66 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Ju'X 



Another experiment in which equally striking and important 

 results were obtained may be described as follows : — In 1897 two 

 plots adjoining each other and uniform as regards size and 

 character of soil, were selected : No. i was sown with barley and 

 a grass mixture containing clover seed ; No. 2 was similarly 

 sown, with the exception that there was no clover seed in the 

 grass mixture. In 1898 two crops of hay were taken off each 

 plot. In the spring of 1899 they were ploughed and sown with 

 Bavarian oats. The yield per acre on No. i was 46 bushels 

 4lbs. ; that on No. 2, 36 bushels 6 lbs., an increase of 9 

 bushels 22 lbs. of grain to the acre on the plot which had grown 

 clover over that on the plot sown with grass seed only. This 

 increase was practically due to the fertilizing constituents set 

 free by the decay of the clover roots only, for in 1898 two crops 

 of hay had been taken off. 



Indian Corn after Clover. 



In 1897 a number of plots were sown with grain and clover, 

 check plots being left throughout the series upon which grain 

 only was grown. The clover was allowed to remain through the 

 winter, and on May 25rd., 1868 (at which date there was a-heavy 

 mat of growth), ploughed under. It was planted with Indian 

 corn. The yields in detail are to be found in the report of the 

 Experimental Farms for 1898. I will now merely state that the 

 average yield from three plots that had previously grown 

 clover was 16 tons 240 lbs. of fodder corn, while that from the 

 plots on which there had been no clover was 13 tons 380 lbs. 



Potatoes after Clover. 



The following experiment shows that, as with grain and 

 fodder corn, an increased yield of potatoes was obtained b}' pre- 

 paring the land with clover. 



Plots Nos. I and 2, of similar size and character of soil, and 

 adjoining each other were selected in the spring of 1898. No. r 

 was sown with grain and clover ; No. 2 with grain only. In May, 

 1899 (there being an excellent growth of clover on No. 1), the 

 plots were ploughed and planted with potatoes. The yield of 

 potatoes was, on No. i, at the rate of 146 bushels 27 pounds per 

 acre ; on No. 2, 104 bushels 57 pounds per acre. 



