357 



license fee, deposited a sample of his goods niade,and a sworn statement of the com- 

 position of the same with regard to the three most valuable elements in manures. 

 The results of the analyses made in 1890 are reported in Bulletin No. 64 of this sta- 

 tion [See Experiment Station Record, Vol. II, p. '237] 



The jack-pine plains. — The experiineuts on tlie sandy soils of these 

 phiins, to which reference has been made in the Annual Eeport of the 

 station for 1888 (See Experiment Station Bulletin Jfo. 2, p. 94), and Bul- 

 letin No. 54 (See Exi)erinient Station Record, Vol. I, p. 228) have been 

 continued in 1890. This report contains an account of those made at the 

 experimental farm at Grayling. Lists are given of the crops grown in 

 rotation during the past 3 years on the different experimental plats. 



The only manures used in these experiments (with the exception of sugar-heets) 

 were marl, gypsum, and common salt. The effort has been made to enrich these soils 

 by green manuring — the plowing under of the crops raised on these lands — with the 

 aid of cheap fertilizers, which any person could obtain without any large outlay. To 

 unlock the reserve materials in the soil and bring them into active service, and to 

 draw upon the atmospheric supplies of plant food, have been prime objects sought in 

 these experiments. At the same time cheap forms of mineral food for plants have 

 been brought into use. The marl has produced marked benefits wherever used. 

 The gypsum has also been beneficial in most cases, while salt has shown little or no 

 benefit. 



Cut-worms, the flea beetle, and other insects did considerable damage. 

 The experience of 1890 tends to modify the opinions expressed in the 

 report of 1889 regarding various plants used in these experiments. 

 Alfalfa was badly winter- killed, and buckwheat and Bokhara clover 

 have been discarded. Spurry, vetch, field peas, and red, alsike and 

 white clover have given results which are promising. 



Spurry still holds its high rank, and the crop is rapidly spreading in this region. 

 AYith many fiirmers it yields a large amount of forage, and they find it a profitable 

 crop to feed stock. The wonderful seed production gives it a good foothold in soils 

 when once sown. The introduction of this crop is a permanent benefit to the jack- 

 pine belt. * » * 



Field peas are full of promise. The ability to withstand frost, to take up large 

 supplies of food from the atmosphere, and to penetrate the soil deeply by its far- 

 reaching roots, fit it for growth on these Northern plains. After a crop of vetches or 

 epurry a good crop was secured. A plat of peas on the south field was plowed under 

 and the ground sowed to clover and timothy, giving the most promising plat of 

 meadow sward on the field. A plat of peas in the north field was jdowed under and 

 the ground sowed with a mixture of timothy and redtop, from which good results 

 are hoped for. 



Of the grasses, timothy by itself does not form a smooth and satisfactory sward. 

 Combined with other grasses better results may be secured. The usual combiuation 

 of timothy and clover has given a promising sward on two plats. The combination 

 of timothy and redtop is now on trial. The perennial rye grass and tall meadow oat 

 grass ai)pear to form a better sward than any single grasses. The tall fescue is valu- 

 able. * » » 



[Five varieties of sugar-beets were grown. The crop was poorly managed and the 

 beets were small. The percentages of sugar as determined by analyses were rela- 

 tively high, ranging from 14 7 to 16.6.] 



The changes in the soil as the result of three years cultivation are manifest to every 

 observer. In place of the open and porous soil, in which the foot would sink as in an 

 ash heap, a firm seed bed has been secured; the color of the soil has perceptibly 



