118 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



covering the cost of the fertilizers ; and through the aid of the 

 agriculturiil press, quite a large number of farmers through the 

 Eastern States and Canada were induced to take part in the experi- 

 ments, and entered into them with considerable enthusiasm. Many 

 of them failed to get reliable results, from one cause or another, 

 yet quite a large number were carried through with success and gave 

 results which are worth studying by the farmers of the country'. 

 One of the most striking of these experiments I copy from the 

 Connecticut Report of the Board of Agriculture for 1877, which 

 illustrates some of the possibilities to be attained in the way of 

 farm experiments : 



Experiments v:ith Corn by Mr. D. H. Biedsey, MidcUeJield, Conn. 



Soil: Upland, gravelly loam, with gravelly subsoil. Previous treatment: Had 

 been in grass for three previous years; yield of hay estimated at one-half to three- 

 fourth tons per acre. Last manuring was (with oats) leached aslies; previous to this, 

 barn manure and bone. Size of plots, 10 square rods. .Amount of fertilizers, plots 

 1 5, 20 pounds each; plot G, yard manure, with hen manure and ashes in hill. 

 Amount of seed. 5 quarts per acre. Distance between hills, 4 feet each way. Planted, 

 May 15th. Harvested, October 2t;th. YitUl, (corn iu the ear measured in bushel 

 basket) as below: 



It is seen from this table that nitrogen alone produced less than 

 one-half as much corn as the yard manure, and the same is true of 

 the phosphoric acid alone. The plot to which potash was applied 

 produced a larger crop than tiie yard manure, as is also the case 

 where phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen were applied ; while 

 phosphoric acid and nitrogen combined produced no larger crop than 

 when each was used separately. E\ery plot that received potash 

 produced more than double the quantity of corn produced b3' the 



