6 The Bulletin. 



plete fertilizer containing phosphoric acid, 11 per cent; nitrogen, 2.5 

 per cent, and potash, 2 per cent, applied in the drill, at the rate of 

 280 pounds per acre, gave an average yield of 44 bushels corn per 

 acre, on a 16-acre field that had produced a little over five bushels 

 of wheat per acre in 1907. This field had frequent and thorough 

 surface tillage, seven cultivations in all after the corn came up. A 

 check plat in the same land produced 10 bushels less per acre, where 

 only five cultivations were given. 



Handling and Improvement of the Soil and Laying Out the Work. 

 — Our first care in taking possession of this farm was to locate the 

 various plats wanted for strictly experimental work, and these have 

 had careful attention, neglecting often the general farm operations 

 and appearances of the place that these plats might have proper 

 care. The results of these tests have been and will be published from 

 time to time as data are collected, and no more than a general notice 

 will be taken of them in this report. With whatever land remained 

 for general farming, we have attempted to carry on in accordance 

 with the advanced idea of agriculture. However, let it be noted 

 we have only ordinary equipment such as is found on many farms 

 throughout the State, so that whatever success we may have had, is 

 not due to equipment which is out of reach of ordinary farmers. 



Drainage. — One of our first efforts at general farm improvement 

 was in drainage. No funds being directly available for this work 

 we attempted to make use of poles for underdrains. After keeping 

 check on the expenses of this kind of drainage and also digging out 

 old drains similarly laid we abandoned this method as being expen- 

 sive and inefficient, the first cost being almost as much as tile, when 

 the extra amount of excavation and back filling are considered. There 

 are many cases where as a matter of expediency pole drains may be 

 used, but any attempt at extensive drainage, especially where the 

 fall is slight, will result in disappointment, for the obvious reason 

 that the rough surface of the poles will check the flow of the water 

 and allow the ditch to silt up, whereas the relative smooth surface 

 of the tile will carry the water even faster than an open ditch. Later 

 appropriations were secured for the purchase of tile of suitable size 

 and since then about 5,000 feet of tile has been laid, with the re- 

 sult that all the old open ditches except one, which is not practicable 

 to tile, have been covered and filled. This has added greatly to the 

 appearance of the place, as well as to its productivity and conven- 

 ience in cultivation. The time formerly lost in keeping the banks 

 cut back, and in turning at the ditches during cultivation has been 

 saved, and the crops produced on the land before occupied by the 

 open ditches have in some cases already paid for the tile, to say noth- 

 ing of the better drainage secured by lowering the bottom of the 

 ditches before putting down the tile. 



