liEI'OliT OF MR. W. S. BLAIR 



365 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



FERTILIZER EXPERIMENTS WITH GARDEN PEASE 



Experiments were conducted with two kinds of early garden pease by dividing 

 the land devoted to each into three plots. On one complete fertilizer, * Imperial ' 

 brand, at the rate of 500 lbs. per acre was used, on another 250 lbs. per acre, and on 

 the other third, no fertilizer was used. The seed was sown May 12 in rows 2 feet 

 apart, and the seed dropped 2 inches apart in the row. The soil was a light clay loam 

 in a poor state of fertility. Each plot was 2 rows, each 66 feet long. The growth 

 of vine was short and the yield not as large as usual. The yield obtained from these 

 plots is given in the following table. 



If we consider the weight of green peas in pod at 40 lbs. to the bushel, we find 

 that we have a gain in the first variety tested of 44 bushels per acre, where 500 lbs. 

 of fertilizer was used per acre, than where not fertilized. If we allow pease in the pod 

 to be worth 30 cents per bushel, we have a gain of $13.20 per acre. The fertilizer 

 cost $7.50 per acre — a net gain of $5.70 per acre in favour of the heavily fertilized 

 plot. With the variety Thomas Laxton there is a still larger gain from the use of 

 the fertilizer. 



GARDEN PEASE — FERTILIZER EXPERIMENTS. 



SNAP BEANS. 



Experiments were conducted with fifty- four varieties of snap beans. The seed 

 was planted May 30, being dropped 2 inches apart in the row and the rows 2 feet 

 apart. The ground was previoxisly in horse-beans and was manured in the fall of 

 1903 with 15 one-horse cart loads af stable manure per acre and ploughed. This spring 

 the ground was worked up into good tilth with the spade, springtooth, and smoothing 

 harrows. The plots were one row, 33 feet long. A duplicate plot of one row 33 feet 

 long was also planted which was allowed to ripen if the season permitted. These 

 were cultivated frequently to keep the ground loose and friable. 



These beans made fair growth. The cutworm did some damage, but was quickly 

 checked by using the poisoned bran mash, which was scattered along the row. The 

 rust Anthracnose did not develop on the beans until after the middle of August, when 

 some of the plots were attacked quite badly. Some of these varieties which have in 

 the past appeared quite rust-proof, were this year the worst affected, and some sorts 

 that were formerly badly attacked were this season quite free. 



From exjKjrience gathered from time to time, it would appear that the varieties 

 Bountiful and Improved Goddard are two of the best green podded sorts for general 

 market. Refugee or 1,000 to 1 is an excellent late green podded sort, and Market 

 Wax, Keeney's Rustless Wax and Valentine Wax, are three excellent golden-podded 

 kinds. The following notes were taken from the plots tested : — 



