442 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Experiments with Currants. 



Red Currants (Versailles). 



The plants furnishing the fruits for the examination had 

 been for several years under special treatment upon five dif- 

 ferent experimental plats. The ground upon which these 

 plats are located has served, for years previous to its pres- 

 ent use, for the production of grass. The soil consists of a 

 light gravelly loam. Each plat covers an area of 4.2000 

 square feet ; four of them have received, annually, for five 

 to six 3-cars past, a definite amount and kind of special 

 chemical manure, while one plat received none. The fertil- 

 izer was applied broadcast early in the spring, and subse- 

 quently incorporated in the soil by means of a cultivator. 

 The plats were otherwise treated alike to secure a good me- 

 chanical condition of the soil, and to keep off the weeds. 



Fertilizers Applied. 



Plat I. received annually forty-five pounds of dissolved 

 bonel>lack, containing from ten to twelve per cent, of solu- 

 ble phosphoric acid, and fifteen pounds of potash nitre 

 (saltpetre). 



Plat II. received annually fifteen pounds of potash nitre 

 and thirty pounds of kieserite. 



Plat III. received annually forty-five pounds of dissolved 

 boneblack, fifteen pounds of potash nitre and thirty pounds 

 of kieserite. 



Plat IV., nothing applied. 



Plat V. received annually forty-five pounds of dissolved 

 boneblack, eighteen pounds nitrate of soda (Chili saltpetre) 

 and fifteen pounds of muriate, of potash. 



Nitrogen was applied in form of nitric acid, to secure a 

 uniform action of that element. 



Well-matured fruits were in every instance secured for the 

 tests. They were collected July 18, 1883, and examined 

 without delay. 



One hundred parts by weight of the berries contained, — 



