FOOD FOR PLANTS 43 



times as much nitrogen plant food per acre, and pro- 

 portionately a vastly better balanced plant food 

 ration. 



In parts of this country, even where the most fer- 

 tilizers are used, and the best yields are obtained, 

 such yields do not compare with the average yields 

 of Europe, for the reason that we do not use as much 

 available nitrogenous fertilizer per acre. We use 

 proportionately too much of other ingredients which 

 do not compare with Nitrate of Soda as profit pro- 

 ducers. 



Every cotton planter ought to grow more cotton 

 per acre of the best quality. It is not at all necessary 

 to diminish the acres of cotton you are growing; but 

 it is highly desirable for you to grow higher grades 

 for which there is always a splendid market. Nitrate 

 of Soda is the most effective of all the fertilizers for 

 this purpose, and a few hundred pounds of it will do 

 much more work and is far more profitable than the 

 low grade mixtures containing second grade ammoni- 

 ates, which are not available until a year or two after 

 they are applied. With proper cultivation and with 

 reasonable rational fertilization, which requires much 

 Nitrogen, and which necessitates a larger propor- 

 tion of Nitrogen than has ever been used in our Cot- 

 ton Belt, a handsome revenue return to cotton plant- 

 ers is possible. 



Some critics of Nitrate have claimed that it made 

 such a bushy growth of the cotton plant, that it had 

 shaded the bottom part of the plant where most of 

 the cotton is produced under weevil conditions. 

 This will not happen if you put your Nitrate on early 

 at planting time. 



