68 Gardening Under Glass 



since it will not burn the roots as many complete 

 mixed fertilizers are likely to do. The coarse 

 ground bone is used in solid beds, in making com- 

 posts, and wherever there is no special necessity 

 for quick results. 



Nitrate of Soda is the next necessity. This 

 looks and tastes like common coarse salt, is very 

 soluble, and is the quickest acting fertilizer 

 known. You can, literally, see the results from 

 an application of nitrate of soda in twenty-four 

 hours! It is so stimulating, it should be used 

 with great care. The first time I ever used it 

 was on some Lettuce under glass, and I sprinkled 

 it on generously, like any ordinary fertilizer, not 

 knowing any better. A few lumps of it were 

 left by a climbing Rose which had been in pos- 

 session of that spot for a number of years. 

 Then we gave everything a generous watering. 

 Result: In about four days the Lettuce had 

 turned up its toes. And within a week that old 

 Rose, with a stem of an inch and a half in diame- 

 ter, was dead. 



I have known other people who, having similar 

 experiences with nitrate of soda, blamed the 

 nitrate of soda, and refused to use it as being 

 dangerous. They might as well refuse to use 

 kerosene because some people don't know any 

 better than to throw it on a lighted stove! 



