738 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Effects of different amounts of soil moisture and fertilizers on the development of the oat 



plant. 



Plant food per pot. 



Check 



Potash, 1 gni. ; phos. acid, 

 1 gm 



Potash, 1 gm. ; phos.acid, 

 1 gm. ; nitrogen, 1 gm . . 



Potash, 1 gin. ; phos. acid, 

 1 gm. ; nitrogen, 2 gin . . 



Potash, 1 gm. ; nitrogen, 1 

 gm 



Potash, lgm.; nitrogen, 1 

 gm. ; phos. acid, 2 gm. . . 



Phos. acid, 1 gm.; nitro- 

 gen, 1 gm 



Pfios. acid, 1 gm.; nitro- 

 gen, 1 gm. ; potash '_' mn 



First series. 



Weighl 



of 

 roots 



^^ofrtts 

 0t a g nT— 7» 



( 3 rami 

 7.67 



10.78 



10.07 



10.97 



5. 69 



10.68 



111. 06 



11.50 



Grams. 

 41.5 



67.5 



68.5 



68.5 



38.5 



79.2 



75.5 



74.0 



1:5.41 

 1 : 6. 26 

 1 : 6. 80 

 1 : 6. 24 

 1: 6.75 

 1:7.41 

 1:7.08 

 1:6.43 



Second series. 



height jei g l 



Patio 



Grams. 

 5.27 



8.27 



7.11- 



8.51 



4.38 



8.95 



6.65 



8.64 



graini° fro< * 8 



It ^ 

 raw - straw. 



Third series. 



Grams. 

 47.2 



83.6 



93.4 



94.0 



40.0 



108.0 



101.5 



99.5 



1: 8.95 

 1:10.10 

 1:13.13 

 1:11.04 

 1: 9.13 

 1:12.07 

 1:15.26 

 1:11.51 



Weigh! 



of 

 roots. 



W5 



, i and 

 straw - straw. 



Grams, 



7.28 



8. 40 

 7.62 

 9.1(1 

 8.12 

 8.60 

 9.03 

 7.27 



Urania. 

 68.5 



99.5 

 119.5 

 135. 



63.5 

 127.5 

 126. 

 117.5 



1 : 9.41 

 1:11.84 

 1:15.68 

 1 : 14. 83 

 1: 7.82 

 1 : 14. 82 

 1 : 13. 95 

 1:16.16 



Most of the plants were ripe August 9, but the plants grown in pots 

 which received no fertilizer and those which received only potash and 

 nitrogen were not ripe until August 10. In general the increase in soil 

 moisture increased the development of the parts of the plant above 

 ground and decreased the development of the roots. The fact that the 

 soil with the lowest moisture content favored root development is con- 

 sidered due to hydrotropism. The plants which received no phosphoric 

 acid showed the least root development and gave the smallest yields. 

 The authors conclude that increase in soil moisture diminishes root 

 development and that fertilizing increases it, but that these 2 factors 

 acting in conjunction increase the yield. 



Experiments with oats, J. F. Duggar (Alabama Sta. Bui. 95, 

 pp. 157-180). — The experiments with oats here reported consisted of 

 variety and fertilizer tests and investigations on the time of sowing, 

 rotations, and the prevention of smut. 



Five varieties of oats imported from France were compared with 

 varieties obtained from seedsmen and lied Eust Proof oats grown at 

 the station. All varieties except one were sown at the rate of 44 lbs. 

 per acre on November 16, 1896, and all plats were ^ of an acre in 

 size. The foreign varieties were evidently spring oats, and only one, 

 Gray Winter, proved hardy, and has for 2 years ranked well among the 

 varieties tested. Virginia Gray and lied Eust Proof, both American 

 varieties, produced the best yields of grain. Seed from the varieties 

 tested in 1896 and of a few additional varieties was sown November 6, 

 1897. In the same field spring and fall strains of Bed Eust Proof oats 

 were tested. Eed Eust Proof, Beardless, Hatchett Black, and Gray 

 Winter, in the order given, produced the most grain. Eed Bust Proof 

 yielded 30.8 and Gray Winter 19.5. There was practically no differ- 

 ence between the spring and fall strains of Eed Eust Proof oats, which 



