yu Keporx of the Botanist of the 



ference may be not wholly due to the treatment but partly the 

 result of differences in soil conditions, insect injuries, or original 

 amount of smut on the two plats. 



The figures in the table on the preceding page seem to show 

 that the broadcast application of the sulphur and lime had little, 

 if any, effect on the yield. With one exception (Plat L, 1899) the 

 differences in yield between treated and untreated plate were 

 comparatively small. With the exception noted these differences 

 may easily have been due to differences in soil conditions, etc. 

 Moreover, the results are not consistent with themselves. It is 

 impossible to find any system among them. For example, Plat 

 J, which received applications of the smaller quantity for two 

 years, showed a loss of 703 pounds per acre in 1898, a gain of 

 903 in 1899, and again a loss of 228 pounds in 1900. 



It appears that where sulphur and lime are applied in small 

 quantity^ as, for example, 150 pounds per acre, there is little 

 danger of harmful results from the accumulation of the sub- 

 stances in the soil. This is best shown on Plat P, where the 

 substances were applied at the rate of 1,125 pounds per acre for 

 three consecutive years without materially affecting the yield. 

 In 1898 this plat yielded exactly the same as its check; in 1899 

 it yielded 19 pounds per acre more than its check; in 1900 there 

 was a loss of 1,909 pounds per acre, which may or may not have 

 been due to the treatment. Granting that it was due to the 

 treatment, the amount is small as compared with the increase in 

 yield resulting from the use of small quantities of sulphur and 

 lime in the drills. 



This experiment also proves that the increase in yield where 

 sulphur and lime are applied in the drills is not due to any 

 fertilizing value of the substances. Had the substances any 

 considerable value as fertilizer the treated plate should have 

 uniformly yielded more than the untreated plats, especially Plats 

 B, D and F where the large quantities were used. But such was 

 not the case. The three heavily treated plats averaged 627 pounds 

 per acre less than their check plats. 



