875 



[In general it has been fonnd that on the yollow loam of the liill regions of tbo 

 State, I while good results have always been obtained l)y tlie nse of a mixture of 

 potash and phospliorie acid salts, results have been still better when the soil has 

 received a fair supply of vegetable matter in addition. Whether this vegetable mat- 

 ter is derived from composting the commercial salts with cotton-seed meal, cotton 

 seed, or stable manure seems to make but little difference, thougli if manure is 

 used much more will be required than of the meal or seed. The results of the work 

 of the past year both at the home station and at the Holly Sijriugs branch have 

 served to strengthen these conclusions. 



The yellow loam or "post oak" region of the State has in nearly all places 

 a large excess of lime. Such soils are usiuxlly Avanting in vegetable matter, 

 which must be supplied either by growing some crop for plowing under, or by some 

 form of fertilizer. The value of cowpeas as a green manure is too well known to 

 need couuuent here, but there are other crops wliich are often even more ])rofitable 

 for this pur])ose. Melilotus grows well on all lime soils, and where the subsoil is 

 close and heavy it is undoubtedly the best crop which can bo grown as a green 

 manure. * * * Yot very thin red or yellow soils Japan clover is an excellent fer- 

 tilizer and will grow on a soil which is too poor to produce a good crop of peas and 

 so destitute of lime as to be unfit for melilotus, but on soils suited to their growth 

 either red clover, melilotus, or cowpeas give better results. * * * 



For the pine-woods region, Avhere the soils are almost uniformly deficient in lime, 

 both pliosphoric acid and potash are needed in a fertilizer, though the phosphoric 

 acid seems the more important of the two. Such soils are usually deficient in vege- 

 table matter also, which must be supplied in some form. Peas grow well on these 

 soils and is probably the best green crop which can be used, and either cotton seed 

 or cotton-seed meal are also used to advantage. 



Cotton, test of varieties. — Tabulated data are given for 46 varieties 

 grown in 1891, and the results are comi)ared with those obtained in 

 previous years. 



Flax culture (pp. 22-24).— Seed of Medium and Bold Calcutta 

 flax was sown in January and March. " From both the winter and the 

 spring- sowings the Bold Calcutta plants Mere a trifle the larger, but 

 otherwise there was no marked difference between them, although tliere 

 was a marked difference in the seed, that from the Bold Calcutta being- 

 much larger and pluniper." The work in this line will be continued, 



AVheat, TEST OF VARIETIES (pp. 24, 25).— A brief account of a 

 test of 12 English and 2 French varieties. The English varieties were 

 late in rii)ening- and were very badly injured by rust. The Frencli 

 varieties yielded 17 and 27 bushels per acre. 



Grasses (pp. 25, 26). — A general statement regarding the tests of 

 species of grasses being carried on in the Southern States in coopera- 

 tion with this Department. Details will be given in Bulletin No. 20 of 

 the station and in the Eeport of the Secretary of Agriculture for 1891. 



Feedings experime^'ts (pp. 26-28).— Thirty grade cows divided 

 into 6 lots of 5 each (four Jerseys and one Holstein), were fed 5 

 weeks, beginning January l.'J, to test the relative value of different 

 foods for the production of milk and butter. The hay used was analyzed 

 with the following results: 



