Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 293, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 December 1916 — A Powerful Fertilizer [ARTICLE]

A Powerful Fertilizer

Nitrate of soda is a powerful fertilizer when properly used. It becomes plant food as soon as dissolved and _enters immediately into the- composition of the plant. Care must be exercised that it is not used too freely. When too much of this salt is applied, the roots are injured and the plant becomes stunted or dwarfed. Upon examining the root system of such plants it will be found that the roots are very short and the ends are stubby. There is little tendency of these stubby roots to form fibrous laterals. 1 Growers who are not familiar with - the use of nitrate of soda should not attempt the use of this fertilizer .until they have learned how to use it properly. A very slight sprinkling of salt about each plant will serve the purpose. Liquid manure is a safer fertilizer and equally valuable when properly applied. An excellent method to prepare liquid manuie is to p'ace a bushel of old unleached cow manure in a tub or half barrel and then fill with water. Stir occasionally and in three or four days the liquid Will be ready to apply. It should be used in the proportion of one quart to four gallons of the water and any quantity of it may? be poured about each plant.