16 



it is hoped that the attempt to be made next season will 

 meet with better success. 



3. Samples of the unfertilized soils from the plots 

 located near Auburn were, brought to the laboratory, and 

 after proper preparation were used in series of small wire- 

 baskets. One of the soils used was a stife clay, another a- 

 medium sandy loam and the other a sandy soil^ Each of 

 these soils was tested independently in a series of baskets, 

 using the. same system of , fertilization as in the field plots. 

 As, samples for analysis from the field plots were drawn 

 while the plants were small in the leaf stage, it w^as as- 

 sumed that they could be grown normally to that stage in 

 the small wire baskets. The assumption was found to be co- 

 rect, and the analytical results obtained from the wire bas- 

 ket samples accord reasonably well with those obtained from 

 the same soil in the open plots. The facilities for wire 

 basket work are limited at ])resent, and hence only a few 

 comparisons of this willi the, open plot method, have been 

 made. Special attention to these comparisons in a larger 

 number and variety of soils is to be given during the com- 

 ing season. 



With the purpose of securing whatever good that might 

 be derived from it, samides of soil,,, from each of ten plots 

 from two of the locations near Auburn were obtained and 

 analyzed for moisture and available potash.. The data ob- 

 tained will be published with the other. 



The Hatch project, whose purpose was the study of the 

 effect of the humification of certain nitrogenous substances 

 in rendering insoluble phosphoric acid available to the 

 plant, met with no advance during the last season. The 

 ravages of the cut worm, which baffled all attempts to 

 check, made it necessary to abandon rye and sorghum as 

 the growing crops. An attempt was made to substitute 

 turnips with no success, the youn^ plants being destroyed 

 in some way almost before appearing above ground. 

 •'• The usual amount of time was given to the official fertil- 

 'izer work for the State llepartment of Agriculture. 



Respectfully submitted, 

 ' ■ ' Jas. T. Anderson. 



