The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-14

evaporation long before the roots Of the
crop fortified could take up. On the
other hand, if no losses occurred and the
plants absorbed all the nitrogen in q
short period of time, the chances would
be that extraordinary growth would take
place to the injury of the crop later on.
Now, if a certain proportion of the nj
trate were applied at time of planting,
being mixed with the mineral elements,
potash and phosphoric acid, and at in
tervals later on additional amounts of
the nitrate was applied as top dressing,
then the proportion needed for the crop
would not only be properly distributed
but the plants would take up only such as
they needed for proper development, and
nothing would be lost either by evapora-
ton or teaching. This is not the case with
cotton seed meal, dried blood, tankage,
etc, the other sources from which We US
ually gee our nitrogen, and it is proper
to apply enough for the needs of the
crop at time of planting. Indeed it is
doubtful if second applications of any
fertilizer to a crop is desirable except
when nitrate of soda is used unless the
applications are made in large quantities.
1t is also doubtful if nitrate Of soda is
valuable when applied as a top dressing
to crops, unless there is present in the
soil a sufficient quantity of the mineral
elements to make a we'll balanced combi-
nation of plant foods Farmers buying
fertilizers for long maturing crops should
especially inquire the sources from which
the nitrogen is obtained that go to make
up the complete fertilizer they are buy
ing. Manufacturers often use nitrate of
soda even in low grade goods, because it
gives them a good opportunity to use a
large amount of cheap filters. My plan
is now, as it has always been, to buy the
ingredients and mix my own fertilizers at
home. l use cotton seed meal, and a good
combination acid and potash, properly
proportional. This for field crops. but for
garden and quick maturing crops / pre-
fer using nitrate of soda as a top dress
ing at different intervals of growth. If
a farmer puts a guano under his cotton
crop, the nitrogen for which is obtained
from nitrate of soda, the probabilities are
that that element of his fertilizer will
have been absorbed and gone long before
his crop most needs it. We sometimes find
that crop grows off splendidly and it
looks as if a strong fertilizer has been
used, but later on we find an abundance
of weed, checked growth and poor de-
velopment of fruit Nitrate of soda
would produce just that condition of af-
fairs.
SOME .->IERESTING EXPERIMENTS.
There have been some interesting ex-
periments made at some of the best sta
lions in the country with the use of nj
trate of soda under garden vegetables,
and the results are very interesting
With a crop of cabbage it has been found
that with a top dressing of 300 pounds per
acre at two equal dressings, the yield
was increased from 900 prime heads rer
acre to $3.50. When the same amount
was applied at three equal DRESSINGS
the increase was $3.50 heads per acre
This experiment proved that the use of
nitrate of soda largely increased the yield
per acre, and that when three dressings
were made instead of two that the yield
was almost doubled. Therefore we may
take it that for all truck crops where
nitrate of soda is used for the nitrogen
element that it's application should be
made in three equal dressing during diff
ferent stages of the crop growth. Now
this is an important item for the truck
CHS DIS we'll dS tue regular uelu crop
planters. We should know as much as
possible about the proper use of plant
foods in order that We may not be made
to make costly experiments before find
ing out with hard experience. Now it is
essential in all instances that nitrate Of
soda be applied in three equal dressings,
but it has been definitely determined that
there should be at least two applications
made to get best results and certainly
all should not be applied to the crop at
the time of planting.
HARVIE JORDAN.