226 EXPEEIMENT STATION" RECORD. 



FIELD CROPS. • 



Report of the agriculturist, W. P. Brooks, E. S. Fulton, and E. F. Gaskill 

 (Massachusetts 8ta. Rpt. 1906. pp. 25-60 ) .—The experiments here reported are 

 in continuation of earlier work (E. S. R., 18, p. 226). This year the experi- 

 ments included 308 field plats, 1.50 closed plats, and 286 pots in vegetation 

 experiments. 



In 1906 corn was grown in the experiment comparing different sources of 

 nitrogen. According to the results of this year the materials ranked as follows : 

 Barnyard manure, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, and dried blood. 

 Based on the increase of all the crops since the beginning of the trials in 1890 

 the relative rank on a percentage basis was nitrate of soda 100, barnyard 

 manure 8.5.31, dried blood 70.06, and sulphate of ammonia 63.54. 



High-grade sulphate of potash was superior to muriate for soy beans, rhubarb, 

 raspberries, blackberries, potatoes, and mixed hay. The muriate gave the 

 larger crop of asparagus. In connection with determining the relative value 

 of different potash salts for field crops potatoes were grown this year and the 

 salts, based on the average of 5 trials for each, ranked as follows : Muriate, low- 

 grade sulphate, high-grade sulphate, nitrate, carbonate, kainit, and silicate. 

 The use of potash as a fertilizer seemed to reduce susceptibility to early blight. 



A heavy application of manure alone gave slightly larger yields of mixed 

 hay at the first and second cuttings than a combination of a smaller amount of 

 manure and potash. During the 16 years this experiment has been in progress 

 the average yields of 10 crops of corn and 6 of hay have been greater on the 

 larger amount of manure alone but not sufficiently greater to cover the extra 

 outlay at a cost of .$5 per cord for the manure. 



In connection with the comparison of different phosphates mixed hay was 

 grown. The yields varied but little, showing that the hay crop is much less 

 -dependent upon the quantity of available phosphoric acid applied than the 

 crucifers, such as cabbages and turnips, as indicated by previous results. The 

 results of the soil tests indicated that the hay crop requires a supply of nitrogen 

 in a highly available form. In the test in which barnyard manure, wood ashes, 

 and a combination of fine ground bone and potash was applied in rotation for 

 the production of grass, the average yield of hay in 1906 was 4,002 lbs. per acre. 

 The average for the 14 years the test has continued is 6,.389 lbs. 



Winter application of manure on a slope resulted in a small loss of fertilizer 

 value as compared with spring application, but the gain in crop was not suf- 

 ficient to pay for the extra cost in applying it in the spring. 



The use of nitrate of soda for rowen gave a profitable increase in crop this 

 year, but the results in the different years the test has continued show a wide 

 variation with the amount of rainfall during the growing season. 



In a comparison of 25 varieties of potatoes. Climax, Chenango White, Ham- 

 mond Wonderful, and Simmon Model ranked first in productiveness, with yields 

 in excess of 200 bu. of merchantable tubers per acre. 



The Woburn field experiments, 1905 and 1906, .1. A. Voelckeb {Jour. Roy. 

 Af/r. .S'oc. EnuJand, 61 (1906), pp. 2S2-S 10 ).—Theiie experiments have been 

 described in earlier reports, and former results have also been previously noted 

 (E. S. R., 18, p. 28). 



In 1905, in the continuous wheat-growing experiments, the unmanured plats 

 yielded 14.25 bu. per acre. The highest yield, 32.45 bu., was secured on the plats 

 receiving barnyard manure each year. The largest crop obtained with commer- 

 cial fertilizers was 26.57 bu. per acre. Ammonia salts alone gave no crop 

 worth reaping, while the plat receiving 2 tons of lime per acre in 1897 yielded 

 10.2 bu. per acre, or as much as was secured from the use of nitrate of soda 



