NITROGENOUS MANURES 265 



risk of loss, except perhaps on the most open soils. 

 Many experienced farmers prefer to apply it to root 

 crops also as a top dressing. It should not be sown 

 carelessly broadcast, because any particles which may 

 remain in contact with the leaves burn holes in them 

 and injure the plants. It must be remembered, how- 

 ever, that the root crops are not. largely dependent 

 upon nitrogenous manures, especially if farmyard manure 

 has been applied to them. In any case, the writer is of 

 opinion that sulphate of ammonia, or some of the slower 

 acting forms of nitrogenous manure, are, in general, 

 more suitable for these crops with the exception of 

 mangolds. 



It has been previously pointed out that nitrate of 

 soda should not be mixed with superphosphates, dis- 

 solved bones, or other acid manures, before application 

 to the soil. It may be safely mixed with basic slag, 

 potash salts, and sodium chloride if desired, but the 

 practice is not recommended. It is of no advantage to 

 do so, and nitrate of soda should be applied much later 

 in the season than these substances. There is no reason 

 why nitrate of soda should not be applied to soils that 

 have been previously treated with superphosphate or any 

 other kind of manure, except perhaps, farmyard manure. 

 Large quantities of the last mentioned substance in the 

 fresh condition are apt to cause denitrification. 



Comparison of Nitrate of Soda and Sulphate of 

 Ammonia. It is impossible to make any general state- 

 ment with regard to the relative merits of nitrate of soda 

 and sulphate of ammonia. All the circumstances re- 

 lating to the soil, crop, climate and season, arid the 

 respective prices of the two manures at the time must 

 be taken into consideration in each case. Sulphate of 

 ammonia contains a larger proportion of nitrogen, and 

 may therefore be expected, under conditions favourable 



