FIELD CROPS. 



843 



Jersey Fultz aud Extra Early Oakley, yielding 17.8 and 15.2 bu. per 

 acre aud weighing G1.7 and G1.2 lbs. per bu. respectively, were rated as 

 first grade milling varieties. 



Fertilizers had no appreciable effect on the yield of grain or straw at 

 the station. A fertilizer experiment made in the western coal measures 

 of the State indicated the need of phosphoric acid; potash had little if 

 any effect. 



Field experiments -with wheat, W. C. Latta and W. B. Anderson 

 (Indiana Sta. Bui. 72, pp. 67-76, dgm. 1). — This bulletin gives the results 

 of variety tests of wheat in 1807-98, and a resume of field experiments 

 with fertilizers ou wheat. In the aggregate 27 varieties of wheat were 

 tested in the 2 seasons. New Columbia, Early Ripe llybrid, Prolific, 

 and Harvest King produced straw of good strength, and Velvet Chaff, 

 Michigan Amber, Early Ripe Hybrid, Prolific, and Harvest King were 

 practically free from scab which was very prevalent in the locality of 

 the station. Velvet Chaff' and Michigan Amber have been grown for 

 15 years in succession, yielding on an average 29.08 aud 28.94 bu. per 

 acre, respectively. So far these 2 varieties have shown no signs of 

 deterioration. 



Applications of mixed fertilizer and horse manure were made on 5 

 series of plats. The series contained 7 plats each aud were under 

 different systems of cropping. The mixed fertilizer furnished approxi- 

 mately 2 parts of phosphoric acid, 4.5 of nitrogen, and 3 of potash. 

 In each series 2 plats were fertilized with the mixed fertilizer, 2 with 

 horse manure, and 3 received no fertilizer. The effect of the systems 

 of cropping and the methods of fertilizing are shown in the following 

 table : 



Average yield of wheat on fertilized and unfertilized plain. 



System of cropping 



Increase 

 over un- 

 fertilized 

 plats. 



Corn and wheat in alternate years 



Three course : Corn, oats, wheat 



Wheat grown continuously 



Four course : Corn, oats, wheat, clover 

 Corn, beets, oats, wheat, grass 



Bushels. 

 13.86 

 7.87 

 4.72 

 6.23 

 4.72 



A comparison was made of the light and heavy applications of ferti- 

 lizers and horse manure, aud of the cost per bushel of increase in 

 yield with the same. This showed the horse manure to be the more 

 economical. 



Sowing field crops at different rates in Russia ( Rpt. Min. Agr. 

 and Govt. Estates, Division of Rural Economy and Agricultural Statis- 

 tics, St. Petersburg, 1897, pp. X+50+213, abs. in Selslc. Khoz. i Lyesov., 

 190 (1898), pp. 717, 718).— This article treats of sowing grains at differ- 

 ent rates, and gives the opinion of practical men in this connection. 

 17950— No. 4 



