IGO 



protracted (lion^hl (Ini-iiii;- jiIiimksI the \vli(>U' of -Hily or 

 to the leacliiiii;' out of llie iiitro^vn of the l('«;unies 

 duriiiii- tlic last IVw days in June, wlic^n 5.20 inches 

 of rain fell williin a ])(M'iod of four days. The latter 

 exphuiation seems more probable in view of the fairly 

 favorable rainfall after Au^^ust 1, 11)00, and because of 

 similar failure of the late corn crop on the same field 

 in 1808, when there was no long period of drought, but 

 a brief one of even more excessive rainfall. 



The history of these six plots for these four years 

 ending with 1900 as just detailed shoAvs very plainly 

 that the fertilizing effects of nitrogen very quickly dis- 

 appear on this light sandy sloping field, not underlaid 

 by a clay or clayey loam subsoil ; and that on such soils 

 the stubble of co\^^eas or velvet beans was as efficient 

 as the vines, not only for the immediately succeeding 

 crop, but for later crops as well. This narrative should 

 add force to the recommendation we have so often given 

 that as far as possible the stems, foliage and seed of 

 legumes be utilized as food for animals and only what 

 remains be employed as fertilizer. 



Fertilizing Effects of Velvet Beans, and Peanuts; 

 AS Compared with Corn, Sweet Potatoes and 



Chufas. 



On a gray sandy upland soil, free from stones and un- 

 derlaid by a sandy subsoil, various crops were grown in 

 1899, for the double purpose of comparing them as to 

 the amount of hog food produced and as to their ef- 

 feet in enriching or depleting the soil. The chufas 

 and a part of the Spanish peanuts were consumed by 

 shoats penned on the field. As the running variety of 

 peanuts failed this season to make any nuts the lux- 

 uriant grow^th of Aines was plowed under in the fall, 

 as was also done with the vines of velvet beans and with 



