No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 461 



MR. TAYLOR: Would it be advisable to follow up the organic 

 matter tbat is in the clover and legumes? 



PROF. HOPKINS: Well, yes. You can get a scant crop in clover 

 later in the season than vou can of legumes. 



MR. VAN ALSTYNE: I have been very much interested in this 

 report this afternoon, but I think you are just a little mistaken in 

 some respects. Now, I am getting this question every day, almost, 

 whether people shall use raw rock or whether they shall use the 

 acid phosphorus. The soil of the average man is deficient in humus, 

 and is in need of nitrates. Now, if we find the raw rock will not 

 give him his money back the first year what is the average man going 

 to do? He needs that money to live on; he must have his crops 

 for a living, for the support of his family. I understand you to say 

 that it is better to get the rav.^ rock because it is cheaper, and in 

 that way many men will be misled. I hope you will pardon me for 

 saying this. 



PROF. HOPKINS: I did say that, and if I have misled anyone 

 I am very sorry, because it is not my intention. But I have asked 

 half the farmers in Illinois what has been their experience, and 

 they all tell me, "Tell them to use the raw rock; we have used both, 

 and our experience has been in favor of the raw rock." 



MR. WING: I have a carload of the raw rock; can I safely sprinkle 

 that carefully on and then put the manure on it? 



PROF. HOPKINS: The rock should be a uniform mixture with 

 The manure when it is put into the ground. Let me illustrate: Sup- 

 pose you take a pitchfork with a bright steel tine and put it into the 

 manure and leave it there for six months. You know what would 

 happen to it. If there are any tines left you can easily break them 

 with your fingers. That is what you call the organic matter in con- 

 tact with the raw phosphorus. 



A Member: Before we get away from that point, will it be profit- 

 able to put floats on, turn it under, because I have enough organic 

 matter in my soil to make the required mixture? 



PROF. HOPKINS : Well, it might be profitable, but it would be 

 more profitable to put on about eight loads of manure and sprinkle 

 every load. 



A Member: The last cement I had was |6 at the mines. 



PROF. HOPKINS: Well I suppose that is true; it costs about 

 $4.50, I suppose, in bulk, and about |5 in bags, and it may possibly 

 be more. 



The SECRETARY: The Professor has a written question and 

 while he is glancing at it I will make an announcement. There is 

 a lot of corn out there without any marks on it; this exhibit is in 

 charge of Mr. Bayard, editor of tTie National Stockman and Farmer, 

 and the members to whom the corn belongs will please see him 

 about it, so as to enable him to identifv it. 



