824 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



fectly understood as is this iK-tiuii, it is a uiure satisfactory explanation of the 

 benefits derived from fei'tilizers tlian the idea that the inconsequential amounts 

 of nitrogen, potash, and phosphorus applied, as compared with the larger stores 

 of those elements already in the soil, should be dii-ectly responsible for such 

 marked increase in growth as frequently follows the application of fer- 

 tilizers. . . . 



" It may be said that the crop-yielding capacity of soils is increased by 

 improving their physical condition and by supplying manures or fertilizers. 

 Frequently both are necessary, and the latter may assist the former. By the 

 employment of both methods poor soils may become as productive as the best 

 ones. There is but little to indicate any relation between the formation and 

 character of the soil and character of fertilizer to which it will respond. 

 Usually soils of a limited localily, where climatic condition and farm practices 

 are uniform, show but little difference in the character of fertilizer required, 

 although the degree of response may vary greatly for different fields, making 

 their use profitable in some instances and unprofitable in others. Except in 

 the most general way, the fertilizer requirement of soils becomes a problem 

 for each farm or for each class of farms under like conditions of soil, climate, 

 and system -of cropping and fertilization." 



Stable manures, W. T. L. Taliaferro and H. J. Patterson {Maryland Sta. 

 Bui. 122, PI). 117-138). — The results of two series of exi)eriments, one of 3 

 j-ears' duration and the other of 7 years' duration, are summarized in this bul- 

 letin. The rotation on which the manures were tested was corn, crimson 

 clover, wheat, timothy, and clover hay. The manures were applied once dur- 

 ing the 4-year rotation at the rate of 10 tons per acre. 



The results as a rule favored the use of fresh manure applied directly from 

 the stable as against rotted manure. The best results were obtained by apply- 

 ing the manure as long in advance of the time the crop was to use it as pos- 

 sible. As between applying fresh and rotted manure before and after plowing, 

 the results favored applying fresh manure as a top-dressing after plowing. In 

 a comparison of plowing under manure in the fall and spring, the differences 

 wei'e slight but uniformly in favor of allowing the manure to remain on the 

 land during the winter and plowing it down in the spring. The results favored 

 plowing under to a depth of 7 in. as compared with a depth of 5 in. Subsoil- 

 ing in addition to deep plowing did not show sufficient advantage to warrant 

 the extra expense involved. The benefit derived from adding commercial fer- 

 tilizers to the manure was not very pronounced in case of wheat. In case of 

 corn some benefit was derived from the use of small amounts of complete fer- 

 tilizer in the row in addition to the manure. " The use of kainit with the 

 manure seemed to exert a beneficial influence every year, and it was more 

 marked in dry than wet seasons." Applications of straw at the rate of 2 tons 

 per acre produced a considerable increase in yield but was not so valuable in 

 this respect as manure. The growth of crimson clover was l)etter on soils re- 

 ceiving fresh manure than on those treated with rotted manure. 



It was evident from the experiments as a whole that the amount of manure 

 applied (10 tons per acre in a 4-year rotation) was not sufficient to maintain 

 the productiveness of the soil, although the yields were always better where 

 manure was used, and it was observed that in case of corn the stand was bet- 

 ter on manured than on unmanured soil. 



An appendix gives general information regarding farm manures. 



Agricultural-chemical work. 1905—6, II. G. Soderbaum {K. Landthr. Akad. 

 Uandl. ocli Tidskr., '/O (1907), yo. 2-3, i>i). 201-231). — The i)aper gives a report 

 of the research work conducted at the experiment station of the Swedish 



