626 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Chemical composition of corncob. 



Constituents. 



Pith. 



Shell. 



Moisture 



Protein 



Ether extract 



Fiber 



Ash 



The properties of the cornstalk pith are discussed at some length, and 

 feeding experiments with animals made at the different stations with 

 corn and with maize and with different parts of the stalk are summa- 

 rized. 



Report of the agriculturist, W. P. Brooks (Massachusetts Hatch 

 Sta. Rpt. 1897, pp. 9-14, 19-23, 26-37).— The results of various field 

 experiments, most of which are in continuation of former work (E. S. 

 R., 9, p. 339), are reported. 



Fertilizer and soil tests. — Soil tests were made with corn on 2 farms 

 and with potatoes at the station. One of the tests with corn was ruined 

 by wire and cut worms. The results of the other were as follows : 



Soil test with corn. 



Applica- 

 tion per 

 acre. 



Increase in yield 

 over unnianured 

 plats. 



Grain. Stover 



Muriate of potash 



Nitrate of soda 



Dissolved boneblack 



Manure 



Complete fertilizer: 



Nitrate of potash . . . 



Nitrate of soda 



Dissolved boneblack 



Pounds. 

 160 

 160 

 320 



5 cords. 



160 

 160 

 320 



Bushels. 



36.3 



8.3 



15.3 



26.4 



Pounds. 



2,203 

 325 

 455 



3,450 



2,455 



In the soil test with potatoes the applications of phosphoric acid, 

 nitrogen, and potash increased the crop on an average 2G.6 bu., 11.3 

 bu., and 7.2 bu. per acre of merchantable tubers, respectively. The 

 application of all 3 elements produced a crop inferior to that where 

 nitrogen and phosphoric acid were applied together. No conclusions 

 are drawn. 



The one fourth acre plats used for experiments in manuring corn in 

 previous years (E. S. 11., 9, p. 340) were seeded with a mixture of tim- 

 othy, redtop, and clover without further application of fertilizers. The 

 2 plats which had received manure alone each season for 6 years 

 yielded on an average l,403i lbs. of hay and 784 lbs. of rowen : while 

 the 2 plats which had received manure and potash for the same 

 period gave a yield of 961^ lbs. of hay and 536J lbs. of rowen. 



Four {-acre plats, ?, of which had been fertilized for 6 years with a 

 special corn fertilizer and 2 with a fertilizer richer in potash than the 



