154 



dicate that in an average season from 24 to 48 pounds of nitrogen and 

 40 to 75 i)Ounds of phosphoric, acid (the amounts contained in from 350 

 to 700 pounds of cottonseed meal and 300 to GOO pounds of acid phos- 

 ])liate) per acre can be assimilated by the crop. Such a mixture is 

 recommended for its cheapness and efficiency. Each planter should 

 study his soils, and if they are deficient in vegetable matter should in- 

 crease the amount of nitrogen in the fertilizers used. The^e are few 

 seasons when more than 900 or less than 500 pounds per acre of this 

 mixture can be profitably used. The fertilizers should be thoroughly 

 incorporated with the soil. Mineral manures should be applied at, or 

 better, before planting; nitrogenous manures maybe applied at plant- 

 ing or at any time during early growth. 



Massachusetts State Station, Circulars, May and June, 1890 (pp. 4 each). 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers and manurial sub- 

 stances, C. A. GoESSMANN, Ph.'D. — Thcse include wood ashes, bone, 

 " vegetable ivory," refuse trom a glue factory, sulphate of ammonia, 

 sulphate and muriate of potash, nitrate of soda, and a variety of com- 

 pound fertilizers. Trade values of fertilizing ingredients for 1890 are 

 also given. 



Minnesota Station, Bulletin No. 11, June, 1890 (pp. 32). 



Corn — root pruning, and deep versus shallow cultivation, 

 W. M. Hays, B. S. A. (pp. 87-89.)— Experiments and observations on 

 the habits of root growth of corn and on methods of i)lanting and cul- 

 tivating in 1888 and })revious years were reported in Bulletin N"o. 5 of 

 this station (See Experiment Station Kecord, Vol. I, p. 91). In 1889 

 a trial was made to observe the effects of pruning the roots of Eose 

 Dent corn. The roots of alternate rows were pruned while the others 

 were not. 



For pruning the roots, a strong butcher knife was set into a piece of 2 by 6 scant- 

 ling, fashioned into a runner, to slide on the ground. In front was a tongue, by 

 which a man could pull the device, and behind, cultivator handles were placed, 

 enabling another man to guide it. The knife blade was set in the runner so as to ex- 

 tend 6 inches into the ground, when the runner was on the surface of the soil. This 

 implement was run along either side of the rows, G inches from the hills. Plats 1, 3, 

 5, and 7 were thus root pruned, by going the long way of the rows, when the corn 

 was 7 inches high. On the sau.e day the roots on plats 1 and 3 were more completely 

 cut off by going across the field, skipping every other hill, so as not to disturb the 

 even-numbered rows on i)lats "J and 4. Tins, of course, cut all the roots on plats 1 

 and 3 at a distance of 6 inches from the hills, on four sides, since all the main roots 

 while the corn is at this age run in a nearly horizontal direction, unless the land is 

 very dry. 



When the corn was 15 inches high, plats 1, 3, and 5 were again root iiruned the long 

 way of the rows, and plat 1 was also root pruned crosswise. Passing on both sides 

 of the hill being counted as one pruning, plat 1 was pruned four times, plat 3 three 

 times, plat 5 twice, and jilat 7 only once. The effect upon the growth of the corn 

 ■was very marked. 



