242 



Bulletin 247. 



Table XII. Showing Percentage of Water in Plats Treated as 



IN Table XI. 



It will be seen from this table that while the percentage of moisture 

 was higher in the untreated plats, the amount of water-soluble salts stated 

 in parts per million of dry soil was less; hence it follows that there was 

 a greater difference in the concentration of the soil solution in favor of 

 the limed area than is indicated by the figures. 



The figures here reported are not sufficiently decided to permit of 

 any definite conclusions, but they clearly indicate that here is a line of 

 investigation worth following up. 



(3) What does manure do? ' ' 



During the season of 1906, it was noticed at the Cornell Station 

 that on certain alfalfa plats the alfalfa was in well marked streaks. 

 First would be a strip of dark green, vigorous alfalfa about six inches 

 wide followed by a strip of lighter green, smaller and apparently less 

 vigorous alfalfa. At first it was thought to be due to differences in 

 inoculation, since the differences observed were just such as are well 

 known to be produced by inoculation. An examination showed that 

 inoculation was not in this case the cause of the difference there observed. 

 On further investigation it was found that in plowing, the stable manure 

 had been left in the soil in strips instead of being evenly di.stributed and 

 that where the roots of the alfalfa were in connection with the manure 

 or immediately over it the alfalfa was green and vigorous while where 

 there was no manure the alfalfa was smaller and lighter green in color. 

 It was also observed in the experiment mentioned when discussing lime 

 that young alfalfa plants were greener and slightly larger where nitrate 

 of soda was added than where it was not applied. The plain inference 

 is that the increased growth observed as caused by the manure was due 

 to the nitrogen which the manure was able to supply. 



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