DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 73 



green at this writing, Oct. 14. Clarke's No. 1 promises to be a desirable vari- 

 ety. The Beauty of Hebron is, we believe, not excelled in productiveness and 

 quality by any of these new varieties grown in our experimental grounds this 

 season. 



YELLOW LUPIN. 



At the suggestion of Dr. Kennedy, State Chemist of Pennsylvania, we be- 

 gan an experiment to determine the comparative value of green manures as 

 shown in the relative advantages of the red clover and yellow lupin. Owing 

 to the failure of the lupin seed to germinate — not one seed in a hundred grow- 

 ing — the experiment has proved a failure, to my regret, as I think this ques- 

 tion is well worthy of attention. The lupin is described as a vigorous plant, 

 which attains a height of over two feet, and sends down its long tap root into 

 the subsoil an equal distance. Its foliage is said to be J 1.79 per cent richer in 

 nitrogen than the red clover. 



NITROGEN EXPERIMENT. 



We have been engaged last year and this on what is termed the ''Cooperative 

 Nitrogen Experiment," instituted by Prof. W. 0. Atwater, of Middletown, 

 Conn. 



The object of this experiment is to test the effects of nitrogenous fertilizers 

 in different amounts and combinations upon tlie growth of the plant, and in- 

 ferentialiy its capacity to gather its nitrogen from natural sources. 



The fertilizers. — The ingredients and amounts are such as are used in ordi- 

 nary practice, phosphoric acid and potash being supplied in about the propor- 

 tions that occur in a corn crop of fifty or sixty bushels, and nitrogen in one- 

 third, two- thirds, and full amount in same crop. 



Forms of nitrogen. — The nitrogen is supplied as nitric acid in nitrate of 

 soda; as ammonia in sulphate of ammonia, and as organic nitrogen in dried 

 blood. 



Forms of nitrogen. — The nitrogen is supplied at the rate of twenty. four 

 pounds per acre in "one-third ration ;" forty-eight pounds per acre in "two- 

 thirds ration ;" and seventy-two pounds per acre in "full ration."' 



In this experiment quite a number of the agricultural colleges are engaged, 

 and the results are to be tabulated and published by tiie National Depaitnient 

 of Agriculture at Washington. This experiment will probably be continued 

 the next two years, when a full report will be made. I append a report which 

 will indicate the effects of nitrogenous fertilizers : 



