable matter mixed with it. However rich the soil may 



