372 



The amount of valuable fertiliziug ingredients contained in four cut- 

 tings of raiuie (per year), yielding 10 tons of dried stalks and 4.25 tons of 

 leaves per acre, is calculated from the above data to be as follows: 



Fertilizing ingredients per acre in ramie crop. 



Whole plant (14.25 tons) 



Stalks (7.2.') tons) 



Bark (2.7.') tous) 



Leaves (4.2.') tons) 



Potash. ^""3^^^'""'^ Nitrogen. 



Pounds. 



251. 98 



155. 99 

 27.86 

 68.13 



Pounds. 



155. 70 



67.71 



10.86 



77.13 



Pounds. 



369. 70 



105.85 



57.75 



206.10 



"A consideration of the data given in the table proves to what an 

 alai'ining extent the soil Avould be depleted by a continuous culture of 

 ramie when nothing is returned. * * * The draft made on lime is 

 about (358 pounds, on potash 25L' i)ounds, phosphoric acid 156, and on 

 nitrogen to the extent of 370 pounds per acre.'' 



Of these amounts, however, there is contained in the bark and fiber, 

 the only products aimed at, less than 10 per cent of the potash, 3 per 

 cent of tlie lime, 7 i)er cent of the phos]>hoiic acid, and 15 ]>er cent of 

 the nitrogen, the remainder being contained in the stalks and leaves. 



If the leaves and stalks are returiu-d to the soil, the anioimt withdrawn i.*, <om- 

 ])aratively speaking, very email, being only about 28 pounds of potash, 19 of lime, 

 11 gf phosjdioiic aeid, and 58 of nitrogen per acre. • • « When the decor- 

 ticated stalks only are returned to the soil, as might be the case if the kwives 

 were sold to paper mills, as has been suggested, then about iiX ]ionnds more of jtotash, 

 567 of lime, 77 of phosphoric acid, and 206 pounds of nitrogen per acre are taken 

 away from the soil than would be the case were they. Avith the stalks, given back 

 to the land. 



Whether or not it would jtay to sell the leaves is a tinaneial <|uestion depending 

 on the ]irices oiitained for them, and iiikhi lliat whii h would ha\e to lie ])aid, sooner 

 or later, for fertiliztis used instead. 



IJemarks on the maiiiier td" using the stalks and leaves for feitili/.ing 

 purposes are reprinted from UuMetin Xt>. OO of the station (see Ivxperi- 

 ment Station Record, vol. ii, p. 475). A comparison is given between 

 the amounts of mineral ingredients and nitrogen contained in a crop 

 (total and ]>arts of ])lant) of ramie per acre, and in crops (total and 

 parts of ])lant) of hemp, tiax, cotton, wheat, and sugar beets, calculated 

 from various analyses, and crops of grapes, oranges, pears, plums, and 

 a]>ples. The amounts of nitrogen. ]»lios])lioric a<itl. and potash ])er 

 acre in liber plants and in wheat and sugar beets (t<>tal crt»p) are given 

 as follows: 



