393 



a continuation of an exijeriment commenced at the station in 1880 on 

 30 twentieth-acre plats for the purpose of comparing the eftects of (1) 

 different forms of phosphoric acid (dissolved honehlack, finei;Tonnd 

 hone, and fine-ground S<mth Carohiia rock), (2) commercial fertilizers 

 vs. barnyard manure, (3) partial vs. complete fertilizers, and (4) differ- 

 ent quantities of fertilizers. A description of the land and of the ferti- 

 lizers used was given in the Annual lleport of the station for ISSS (see 

 Experiment Station Bulletin No. 2, part ii, p. 48). The crops grown 

 were oats in 1880 and 1887, oats and grass in 1888, and corn in 1889, the 

 latter crop being a failure. Fertilizers were applied in 188(5, 1887, and 

 1880, the respective plats receiving the same fertilizers from year to 

 year. In 1890, the fifth year, peas were grown and no fertilizers were 

 applied on any of the plats. The yields of peas and straw on the various 

 plats are fully tabulated, together with the financial results. 



Tlie table shows that of the x>hosphates apjjlied to this fiehl with this crop, fiiie- 

 gromul houe gave the highest yiekl of peas, whih* dissolved boneblaek stood next, 

 the lowest yield being with South Carolina rock. The table also shows that 

 muriate of potasli and sulphate of ammonia have little or no effect when a])plied 

 alone, and that l)y far the largest yield of peas was obtained from the plats manured 

 with stable manure. * * * 



The average yield of the plats to which no manure was applied is practically the same 

 as the average yield of those plats which were manured with [a mixture of] muriate 

 of potasli and sulphate of ammonia. The plats manured with dissolved boneblack 

 show a decided increase over the unmanured plats [the comliination with muriate 

 of potasli giving the largest yield] . ' *^ * 



This experiment shows quite clearly that for the soil on which the experiment 

 was carried out and for this crop, the nitrogenous manure was not needed, and that 

 it only served to increase the cost of the crop. * * * 



[Where complete fertilizers were used] in no case was the increased yield sufficient 

 to pay for the cost of the fertilizers. 



Systcnis of nianuri tig {})]). 8d-9G). — This experiment was intended to 

 compare barnyard manure with commercial fertilizers and with no 

 manure in crop production. In 1888 a ten-acre field of clay-loam grass 

 land Avas divided into 4 equal plats and for 2 years no fertilizers were 

 applied to any of the plats. The grass was cut and weighed each year 

 to determine the relative fertility of the plats. The average annual 

 yield of hay per acre was as follows : Plat 1, 2,542 pounds; plat 2, 2,410 

 pounds; plat 3, 2,082 pounds; and i)lat 4, 2,510 pounds. In 1890 the 

 entire fiehl was plowed and the following fertilizers applied: Plat 1, 50 

 loads (3 loads to the cord) of cow manure; ])lat 2, 2,500 pounds fine- 

 ground South Carolina rock, 250 pounds muriate of potash, 105 jiounds 

 nitrate of soda, and 40 ])ounds ammonium sulphate ; plat 3, 1,250 jiounds 

 dissolved South Carolina rock, and otherwise the same as plat 2; and 

 l^lat 4, no manure. Barley was sown broadcast on one half of each ])lat; 

 the remaining half plats (1^ acres each) were each diAided into two 

 equal parts, small Canada peas being drilled in on one half and Black- 

 Eyed Marrowfat peas on the otlicr half '' The season was very unsat- 

 isfactory for experimental work, both at the ox^ening and at the close, 



