Aj^pendix. 179 



material in the soil to produce not as many berries as Plat 1, but much 

 larger ones. 



Experiment 10. This experiment would seem to show that ashes were 

 by far the best of any fertilizer used, but an explanation of the conditions 

 will modify the conclusions. Plats 1 and 2 were next to a four-foot stone 

 fence, sheltered from the cold winds of fall and spring, being covered with 

 a good coat of snow through the winter months. Added to this was the 

 fact that the May beetles in flying from an adjoining pasture field did not 

 settle to the ground until they had passed the space where these plats 

 were subsequently planted. The ground was practically clear of grubs 

 which were quite destructive in the remainder of the plats, especially so 

 on the one-half of the acre containing Plats 6 to 10, inclusive. This 

 being the case, dissolved rock again shows its value. On plat 2 

 fresh cow manure was applied at the rate of thirty thousand pounds to 

 the acre before the plants were set, resulting in much more growth than 

 on the other plats; the berries, however, were not as good as on the 

 fertilizer plats. 



Experiment 11. This table shows in a less degree the same conditions 

 as in Table 10. Plat 1, having a more sheltered position and being lower 

 than the remainder of the bed, had the benefit of more moisture through 

 two dry seasons, that of plant-growing and that of fruiting. Otherwise 

 the results are in accord with those of the larger part of these tests. 



General Conclusion.— The first striking fact about these tests is the high 

 yield of the fertilizer plats. Omitting Experiment 9, in which part of the 

 plants were killed by the fertilizer and in which the soil was very poor 

 and stony, the average yield from fifty-five tests was five thousand one 

 hundred and ninety-seven quarts per acre, or two thousand quarts above 

 the average. The second general result is the superiority of potassic and 

 phosphoric fertilizers as compared with the nitrogenous. The nitrogen 

 fertilizers, including very heavy applications of stable manure, gave too 

 much growth and an inferior quality of fruit. It must be remembered, 

 however, that these strawberry growers are good cultivators and that 

 their tillage probably supplied sufficient nitrogen in most cases. 



TESTIMO^'Y OF THE GROWERS. 



In order to ascertain the farm value of these experiments, the following 

 questions were asked of four of the growers who had charge of the experi- 

 mental work: 



1. Did the use of fertilizers of any kind increase the yield? 



2. Did they add to the firmness of the fruits? 



3. Did they add to the color of the fruits? 



4. Do you use commercial fertilizer every year? 

 Grower No. 1 writes in reply to these questions: 



1. Yes. 



2. Yes, if used in proper quantities. 



3. Same answer as for 2. 



