634 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



the accumulation of ammonia in the roots when the upper part of the 

 plant is removed. 



(9) When roots detached from the stems are brought in contact with 

 the nitrogenous matter of the soil they form ammonia at the expense 

 of this matter. 



(10) A plant rooted in the soil has been found to produce more ammo- 

 nia at the expense of the soil than it was able to utilize. 



Soil improvement, R. L. Bennett, G. B. Irby, and C. L. Newman 

 [Arkansas Sta. Bui. 46, pp. 79-99, fig. 1). — The results of experiments 

 during the past 6 years on the improvement of worn cotton soil and the 

 best form and manner in which to apply fertilizers are summarized and 

 the results of experiments during 1896 along this line at the northeast 

 substation at Newport and the southern substation at Camden are 

 reported. 



Past experiments have indicated that "(1) Worn cotton soils need 

 nitrogen, vegetable matter, better tillage, and better protection. (2) 

 The cheapest, most durable, and available form to apply nitrogen is 

 vegetable nitrogen in the form of cowpeas, cotton seed, and cotton- 

 seed meal. (3) One crop of cowpeas turned in the sod will furnish 

 more nitrogen than is necessary for one crop of corn or cotton. (4) 

 Most Arkansas clayey soils do not need an addition of potash and 

 phosphoric acid for staple crops if the soil's supply of those foods is 

 made available and increased and the soil water increased by thorough 

 and continuous tillage and by rotation with cowpeas. The exception 

 to this is the deficiency of available potash and phosphoric acid in the 

 sandy pine soils of South Arkansas. On that soil it may be profitable 

 to use potash and phosphoric acid to a limited extent, but only after 

 first testing to ascertain that extent. (5) Kainit and acid phosphate, 

 13 per cent and 11 per cent available, are the best forms in which to 

 purchase potash and phosphoric acid." 



The experiments at Newport were undertaken to ascertain the value 

 of commercial fertilizers, cotton-seed meal, and barnyard manure for 

 cotton and for corn and the effect of rotation on these crops. Three 

 experiments were made with the same kinds and amounts of fertilizers. 

 In experiment No. 1 the crop was grown after 2 crops of cotton, in 

 experiment No. 2 after 2 crops of turned-under cowpeas, and in experi- 

 ment No. 3 on worn cotton soil after a crop of peas and a crop of cotton. 

 The following table shows the results: 



Mesults of fertilizer experiments at Newport, Arkansas. 



Fertilizers applied per acre. 



No fertilizer 



Nitrate of soda. 200 H>s., Hi per cent nitrogen 



Muriate of potash, 300 lbs., 49 percent potash 



Acid phosphate, 300 lbs , 14 per cent phosphoric acid 



Gypsum, 500 lbs 



Cotton-seed meal, 400 lbs., 6 per cent nitrogen 



Kainit, 400 pounds, 13 per cent potash 



Barnyard manure, 10 loads 



