530 



combinations witli each other and with boneblack, sulphate of potash, 

 and gyi)sum. The yields are tabulated. The 3 unuianured i)lats, 1 of 

 which hud received seaweed the year previous, yielded 31', 03, and 17 

 bushels per acre respectively, and there were other indications of uneven- 

 ness of the soil in fertility. The larf^est yields were where barnyard 

 manure was used, but considering the cost the results were quite favor- 

 able to a mixture of 400 pounds each of muriate of potash and boneblack 

 and 200 ])ounds nitrate of soda. There were indications that the soil 

 needed phosphoric acid fur this crop. 



Keport of Chemist, H. J. Wheeler, Ph. D. (pp. 31-107). 



General aualyses of fertilizing materialx, etc. (pp. 33-30). — Analyses of 

 muriate of potash, dissolved boneblack, dissolved bone, ground hone, 

 cotton waste, wool waste, wood ashes, sewage waters, well water, and a 

 so called '' dyestuft," which proved to be only linseed meal. 



Cooperative Jiehl experiments trith fertilizers on Indian com (pp. 

 30-107). — During bSOO the station superintended a series of coiiperative 

 experiments with fertilizers for corn which were carried out on ten dif- 

 ferent farms within the State, besides the station farm Each exjieri- 

 ment included -<► twentieth aeie plats on which nitrati* of soda 150 

 pounds, dissolv«'<l bonebla<-k 3r»(> pounds, and muiiate of jxttahh 150 

 pounds per acre were used singly, two by two, und :ill tliree together; 

 and a mixture of tlu' ab<»ve amounts of boneldack and nniriate of jidtash 

 "was used with nitrate of soda !."»(», .KM), and l."»(» pounds, with ammonium 

 sulphiite 112, 224, and 330 i»ounds, and with dried blocul 220, 44(>, and 

 ()<)0 pounds, respectively. 'Ywo jtlats remained unmanured. Where pos- 

 sible, unniannred stri]>s wen- lelt between the plats. The seed and fer- 

 tilizers were furnished l>y the.station. The yields <»f the hard and s«)ft 

 corn and stover and the tinaiu'ial residts are tabulated for ten exjieri- 

 ments, the other exiterinuMit being omitted on account of errors. The 

 general indications of tin' I'xperiments are sumujarized by the author 

 as follows: 



Tho expi'iimcnts show tliat tliore existed a widr variation in the fertility of the 

 soils, aiul that cases of uur-sided t-xhaustioii were not of nncouinion occnrri-Hi'e. 



In fonr cases at h-ast, potash a]i]>earc(l most dolicicnt, and it is interesting to 

 oliserve that the two most marked cases of a deticieney of phosphoric acid were upon 

 old pastures. 



In one or two instances the api)lication of nitri>};on, oven in small (juantities, 

 resulted in little orno profit, and in general its ajiplication in large quantities, though 

 it m some measure increased the crojt, resjilted in linancial lefts. Kitrogeu proved 

 most profitulde upon soils with little sod and humus, i. c. light, sandy or gravelly 

 loams. 



Taking all the experiments into consideration, nitrogen in the form of nitrate «»f 

 soda was more certain to give fair returns than in either of the other funns. Its 

 less<'r cost is also an adflitional argument in its favor. 



The suli>hate of ammonia gave, in one «>r two instances, hotter returns than nitrate 

 of soda, though in two cases at least the ]terioil of growtii was prolonged by its use, 

 which may perhaps have Iteen due to delayed uitrifieatiou. In one instance the 

 sulphate nitrogen a]>]iears not only not to have lieconie availahle to the idant. hut to 

 hav« hud a decideiUy injurious ollect, for it more than ueutrulized the otherwise 



