FIELD CROPS. 139 



Whilo the work liiis not boon oiirriod on far enough to .liistify definite con- 

 clusions, the hitest results indicate that for tobacco on soil in the Miami 

 Valley the use of barnyard manure is more profitable than the use of commercial 

 fertilizers, Init where it is imt dhlninablc commercial fertilizers may be sub- 

 stituted with excellent temporai-y eftcct, but with a reduced net profit as com- 

 jiared with the use of the manure. The results at this stage also appear to show 

 that the greatest total .yield is secured from the use of an application containing 

 relatively more phosphorus in proi)ortion to niti-ogcn than is found in ordinary 

 barnyard manure. Potash in th(> fertilizer regularly increased the yield, but 

 at very small i)rofits, and when l)arnyar(l manure is used the api)licati(in of 

 jiotash, in a conunercial form, becomes necessary. As a carrier of nitrogen, 

 sodium nitrate a])i)eared to be much more effective for tobacco than tankage. 



Turnip experiments, 1904, J. IIp:NnRicK and II. B. Greig {Ahcrdceii and No. 

 of Scot. Vol. .\(/r. hill. '/, piK .?(), dftin^. 2). — The results of cooperative fertilizer 

 experiments Indicated that on the soils in question, of which the chemical and 

 mechanical analyses are presented. ])otash is more important than nitrogen 

 for turnips. 



Superphosphate or basic slag, or a mixture of the two, seemed to be the 

 most profitable source of phosphoric acid. It is stated that in a good year a 

 complete dressing of commercial fertilizers in medium quantity, with 10 tons 

 of barnyard manure, will give satisfactory returns. More than 1(» tons of 

 barnyard manure is not recommended. Ground lime, applied when the turnips 

 are sown, generally decreases the crop. Chemical analyses were made of 

 different parts of the turnip, and it was found that the upper half contains a 

 higlier percentage of dry matter than the lower, and that the outside part next 

 the rind is richer in dry matter than the iinier part. 



Nitrogenous manures for turnips, I{. P. Wright {Trans. Hif/liland and Ayr. 

 Soc. Scot., 5. ser., IS {1906), pi>. !>. 3-1(19). —-The results of cooperative experi- 

 ments for several years are reported and the conclusion is drawn that the 

 largest increase in crops may be secured by applying one-half of the nitrogenous 

 manure in the drills in the form of sulphate of ammonia, and the other half as 

 a top-dressing in the form of nitrate of soda. 



Culture experiments with vetches, F. G. Stebleb and A. Yolkart {Landic. 

 Jalirh. Svhirciz'. 20 {IHOC). \o. .',, i)i). 2^3-2aS, pi. 1) .—A comparative test of 

 different species and varieties of vetches secured from different countries is 

 reported. P>rief notes on various species are given. 



The results secured indicated that the yield of summer vetches depends very 

 largely upon the time of sowing the seed, the best results being obtained from 

 early sowing. Field peas were not found equal in value to vetches as a catch 

 crop. It is pointed out that satisfactory results can be obtained only from good, 

 pure seed. The heaviest yields were secured from vetches obtained from Alsace, 

 Hungary, and Burginidy. Bulgarian vetch was one of the least satisfactory. 



Fertilizer tests with wheat and corn, H. Snyder {Minnesota Sta. Bui. 9Jf, 

 jip. 1I)'>-1S7). — Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash fertilizers were applietl, 

 singly and in combination, to one-fourth acre plats' of wheat to determine the 

 influence of these fertilizers on the character of growth and on the yield. In 

 these ex])eriments ].")0 lbs. of a complete fertilizer, containing l.(!8 per cent of 

 nitrogen. 15.46 per cent of phosphoric acid, and 1.0 per cent of potash were used. 

 The phos]ihate fertilizer consisted of 8(t lbs. per acre of treated rock phosphate, 

 containing 17.50 per cent of phosphoric acid, and the potash fertilizer of 40 lbs. 

 of kainit, containing 1.''>.5 per cent of potash. Nitrate of soda, containing 15.0G 

 per cent of nitrogen, was used in (juantities of 40 lbs. per acre. The complete 



