128 



MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



the same time a little over three tons per acre (See plates 2 and 3.) 

 ■Clover is a heavy feeder upon phosphorus, and it is specially benefited by 

 an application of steamed bone meal or other carrier of phosphorus. In 

 fact, the effect produced by clover upon succeeding corn crops upon this 

 type of soil is not due entirely, or even largely, to the nitrogen thus 

 added to the soil, as is commonly supposed, but is rather due to the fact 

 that, by the decaying of the clover roots and the second growth turned 

 under, large amounts of the soil's phosphorus are made available for 

 the following crop. We know this because where we apply nitrogen 

 alone in good form, as is dried blood, we do not get an increased yield, 

 while phosphorus by itself will increase the yield. 



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1 11 ■ »a 



Plate 3.— Clover after Oats with Lime and Phosphorus Treatment 



TABLE NO. II. 

 Orop yields In Illinois soil exoerlmaats. Odin field, four year rotation, legume series. 



Soil treatment applied. 



Average of '2 scries each 

 year. 



1903 



wheat, 



bu. 



1901 



wheat, 



bu. 



1905 



wheat, 

 bu. 



None 



Legume catch crop 



Legume, llrae 



Legume, llnio, pliosphorous 



Legume, lime, phosphorus and potassium 



13 



18 

 24 

 36 

 32 



