Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-03-19
NITRATE OF SODA ON WHEAT IN
THE SPRING.

To the editor Of the Aleraad,ia Gazstte:
Dear Sir-So many farmers are writ
ing to me and inquiring about nitrate Of So
da, and its action OF spring crops that
think you would obige them By publishing
the following letter written two weeks ago
for the Loudoun farmers
ALEXANDRIA, Va, Feb. 25. 1884.
Capt. VIM. B. Lynch, Dear Sr-In reply
to your questions as to the probable effect of
nixiug kainit and nitrate of soda for appli-
cation to crops, | am happy to he able to
give YOU some reliable information, for |
have been lately collecting all | could, that
bore upon the subject, and what | give be-
low embodies the views of Prof Ellzey, for
merly Of our State Agricultural College,
Prof. Stewart, of Delaware, and the latest
writings of Drs Foelckl Ter aud Gilbert OF
the Royal Agricultural Society Of England.
| am, also, fortunate to have y copy of q let
ter, bearing directly on the subject, from
that greatest OF living English farmers, Sir
J. Il. Lawes | can safely say, as the result
of continued experiments, by these dislin-
guished gentlemen, running back over a
period Of forty years, that neither nitrate OF
soda, or kainit would be impaired by mix
ing. Such mixture would be valuable
application TO grass lands, as top-dressing
to corn, either broadcast or in tho HILL
and to potatoes. If the land is stiff clay,
it would probably not need kainit, that
sort of soil usually contains potash, but it is
specially valuable on light, sandy or loamy
soils, white clay, &c. The best way to ap.
ply tho nitrate and kainit on corn, is 10
and harrow in then apply the nitrate in
= hn Iir.
rowing. you keep in mind the fact, that
nitrate OF soda dssoives very rapidly in
the soil, and its tendency is to rapidly per-
culate downwards, you will perceive that it
| should be applied at the beginning of active
vegetation in the spring, say March 23.h,
either on the surface or rs near the su!tace
Us may be- Nitrate of soda is t!ought tiuns
Peru, where there are vast beds of it; i'm.
mense quantities are used in Elglaud and
| France.
On their rich lands, tho EnGish apply us
top-dressing for wheat, 100 pounds per
| acre, often combined with 200 pounds Of
common SALT for salt tends 10 prevent over
growth in the straw, and mildew, thus OBJ
| tanning profitable increase OF grain. There
is probably not wheat field in Loudoun
county, but what it would pay to use from
one 10 two hundred pounds per acre of the
nitrate as top-dressing (addiug two to
four hundred pound Of kainit, iu the case
of light lands). 1t is especially true Of this
| season, that tho constant winter rains
have washed out of the soil the last
traces of nitric acid, no matter whether de-
rived from ammonia in fertilizers applied
last fall, or naturally existing in the
soil. After such constant teaching, the time
is peculiarly important for re-supplying nj
trogen in this manner. Sir J. B. Lawes i'll
his last work "On the action of Manures"
tells Us, nitrate Of soda is very soluble i'll
water, in tho absence, there ore, of vegeta-
ton and with abundant rains, it will in q
few months, be completely washed away,
living vegetation, alone, being capable OF
arresting the escape OF the nitric acid
Therefore, if should always be applied at
the surface, and where vegetation has start
ed in the spring. My experiment. at Roth
amsted, for forty years, established the tact
that land, which from the nitrogen, natur-
ally therein, aud the ammonia obtained
from the air, was competent 10 grow an
average of twelve bushels of wheat per acre,
and even when abundautly supplied with
potash and phosphate produced but little
increase, so soon as we regularly added a
sufficient amount Of nitrate of soda, produc-
ed q crop of from thirty to forty bushels per
acre every year.
Gas we know, the immense loss full fifty
per cent during the growth of "a wheat crop
incurred by the drainage of the rainfall, We
are careful to apply it in the spring.
In letter to Col John OFT, of the Southern
Fertilizer Co., of Richmond, Va, dated July I'd
1888, Mr.. Lawes writes, "As general rule, We
in England do not apply manure to wheat in the
fall" they apply their phosphates and other non
nitrogenous manures to their turnips or other
crops, which Immediately preeeds the wheat,) but
if it looks yellow in the spring, and shows want
of vigor, we apply one cwt, (112 pounds) of III
trate of soda The circumstances that attend the
growth Of wheat in our two countries are not
quite alike. 1 think the quantity of crops to be
grown differs the British farmer begins where
: the T. S farmer ends We apply the nitrate tC
n crop which without it would yield, probably "a
to 2S bushels and it is applied in the hope OF get
ting about eight bushels more supnose the Y
s. farmer applying his fertilizers would be sstls
fed with twenty to twenty-five bushels per acre.
Nearly every SOIL and nearly every crop grown
in Virginia, requires to be supplied with availa
bic nitrogen This can best be done by nitrate
of soda. applied OH the surface in the spring tol
there the great waste from rain water will be pre-
vented by the rapid assimilation of the grow
, ;np ,laut Experiments should be made to prae
ticalIy test its value III our soils and climate, ap
: Mvino If separately, and mixed with kainit.
Yours truly
GEORGE MASON.
S,r7 -RTt wOuli hi