440 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



FIELD CROPS. 



Eeport on the agricultural stations in the Central Provinces for the year 

 1908-9 ending June 30, 1909, II. G. Allan, D. Clou.ston, and (i. Evans ( h'jil. 

 .{{p: .s'/(»v. ('(/)/. J'rnr. \hi(li(i\, ]D»H-9, pp. 51). — A brief history of the farms 

 and of the work of tlie afiricuKural stations at >.'a{?i)ur, liaipur, Akola, Iloslianj,'- 

 ai)ad. and at the Telinkheri Seed Farm, is jriven, toj^ether with meteorolojrieal 

 data and descriptions of the soil at each stalion. 



At Xagpur, experiments to determine tlie residual value of fertilization {;ave 

 results favoring cattle manure, bone dust, salliieter, and green manure. Experi- 

 ments covering a H-year jteriod with cotton, sorghum, and pigeon peas, showed 

 a greater increase of yield from the ai)plication of 40 lbs. of nitrogen per acre 

 in barnyard manure, than from the same amount supplied in night soil, bone 

 dust, saltpeter, or in a combination of bone dust and saltpeter. A similar ex- 

 periment on sorghum with a subordinate crop of pigeon peas gave variable and 

 indecisive results. In a 3-year test with cotton of nitrate of soda, superphos- 

 phate and sulphate of potash, singly and in combination, every combination 

 containing nitrate of soda produced a decisive increase of yield, while each of 

 the others apjtlied singly produced a decrease of yield as compared with the 

 check plat. In a ;i-year test to determine the relative value of the solid and 

 liquid manure of bullocks, the solid produced a larger increase in yield of wheat 

 than did the liquid, while a still larger increase was secured from the applica- 

 tion of both. In case of sorghum, the liquid manure alone produced the largest 

 increase. On fiber crops superphosphate increased the yield of fiber, but not to 

 a sufficient extent to render the application profitable. In a test of dry crop 

 rotations with wheat as a principal crop, the greatest profit arose from alter- 

 nating wheat and chickling vetch. 



Other work reported indicates the value of the cotton, pigeon pea, and sesa- 

 nium rotation, of plowing with the Swedish plow as compared with the native 

 methods, of 10 lbs. per acre as the rate of seeding and 3 in. as the proper spa- 

 cing for flaxseed, of the application of soluble nitrogenous fertilizers in conjunc- 

 tion with cattle manure for a jute crop, and of 12 irrigations and mulching after 

 sowing this crop. Varieties of crops grown and trials of new implements are 

 also reported. 



At the Raipur Station, night soil after the meagher system, applied in April 

 every third year, produced profits and yields of paddy one and one-half to three 

 times as great as any other fertilizer except on the irrigated plats, where all 

 applications gave very high and profitable returns. Wheat and gram proved 

 almost equally profitable, but less j)rofitable if sown together. The local ground- 

 nut excelled, in both quantity and size of nuts, 5 other varieties tested. Va- 

 riety and manurial tests of sugar cane and selection of 3 varieties of rice were 

 undertaken. Greater returns were secured from land plowed by a turn wrest 

 plow than from that r)lowed with the country plow or bakhared (harrowed). 



At Akola, results with experiments in rotation and in topping cotton are as 

 yet indecisive or negative. The best tillage results were obtained on plats 

 plowed with the native plow and bakhared or harrowed. The Berar Jari and 

 Buri cottons produced the largest and most valuable yields of lint. Fertilizers 

 were applied to cotton at an economic loss, but with profit when combined with 

 cattle manure. Liquid cattle manure on sorghum produced yields nearly twice 

 as profitable as were secured from solid manure or solid and liquid combined. The 

 liquid manure was conserved by using 5 or 6 in. of dried earth in the stall, 

 thereby doubling the amount collected. In a water-logged soil planting cotton 

 on ridges proved profitable. 



