356 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Nitrate of soda was applied at the rale of either 1 or 2 cuts, per acre, and super- 

 phosphate and kainitat the rate of either 2 or 4 cuts. An application of 1 cwt. of 

 nitrate of soda and 2 cwt. each of superphosphate and kainit per acre served as a 

 standard for comparison. Doubling the quantity of nitrogen increased the average 

 yield by 3 cwt. 47.5 lbs. per acre, and doubling the quantity of kainit gave an increase 

 of only 85.5 lbs. The larger dressingsof superphosphates diminished the yield about 

 25.5 His. per acre. The largest crops were obtained on the plats receiving 2 cwt. of 

 nitrate <>f soda per acre. No difference was observed in the quality of the barley 

 from the various plats. 



A fertilizer experi nt with barley carried out by the Yorkshire College indicated 



that a complete application of commercial fertilizers gives the best results, the best 

 yield, the lowest percentage of nitrogen, the highest proportion of potash, the high- 

 est proportion of extract, and the highest diastatic capacity being all in its favor. 



The influence of early and late spring plowing upon corn production, M. 

 Quiroga (Ohio State Univ. Bui, 8. ser., No. 2S (Ayr. Ser. No. 1), pp. 23, charts 8).— 

 Land was plowed for corn on April 7 and 10 and on June 3. The corn was planted 

 June 4. 



The effect of early and late plowing on soil moisture, available nitrogen, and soil 

 temperature was studied. The early-plowed land yielded on an average 6.6 bu. more 

 per acre, showed a greater moisture-holding capacity, especially in the surface foot, 

 and contained much more available nitrogen and a greater amount of water than 

 the late-plowed land. The yield showed a close relation to the amount of moisture 

 and of available nitrogen in the soil during the season. On this particular soil a 

 moisture content below 12 per cent caused the leaves of many plants to curl early in 

 the day, turned the plant yellow, and interfered more or less with its growth. 



Nitrification took place with a gradually decreasing intensity at 1, 2, and 3 ft. in 

 depth. The surface foot of the early-plowed land contained twice the seasonal aver- 

 age amount of available nitrogen found on the late-plowed land. Furthermore, the 

 available nitrogen in the surface foot of the early-plowed field was 4 times the quan- 

 tity in either the second or third foot of the early or late plowed plats. 



The late-plowed soil showed the higher mean soil temperature during the entire 

 season and the low mean soil temperature of the early-plowed land was accompa- 

 nied throughout the season by a greater amount of moisture and available nitrogen. 

 The author states that a high temperature is not always followed by a high rate of 

 nitrification, and he believes, therefore, that the process of nitrification is depend- 

 ent upon the rate relation between the water content and the temperature of the soil, 

 provided other factors are favorable. 



Corn culture at Ivoloina, (i. Duchene {Agr. Prat. Pays Chauds, 3 (1904), No. 

 17, pp. H12-616). — Corn was planted at the experiment station at Ivoloina, Mada- 

 gascar, between rows of castilloa. The crop planted March 21 matured in 110 days 

 and yielded at the rate of 3,276 kg. of shelled corn per hectare. The castilloa plants 

 grew vigorously and developed symmetrically so long as they were protected by the 

 corn, but when this was removed their development on the side toward the prevail- 

 ing winds was materially reduced. 



The commercial cotton crops of 1900-1901, 1901-2, and 1902-3, J. L. 

 W atkins ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Statistics Bui. 28, pp. 88). — Statistics with ref- 

 erence to the commercial cotton crops of these years are given, and the commercial 

 crops of 1900-1901 and 1901-2 in each of the cotton-growing States are compared. 

 The consumption of cotton in the United States and the world and the total value 

 of cotton ci'ops in this country are discussed. The shipments made in the different 

 States in 1902-3 are recorded for each railroad station. The cost of picking cotton 

 in the different years is given, and the exports and imports of cotton for the United 

 States during the period are shown in tables. The cotton industry of Brazil is briefly 

 described. 



