ABSTRACTS OF PUBLICATIONS OF THE AflBICrLTUIlAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS IN 



THE UNITED STATES. 



Alabama Canebrake Station, Bulletin No. 10, December, 1890 (pp. 13). 



Experiments with corn, W. II. JSTewman, M. S. (pp. 3-8). — These 

 were a test of varieties, and experiments with nielilotus aiul peas as 

 soil renovators, with fertilizers, and in pulling fodder and cutting tops. 



Test of varieties of corn (pp. 3, 4). — Xotes and tabulated record of 

 yields for 12 varieties, 10 white and 2 yellow, on " black slough" bottom- 

 land. The largest yield (42.(3 bushels of merchantable corn) was with 

 i\Iadisou County lied, a yellow variety. From two years' experience 

 the author believes that " if a better variety of seed was planted in the 

 canebrake the yield would be increased 25 per cent or more." 



Melilotus and pea vines as soil renovators (pp. 4, 5). — Melilotus was 

 sown on 1 acre of worn-out land in 1888, and peas on another acre in 

 1888 and 1889. In December, 1890, the melilotus and peas were plowed 

 under and early in 1890 both acres were planted with corn. 



The cost of seeding the acre to melilotus was |3.25, and the cost of seeding to peas 

 was |7 for the two seasons, or $3.50 per season. The melilotus acre produced 40.5 

 bushels of corn per acre, and the pea vines 51.75 bushels— a difference of 11.5 bushels 

 in favor of the pea vines. Considering the greater cost of seeding the laud to peas 

 the difference is very slight. A good crop of hay could have been cut each season 

 and the profits would have been very much increased. From 2 to 4 tons of excellent 

 liay can be cut from an acre in melilotus or pea vines, worth from |18 to $36. The 

 increased yield by leaving the stalks and vines on the land will not pay for the loss 

 of hay. Pea vines will produce better results in one year, for they malie more forage 

 the first year and cover the ground better. Melilotus makes a better growth the 

 second year, and after it dies the land is more easily prepared. It is very easily killed 

 by plowing, and is not hard to eradicate either the first year, or after it has re-seeded 

 itself. Before the land was sowed iu melilotus and peas it was not considered wortli 

 cultivating. This season it produced as line a crop as the best lands of the station 

 highly fertilized. 



Fertilizers for corn (pp. G, 7). — Three tons of stable manure with 1 ton 

 of green cotton seed, 400 pounds, and 200 pounds of cotton-seed meal 

 per acre were compared with no manure on 4 acres of drained and 4 

 acres of undrained " black slough " bottom-land. 



" Where 400 pounds of cotton-seed meal were applied on drained land 

 the cost of the fertilizer was paid by the increased yield of 10 bushels, 

 at 50 cents per bushel. In all of the other cases there was a decided 

 loss by applying the fertilizers and stable manure. * * * All the 

 experiments [at the station] with commercial fertilizers have given simi- 



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