Plant-Food and Use of Fertilizers, 



151 



These applications of fertilizers are heavy, but in experimental work it 

 is best to use liberal amounts so that their effects upon the crop can be more 

 easily studied. 



The fertilizers should all be applied broadcast upon the plowed ground 

 and cultivated into the soil. The acid phosphate and muriate of potash should 

 be applied to their respective plats as early in the spring as the ground can 

 be prepared for the crop. The nitrate of soda is very soluble and should not be 

 applied until all the heavy rains are over, or until the beginning of the growing' 

 season. It would be best to apply only a portion of the nitrate of soda at the 

 first application and the remainder three or four weeks later. 



It is advisable to leave a three-foot strip between each two plats as this 

 will prevent the crop growing on one plat from feeding upon the fertilizer ap- 

 plied to the adjoining plat. If this is done the crop on the whole plat may be 

 harvested and this yield multiplied by twenty would give the yiipld per 

 acre. On the other hand, if no strip is left between each two plats, then the 

 crop growing on the borders of the plats may be getting the effects of the fertil- 

 izers from the two plats. In such cases, harvest the crop on a strip one-half 

 rod wide, lengthwise through the center of each plat ; the yield thus obtained 

 multiplied by forty would give the yield per acre. 



Experimental plats similar to the foregoing might be tried with any cul- 

 tivated crop like corn, or potatoes or with a sowed crop, like wheat or oats ; 

 also upon small fruits or tree fruits or hop vineyards. If a farmer conducts 

 such a set of experiments and studies it carefully through the growing season 

 and at harvest time carefully estimates the yield per acre for each plat, he may 

 learn much concerning that particular field in which the experiments were tried. 



A more elaborate set of experiments than the foregoing and one that con- 

 tains all the possible combinations of plant-food may be illustrated by the fol- 

 lowing : 



8 Rods Long. 



1 rod wide. 



1 rod wide. 



1 rod wide. 



1 rod wide . 



