730 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



29 to 34.5 lbs. Long White Tartar oats proved the best variety. A plat of 

 winter wheat produced 30.75 bu. of grain and 2,580 lbs. of straw per acre as 

 compared with 18.2 bu. of grain and 3,010 lbs. of straw for spring wheat. 



The plan of a grass fertilizer experiment begun in 1907 and to be in progress 

 until 1912 is presented and results with fertilizing old sod land are reported. 

 Plats of 4-year-old sod received different fertilizer treatment. The first received 

 a mixture of 150 lbs. of nitrate of soda, 100 lbs. of acid phosphate, and 50 lbs. 

 of muriate of potash at the rate of 300 lbs. per acre ; the second received noth- 

 ing ; the third, nitrate of soda at the rate of 300 lbs. ; and the fourth, barnyard 

 manure at the rate of 12 tons. This treatment was given in 1904 and 1905, but 

 in 1906 no fertilizer or manure of any kind was applied. It was found that the 

 complete commercial fertilizer gave a very fair return but was not persistent 

 and that nitrate of soda alone was used at a loss. Barnyard manure proved to 

 be a good top dressing for grass land and showed a persistent effect. 



A table is given summarizing the results of seed inspection in 1908. The 

 seed examined included samjjles of timothy, redtop, red clover, alsike clover, 

 and alfalfa. 



Further results in a rotation of potatoes, rye, and clover, H. J. Wheeler 

 and G. PI Adams {Rhode Island 8ta. Bui. 135, pp. 101-128). — Earlier results of 

 this experiment have been previously noted (E. S. R., 12, p. 1030). The rota- 

 tion consists of winter rye the first year, clover or clover and grass the second 

 year, and potatoes the third. The work has now been in progress 12 years and 

 this bulletin has reference mainly to the last 6 years of this period. 



On an average for the whole period of 12 years, plat No. 11 received per acre 

 54.6 lbs. of potash, 91.6 lbs. of phosphoric acid, 27.2 lbs. of nitrogen, and 2.50 11 )s. 

 of lime; plat No. 14, 58.2 lbs. of potash, 90.4 lbs. of phosphoric acid, 26.9 lbs. of 

 nitrogen, and 232 lbs. of lime ; and plat No. 13, 67.7 lbs. of potash, 87.2 lbs. of 

 phosphoric acid, 27.1 lbs. of nitrogen, and 232 lbs. of lime each year. 



Previous work (E. S. R., 7, p. 760) had shown that the proportion of mer- 

 chantable tubers in the potato crop is greatly increased by liming, even some- 

 times in cases where the total yield remains the same. The results secured 

 indicate that after the 3-year rotation is well started, further liming once in 6 

 yeais at very moderate rates will be sufficient. 



The general impi'ovement of the soil was found to have far less beneficial 

 effect upon the rye crop than upon potatoes and clover. With the improvement 

 in the soil it was necessary to omit nitrogenous top-dressings for rye, with the 

 result that the yields of straw were somewhat lessened and those of grain 

 increased. The experiment also taught that it is advisable to sow grass seed 

 with the clover, as grass usually more i-eadily survives under extreme winter 

 and excessive dry summer conditions. No success was secured in trying to grow 

 clover without first applying lime or wood ashes to the land. 



As calculated by the authors, the net returns per acre during the first 6 years 

 were $279.40 and during the second 6-year period $371.46 or $92.06 in favor of 

 the last 2 rotations. 



Effects of manures throug'hout rotations of crops, D. A. Gilchrist {Connly 

 Northumh., Ed. Com., Bui 13, pp. 3-i-Jfl). — Barnyard manure was considerably 

 more valuable than commercial fertilizers for the light soil on which the ex- 

 periments were made, although both gave satisfactory results. The manure 

 produced practically as heavy crops of roots as manure and commercial fertil- 

 izers used together but the combination considerably improved the three fol- 

 lowing crops. The best results were obtained by using manure alone for 

 swedes and a complete commercial fertilizer application for hay. The rota- 

 tion included cereal, root, and hay crops. 



