FIELD CROPS. 883 



None of the fertilizers applied were financially jirotitable this first 

 year, but the author considers that they were applied too late in many 

 cases, or at too high a rate. Tlie residual ellect is to be determined by 

 a repetition of the experiment. 



Field experiments with fertilizers {New Jersey Stas. Rpt. 1895, 

 2)p. !)9j 100). — The author summarizes the results of previous work as 

 follows: In 9 of the 13 experiments with corn, applications of super- 

 phosphates and potash singly or in combination were lollowed by 

 increased yields. Potash seemed to be ])articularly ertective. lii 2 

 experiments on light, sandy loams nitrogen was shown to be needed. 



In experiments with oats on soils of medium fertility applications of 

 phosphoric acid and nitrogen, especially of the former, were beneficial. 

 These 2 elements were also the most useful in 11 experiments with 

 ■wheat and rye. 



With potatoes the results show benefit from both commercial ferti- 

 lizers and barnyard manure. Potash, as muriate, infiuenced the yield 

 most noticeably, and as sulphate it improved the (|uality of the tubers, 

 with a slightly lower yield. Complete chemical fertilizers were more 

 profitable than barnyard manure or nitrogen, phosphoric acid, or potash 

 alone. 



G-rasses and forage plants of the Dakotas, T. A. Williams ( U. 

 S. Bept. Ayr., JJiv. of AgrostoUxjy Bui. 0, pp. 17, figs. 11). — This bulle- 

 tin includes an introductory discussion of the forage conditions in the 

 Dakotas, with notes upon the native grasses, the irrigation problem, 

 and conditions in the artesian basin. A list is given of the grasses 

 and other plants of the Dakotas which are or may be of importance as 

 forage, the plants being arranged alphabetically under their scientific 

 and common names, and described under the common names. The 

 grasses and forage plants collected or observed in the Dakotas in 1896 

 are classified by families. 



Essex rape and crimson clover, H. H. Horton {New Jersey Stas. 

 Rpt. 1895, pp. 121, i55).— This is a report of a cooperative experiment 

 conducted at Chester, New Jersey, on a sandy loam, with clayey sub- 

 soil, and in a medium state of fertility. Oats had been grown on the 

 plat in 1892, followed by fallow in 1893 and the early part of 1894. 

 The seed was sown June 8, after an application of 400 lbs. per acre of 

 equal parts of ground bone and muriate of ix>tash. In August and 

 {September the weather was very dry. The yield, calculated from 1 sc]. 

 rod, was 11' tons per acre. An analysis (food and fertilizer constit- 

 uents) is given of the rape. The crimson clover seeded with the rape 

 was rather an uneven catch. 



Report of the agriculturist, C. D. S^iith {Mirhiyan Sta. Rpt. 1895, 

 pp. 104-125).— ^otes are given on forage crops, barley, rye, and rape 

 grown at the station; culture and varieties of millet; seeding to grass 

 and clover; fertilizer experiments with corn on muck land (see p. 882); 

 9,nd crops grown for 5 years on plats without manure. 



