Milford chronicle., 1918-02-01
CHEAP NITRATE OF SODA WILL
INCREASE DELAHARE'S CROPS
Government Purchase Saves Farmers
Money.


Now that the Government has in
augurated its plan Of selling 100000
tons of nitrate of soda direct to far
mers, at a price far below all eXpec
tatiOn, this state is assured that hel
crops need not be reduced because O
a shortage in one of the most impOr-
tant fertilizer elements. Fortunately
for Delaware we are both close to a
shipping port which will make for low
freight rates and also we have a
County Agent in each County to help
farmers become acquainted with the
details of securing their goods. These
details. together with the names of
local committees have already been
announced in the various counties
through the press.
With a price delivered of less than
$4,000 per ton the questions each far
mer has to consider on his farm are
what crops, what amounts, and at
what time to apply the nitrate. In the
first place it is to be remembered that
nitrate is Is per cent actual nitrogen,
highly concentrated, and very soluble
Therefore it should be used with care,
in reasonable quantities and usually
on a growing crop For the grain or
general farmer nitrate will probably
be most generally used and applied
with the greatest profit on wheat and
hay, as a spring top dressing. At
present prices of hay crops nitrate
can probably be most prOfitably ap-
piled on such at the rate Of 1875 to IT'S
pounds per acre, just as it is making
a good start in the spring. This will
prove Of greatest profit where a good
stand of grass obtains, made up large
ly Of timothy or other grasses. Where
there are mixed seedlings of clover
and timothy acid phosphate should be
applied with the nitrate at the rate Of
so to 100 pounds per acre. Nitrate
does not benefit clover and should
not be used in a stand of pure clover
or very much Of it in mixture made up
largely of clover Results at the Col
lege Farm conducted by Department
of AgronOmy show that nitrate alone
applied at the rate of $50 pounds per
acre on seeding of mixed clover and
timothy has increased the yield from
1000 to 2000 pounds per acre, depend
ing on the stand and the season.
With the application costing about Sc
per acre or less it is easily observed
that the use of nitrate has been very
profitable. under above conditions.
Demonstrations throughout the state
on number of farms back up these
experiments also
Use in Wheat as Top Dressing.
With wheat late seeded all over the
state and in very backward condi-
tion generally, nitrate will probably
find its greatest use among the gen
eral farmers on this crop. Many will
be inclined to hold back until it can
be determined whether the wheat will
pay to leave or whether it will have
to be pl0wed up for a cultivated crop.
Nitrate as a top dressing for wheat in
April, applied at the rate of 100 to 125
pounds has increased the yield on the !
College Farm from to II bushels l
per acre. Similar results have been G
received in other parts of the state I
through the work of the Department I
of Agronomy. Nitrate will not pay so q
well on land in a high state of pro- o
iuctiYity or where large amounts of c
fertilizer were applied at the time of i
seeding carrying a large percentage =
)f ammonia. Neither is its use rec o
ommended where the wheat has had
manure applied at the time of seeding 5
lr later as a top dressing. With I
wheat at $500 per bushel for the COM I
ng year, provided it is not severely /
winter killed, there is probably moth I
ng now that the farmer can do that Y
will bring him any more profit with a I
formal season, than to use nitrate of ,
Ioda. c
'se on Strawberries and Truck CrOps. y
Nitrate has been used for sometime +,
" truckers and strawberry growers !
md with considerable profit 1t is n
Usually applied down the rows of
at the rate of so to 100 r,
'ounds per acre. about so days before n
ime OF ripening of berries. On gen +,
raj truck crops nitrate should be ap- v
'lied broadcast at the rate of 100 n
'ounds per acre, where the plants are N
ne to two inches high. AS a general o.
hing nitrate should be used very lit :,
le and that with considerable care on Il
omatoes for canning, if a profit is to "
e obtained from such applications. al
a these particular conditions 1t will
ay farmers to take uD such cases &,
ritn their County Agent it
Use In the Orchard. el
The Horticultural Department of 10
delaware College has conducted a fO
lrge number Of experiments at the al
ollege Farm in the use Of nitrate ii
nd other fertilizers on the peach CT
-op. These have been supplemented pl
j the state by a large number Of W
in peach orchards, 81
it'll most gratifying and profitable Fl
suits on the average. On old peach OF
free from disease, and where th
,od cultural conditions are prac- Fl
sed, nitrate may be applied broad X;
.st at the rate Of 80 to $50 pounds d.