511 



Commercial fertilizers and stable manure. — This is tlic second year's 

 report on experiments wliicli arc to continue a number of years. Tabu- 

 lated data are given for the yieklsof Avheatonfour series of plats (num- 

 bered 2, 3, 4, and 5). The variety of wheat grown was Velvet Chaff". 

 In series 2, 3, and 5 dissolved boneblack, muriate of potash, and sul- 

 ])hate of ammonia, in combination, were compared with horse manure 

 and with no manure. In series 4 the above-mentioned fertilizers Avere 

 used singly, two by two, and all three together, and compared with 

 horse and cattle manure, plaster, lime, and salt, used singly, and with 

 no manure. The previous cropping of the different series was as fol- 

 lows: In 1889 corn grew on all the plats except those of series 3, devoted 

 to continuous wheat growing. In 1890 series 2 produced barley, and 

 series 4 and 5 oats. " Winter rye was sown in 1889 and an intercrop 

 after corn on series 2, 4, and 5, and was plowed under the next spring 

 for the succeeding crops. Clover has been sown eacli spring as an inter- 

 crop on series 3 and plowed under the same season for the succeeding 

 wheat crop." The following is a general summary of the results of these 

 experiments in 1891 : 



General averages. 



Four fertilized plats of series 2 



Three adjiRciit ]ilat8 not fertilized — 



Tour fertilized plats of series 3 



Three adjacent ])lats not fertilized. . . 



T«elv<' I'ci'tilized jilats of series 4 



Five a(lj;u'i'ut plats not fertilized 



Four fertilized )dats of series 5 



Three adjaceiir ]dat8 not fertilized . . . 



Twenty -four fertilized plats 



Fourteen adjacent plats not fertilized 



Yield. 



Grain. Straw. 



Bushels. 

 37.40 

 33.06 

 32.88 

 29.81 

 32.31 

 34.02 

 35.69 

 31.17 

 33.82 

 32.35 



Pounds. 

 5,191 

 3,867 

 5, 110* 

 3,528 

 4,667 

 4, 039 

 4,960 

 3,700 

 4, 8801 

 3, 820 



Increase. 



Grain. 



Bushels. 

 4.34 



3.07 



-i.'n 



4.52 

 'i.'47 



Straw. 



Pounds. 

 1,324 



1,582 

 '"628 



1,257 

 ' 1,060 



* Average of three plats. 



tAverage of twenty-three plats. 



The grain tester. — Three trials of the tester, of ten weighings each, were made. In 

 the first trial the wheat was run through a funnel and allowed to fall aljont 10 inches 

 into the tester, which was then gently tapped three times with the ends of the fingers 

 liefore taking the struck measure. In the second trial, after running the wheat 

 through the funnel as before, it was lightly pressed with the hand before applying 

 the straight edge. In the third trial the grain was dipped uj) with a small scoop 

 and lifted just over the edge of the tester, when the scoop was tipped and the wheat 

 run into the tester with as little force as possible. * * * 



Velvet Chaff wheat, one of the heaviest varieties grown at this station, was used 

 in all the weighings. * * » 



The [average], maximum, and minimum weights, and range of weight, both in 

 pounds and per cent, are all shown in the accompanjaug table. The per cent of 

 range is based on the minimum weight in every case. 



