934 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



FIELD CROPS. 



Sandy soils and their improvement in the growing of forage crops, E. B. 

 VooRHEES and J. G. Lipman {New Jersey 8tas. Bill. ,111, pp- 30). — This bul- 

 letin reports the results of experiments with forage crops suited to the im- 

 provement of very light and open soils. Yields are reported for the years 

 1904 to 1907, inclusive. Two crops were harvested annually, except in 1904, 

 when only one crop was secured. One acre of land divided into 5 plats was 

 devoted to this work. The soil, fairly uniform in character, was distinctly 

 sandy with a large proportion of fine sand. In preparing the land for these 

 experiments 1,000 lbs. of lime, 320 lbs. of acid phosphate, 100 lbs. of ground 

 bone, 160 lbs. muriate of potash, and 150 lbs. of dried blood were applied 

 per acre. Plats 1, 4, and 5 received each in addition a top dressing of nitrate 

 of soda at the rate of 80 lbs. per acre after the plants were well started. 



The nonleguminous crops grown were corn, wheat, rye, millet, beets and 

 mangels, and wheat, oats or rye, with vetch. The leguminous crops for the 

 4 years included 5 of crimson clover, 4 of cowpeas, 3 of soy beans, 6 of vetch 

 grown alone or with yye, wheat or oats, and 1 crop each of red clover and 

 alfalfa. Crimson clover, cowpeas, and vetch made good growth and proved 

 well adapted to producing forage as well as increasing the humus and nitro- 

 gen supply of the soil. The frequent growing of leguminous crops increased 

 the protein production and fixed large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen, part 

 of which was added to the soil. It is stated that with a plant food supply 

 of phosphoric acid, potash, and lime the protein in the forage and the nitro- 

 gen for the soil is secured at a comparatively slight expense. 



Although no effort was made in these experiments to establish a complete 

 soiling system, succulent forage was available for a considerable portion of 

 the growing season. The returns from the lands showed a gradual and marked 

 increase. The value of the crops of the different plats is shown in the follow- 

 ing table: 



Value of forage crops less cost of tlie fertilizers. 



The value of the crops in excess of the cost of the fertilizers shows total 

 average gains per acre of $20.01 in 1904, $46.92 in 1905, $64.07 in 1906, and 

 $76.90 in 1907. 



The bulletin discusses the general character of light soils, the physical, 

 chemical, and bacteriological properties of sandy soils, and the relation of this 

 class of soils to lime. 



The influence of leguminous crops in rotations upon the yield of cereals, 

 A. Bytchikhine {Povuishenie Urozhaya Khlyebov v MnogoloVno-travyanom 

 Syevooborot s Svyazl s Ohschclici ProdulctivnosVyu Boboviiikk Trat\ Odessa, 

 1907, pp. 70, pis. 3, figs. S). — The i-esults of rotation experiments at Ploti showed 

 that winter wheat sown on April fallow and spring wheat, the second and third 

 crops, respectively, after a leguminous crop, produced the highest absolute 

 difference in yield among the crops in the rotation. In a 9-year rotation it was 

 observed that the roots of sugar beets showed a marked increase in size when 

 the crop was grown after cereals. Corn and sugar beets were apparently least 



