14 FOOD FOR PLANTS 



6. It has been applied with much advantage to 

 various kinds of berries, bush fruits, vineyards, 

 orchards and nursery stock, and small fruits gener- 

 ally. 



7. It provides the means in the hands of the 

 farmer, for energizing his crops so that they may 

 better withstand the ravages of drought, or the on- 

 slaughts of plant diseases or insect pests, such as 

 boll weevil, and others. 



8. It may be used as a surface application to the 

 soil, from time to time, should the plants indicate 

 a need of it by their lack of color and growth. 



9. It is immediately available, and under favorable 

 conditions its effect upon many crops may be noticed 

 within a few days after its application. 



10. It may be used either as a special fertilizer, or 

 as a supplemental fertilizer. 



11. The best results are obtained from its applica- 

 tion when the soil contains ample supplies of avail- 

 able phosphoric acid and potash. It should be re- 

 membered that it furnishes the one most expensive 

 and necessary element of plant food, namely. Nitro- 

 gen, and of the various commercial forms of Nitro- 

 gen, Nitrate is the cheapest. 



12. Its uniform action seems to be to energize the 

 capacity of the plant for developing growth. Its 

 action is characterized by imparting to the plant a 

 deep green, healthy appearance, and by also causing 

 it to grow rapidly and to put out numbers of new 

 shoots. 



13. The immediate effect of an application of 

 Nitrate of Soda, therefore, is to develop a much 

 larger plant growth and its skillful application must 



