136 



MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



COMPARATIVE YIELDS OF WHEAT FROM ,'<, ACRE. 



Fertilizer Used. 



This work was done by a farmer in the ordinary way. The 

 profits ranged from 88 to 510 per cent. A rather instructive lesson is 

 broug-ht out by comparing plats 312, 307 and 308. The addition of 

 30 pounds of muriate of potash increased the yield 91-2 bushels at a 

 cost of 75 cents, or less than 8 cents per bushel. Where only 15 pounds 

 of muriate of potash was used, the yield was only increased 31-2 bush- 

 els, at a cost of 38 cents, or 11 cents per bushel. The farmer saved 37 

 cents worth of fertilizer and lost 6 bushels of wheat. This illustrates a 

 well-known law that if too little potash is used the straw gets it away 

 from the grain. 



In terms of mixed fertilizer the experimenter used, on plat 307, 

 300 pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing 3 per cent nitrogen, 9 

 percent available phosphorc acid and 5 per cent potash. On plats 311, 

 312 and 313, one ingredient is left out. 



The profits are large, but not greater than can be expected when 

 the right kinds, amounts and forms of plant food are used. Many 

 farmers use from 75 to 150 pounds of a one-sided low grade fertilizer 

 and increase the straw, but do not use the right amount or kind for the 

 highest production of grain. 



The experiments with corn arc simpler, containing only three plats. 



