46 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



At Four Square plantation the plats received 27 tons of barnyard manure in Novem- 

 ber, 1901, before the crop was planted. In addition, different applications of com- 

 mercial fertilizers were used. The application of nitrogen alone showed no increase 

 in yield, but where 60 lbs. of nitrogen as sulphate of ammonia were applied with 45.8 

 lbs. of phosphoric acid as basic slag and 100 lbs. of potash, the increase amounted to 

 2\ tons. Small quantities of nitrogen were unsatisfactory, but the use of from 80 to 

 100 lbs. per acre gave good results. Phosphatic manures apparently gave a small 

 increase, and in general superphosphate was more effective than basic slag. Liming 

 increased the yield by from 3 to 4£ tons per acre. The use of 25 lbs. of potash as 

 sulphate also gave an increase in yield. 



Experiments at Hopewell plantation were conducted with plant canes, first ratoons, 

 and second ratoons. The plant cane received as a general application 27 tons of barn- 

 yard manure per acre; first ratoons, 30 tons; and second ratoons, 40 tons. In the 

 plant-cane experiments a complete commercial fertilizer showed an increase of about 

 6 tons per acre, and nitrogen was the most important constituent in producing this 

 result. In this case basic slag was more effective than superphosphate. The phos- 

 phoric acid and nitrogen furnished in the commercial fertilizers applied to the first 

 ratoons caused an increase in yield of from 8 to 10 tons of cane per acre. The phos- 

 phatic manures of this test were equally effective. Where no barnyard manure was 

 used phosphoric acid and potash were without effect in the experiments with second 

 ratoons. 



A complete application of commercial fertilizers without manure produced a crop 

 of 20 tons per acre. Basic slag remained without effect and superphosphate pro- 

 duced a small increase. Potash in applications up to 75 lbs. per acre caused a large 

 increase in yield. With the application of manure, nitrogen up to 75 or 100 lbs. per 

 acre produced a larger increase, but when the quantity reached 100 lbs. an addition of 

 the potash and phosphoric acid resulted in no further increase. In a series of tests 

 made on 1-acre plats, it appeared that the use of 18.32 lbs. of phosphoric acid as 

 superphosphate and 50 lbs. of potash as sulphate, in addition to 100 lbs. of nitrogen 

 upon the first ratoons, increased the yield about H tons. The use of nitrogen as 

 nitrate of potash showed no gain. 



The results of a tillage experiment showed a difference of 2i tons of canes per acre. 

 Subsoiling and manuring and cultivating in the usual manner gave the best yield. 

 The smallest yield was obtained where the plats were ridged with a disc plow turn- 

 ing under barnyard manure 8 in. deep, the cane planted in rows at the bottom and 

 cultivated with the Diamond cultivator. 



The experiments with seedling and other varieties of canes here reported have 

 been noted from another source (E. S. R., 15, p. 671). 



Tobacco work in 1903, PI H. Jenkins (Connecticut State Sta. Bpt. 1903, pt. 3, pp. 

 440-444). — A description is given of work in the selection of tobacco seed for the 

 purpose of obtaining a leaf of desirable quality, and at the same time uniform in size, 

 shape, and weight. 



An acre under shade was set with plants from 12 different varieties of tobacco seed, 

 comprising 7 of the Sumatra type, 2 of the Cuban, and 1 each of the Connecticut 

 broadleaf, Connecticut Havana, and Kentucky White Burley. The plants most 

 desirable with reference to number, size, and shape of leaves were retained as seed 

 producers, while all others were topped. At the beginning of flowering 2 or 3 of 

 the best plants were selected from each plat, and all precautions were taken to pre- 

 vent cross pollination, so that the seed produced is entirely the product of the plant 

 upon which it grew. It is believed that these seeds will produce crops much more 

 uniform in character than the corresponding crops of this season, and that the shape 

 and size of the leaf will show some improvement. 



Notes on the culture and handling" of tobacco (Bol. Tec. Coltlv. Tabacchi, 

 Scafati [Salerno'], 3 (1904), Nos. 1, pp. 51-85; 2, pp. 47-79).— A series of brief reports 



