438 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. I Vol. 38 



lbs. of sucrose, and D. 109 second with 28.2 tons of cane and 6,470 lbs. of su- 

 crose. B. 3289 was lowest with 16.9 tons of cane and 3,660 lbs. of sucrose. 

 The highest average yield of ratoon canes for all seasons was obtained from 

 A. 2 with 5,690 lbs. of sucrose for two seasons. B. 1753 was second with 5,600 

 lbs. for eight seasons, and B. 208 third with 5,560 lbs. for 15 seasons. 



Tests with plant canes only are reported for Nevis, D. 216 being first with 

 41.9 tons of cane and 8,880 lbs. of sucrose, and D. 1111 second with 40.3 toLS 

 of cane and 7,690 lbs. of sucrose. B. 147 was lowest with 24 tons of cane and 

 4,790 lbs. of sucrose. The highest average yield for all seasons was obtained 

 from D. 210, 8,880 lbs. of sucrose for one season, with D. 1111 second with 

 6,550 lbs. fur two seasons. 



Applications of 20 tons of pen manure apparently increased the yield of 

 cane 5.5 tons per acre, while corresponding applications of commercial fertil- 

 izers gave exceptionally good returns, due to the favorable climatic conditions 

 which prevailed during the growing season of 1915-16. The highest increase 

 in the fertilizer tests, 11.2 tons of cane per acre, was secured from an appli- 

 cation of 80 lbs. of phosphoric acid as basic slag, in addition to 60 lbs. of 

 nitrogen as sulphate of ammonia and 60 lbs. of potash as sulphate of potash. 

 An increase of 10.2 tons followed an application of 60 lbs. of phosphoric acid as 

 acid phosphate in conjunction with nitrogen and potash. An application of 24 

 lbs. of potash in conjunction with phosphorus and nitrogen showed an increase of 

 8 tons, while a 40-lb. application showed an increase of only 7.4 tons. Sixty-lb. 

 applications of nitrogen as sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of sotla showed 

 increases of 7.3 and 7 tons of cane, respectively. 



The three-year-average results, 1913 to 1916, indicate that nitrogen is the 

 most essential element required for conditions in the Leeward Islands. The 

 phosphates were practically without effect, while appreciable increases were 

 obtained from potash if the latter was applied with some nitrogenous material. 

 The average increase in yield from a 20-ton application of pen manure was 

 5.3 tons. With 60-lb. applications of nitrogen as sulphate of ammonia and 

 nitrate of soda the average increases were 5.2 and 5.1 tons, respectively. 



Application of 200 and 400 gal. of molasses per acre showed average increases 

 of 3 and 3.7 tons of cane per acre, respectively. 



The results of the permanent manurial experiments at La Gu^rite, St. Kitts, 

 for the season 1915-16, are reported, but no conclusions drawn. The highest 

 increase in yield, 8.9 tons of cane, was secured from the plat receiving pen 

 manure alone. 



The effect of sodium nitrate applied at different stages of growth on the 

 yield, composition, and quality of wheat, J. Davidson and J. A. LeClerc 

 {Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron., 9 (VJll), No. If, pp. H5-15It). — From the work of 

 LeClerc and Leavitt (E. S. R., 22, p. 730), Shaw and Walters (E. S. R., 26, 

 p. 133), and LeClerc and Yoder (E. S. R., 30, p. 440), it was concluded that 

 the principal factor causing variations in the nitrogen content of wheat was 

 climate. The investigations here reported were undertaken to determine 

 whether climate was responsible for variations in the available nitrates at 

 different stages of growth. 



Sodium nitrate was applied at the rate of 320 lbs. per acre at the time when 

 the crop was about 2 in. high, at the time of heading, and at the milk stage. 

 To assure the availability of the nitrate at a particulr stage of growth it was 

 applied in solution, the concentration being 1 : 100 in all cases. Parallel plats 

 were prepared to which the solid niti'ate was applied to check the solution 

 method. All plats received the same amount of water at each of the three 

 stages of growth, and were checked by a series of plats receiving no water. 



