VII. AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. 



The following report of the work of the chemical division of the 

 Experiment Station has been rendered by Dr. J. A. Bizzell, the 

 assistant chemist of the Station. 



GEO. W. CAVANAGH, 

 Assista>if Professor of Chemistry 

 in its Relations zvith Agriculture. 



I. WORK OF THE FEDERAL DIVISION. 



On September 2^, 1905, the Assistant Chemist was requested to 

 take samples of sweet corn from the farm of N. B. Keeney & Son 

 at LeRoy, N. Y. Selections of seed had been made with a view to 

 increasing the sugar content of the grain as mentioned in previous 

 reports of this Department. The green crop and the dry seed had 

 been examined for sugar content the preceding year. On the data 

 indicated above, thirty samples of green ears were taken and the 

 grain examined for sugar. The grower has made no further re- 

 quests for analyses for seed or crop. 



The experiments with the root crops as outlined in the last annual 

 report have been continued during the present year. In this con- 

 nection 182 samples have been examined. 



At the request of the department of agronomy forty-eight samples 

 of soil were examined for moisture content. 



During the spring of 1905 soil and inoculation experiments with 

 alfalfa were begun, the object being to determine the best methods 

 of soil treatment for this crop. This Department undertook analyses 

 of soil solutions from each of the experimental plots, in order to 

 determine whether the dittcrences in growth could be traced to dif- 

 ferences in the plant food solution. The results, including the 

 analyses of^96 soil samples, show that liming at the rate of 2,000 

 lbs. per acre on Dunkirk clay loam, increased very decidedly the 

 amount of water soluble nitrates in the soil. The crop was also 

 decidedly benefited bv the liming. 



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