PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE. 171 



yield of each plat as a startius: point from which to reckon. 

 This year, plats d, d, in divisions I and II, were moved 

 June 19, just as the timothy was Ijeginning to head out, and 

 the clover was showing its earliest blossoms. The yield of 

 hay from these plats was 933 lbs. The per cent, of loss in 

 drying was 61. Plats c, c, in divisions I and II, were cut 

 July 2d, when the heads of timothy were fully formed and a 

 few were in blossom. The clover was in full bloom. The 

 yield of hay from these plats was 1002 lbs. The per cent, of 

 loss in drying, 65. Plats b, b, in divisions I and II, were cut 

 July 19, when the seeds of timothy were beginning to harden 

 and the clover heads were brown and apparently ripe. The 

 hay weighed 1215 lbs. The per cent, of loss in drying was 

 49. Plats a, a, in divisions I and II, mowed August 3, when 

 tlie seeds of timothy were beginning to shell out, and the 

 clover was over-ripe with many leaves fallen off, yielded 928 

 lbs. of hay. Per cent, of loss in drying, 46. 



We purpose in the future to cut the grass on the several 

 plats in this field at the same period of growth they were cut 

 this year, until the land fails to produce a remunerating 

 crop. A sample of hay from each cutting is preserved for 

 analytical purposes. We already linow the quantity of hay 

 from each plat ; something may be determined of the quality 

 of the hay from the difl'erent cuttings by observation. Com- 

 plete knowledge can only be gained by chemical analysis. 

 A reliable analysis costs both time and money. All that the 

 State College has of either of these, is necessarily used in the 

 regulai- educational work of the institution. When the farm- 

 ers, for whose benefit the results of these experiments will 

 accrue, shall, through any means they may choose, furnish 

 the money necessary for completing the work, then and not 

 till then can full results be obtained and published. 



The following is another experiment to which I will call 

 your attention and the last I shall present : 



Experiment for studying the capacity of corn to get its food 

 from the soil, and the eft'ects of ditferent fertilizers upon it, 

 with especial reference to the nitrogen supply. Potash and 



