64 



Food for fl^g Nitrate of I408. That is, for every dollar spent for 

 Plants ]sji(-j.^t-g Qf Soda, the crop returned an additional ^21 nearly. 



Celery. 



Crisp stalks of rich nutty flavor are a matter of rapid, 



unchecked growth, and plant food must be present in 



unstinted quantity, as well as in the most quickly available 



form, the best example of which is Nitrate of Soda, The 



soil was plowed early in May, and subsoiled, thoroughly 



breaking the soil to a depth of 10 inches. Thirty bushels 



T^ .. of slaked lime were broadcasted per acre 



Extraordmary . i- 1 r 1 • r n j l 



P mimediately arter plowmg, followed by a 



P . dressing of 20 tons of stable manure ; all 



well worked into the soil. Plants were set 

 May loth. The tract was portioned into three tracts for 

 experimental purposes ; plot i received 675 pounds of Ni- 

 trate of Soda per acre in six applications. May i6th, 22nd, 

 June ist, loth, 17th and 24th. Plot 2 received 475 pounds 

 in five applications. May i6th, 22nd, June ist, 17th and 

 24th. Plot 3 was not treated with Nitrate of Soda. 



Plot I was ready for market July 6th, and was all off 

 by the loth. Plot 2 was ready for market July iith and 

 was all harvested by the 14th. Plot 3 was practically a 

 failure and was not harvested. Plot i, being first in the 

 market, had the advantage of the best prices ; the gross re- 

 ceipts were, per acre, I957.80 ; from which must be deducted 

 $18.67 ^*^r Nitrate of Soda and the application of same — a 

 net result of $939.13 per acre. Plot 2 gave a gross return 

 of $676.30, from which $13.72 must be deducted for ferti- 

 lizer, leaving $662.58 per acre net. Plot i makes therefore 

 a gain of $276.55 over plot 2, simply from the earliness in 

 maturing, due to the heavy applications of Nitrate, for the 

 total crop was approximately the same for both plots. 

 The plot not Nitrated gave no return. 



Cucumbers. 



Plants were set in box frames May 4th. The frames 

 were well filled with rotted manure, and were banked as a 

 protection against late frosts. A portion of the field was 

 treated with Nitrate of Soda ; on May loth each plant was 

 given a quart of a solution made by dissolving three pounds 

 of Nitrate of Soda in 50 gallons of water. Applications in 



