FIELD CROPS. 293 



cent of potash soluble in hydrofluoric acid, it was observed that muriate 

 of potash, applied at rates of 50, 75, and 100 kg. of potash per hectare 

 in addition to a basal fertilizer of 00 kg. of nitric nitrogen and 120 kg. 

 of phosphoric acid, resulted iu a loss in every case. The decrease in 

 the elaboration of sugar was attributed to the harmful influeuce of the 

 chlorids. This decrease was greater the nearer the time of application 

 approached the time of seeding, and in some cases it was sufficiently 

 great to counterbalance the advantage resulting from the slight increase 

 in total yield. The replacement of the muriate by sulphate, and espe- 

 cially by pliosphate of potash, increased the sugar con tent up to and even 

 beyond that observed on the plats without fertilizer and on those 

 fertilized with nitrogen and phosphoric acid only. Nitrate of potash 

 vv as equally favorable to the elaboration of sugar, and it yielded beets 

 having as high a content of sugar as those grown on plats without 

 fertilizer or on those receiving fertilizer without potash ; but the benefit 

 derived from the use of this salt was not sensibly greater than that 

 produced by the application of nitrate of soda and superphosphate 

 without potash. It appears that under the soil conditions, etc., which 

 obtained in these experiments and which are frequently encountered iu 

 practice, it is not necessary to apply potash in order to obtain the 

 maximum yield, but it is probable that the elaboration of sugar would 

 be promoted by adding to a basal fertilizer of 400 to 450 kg. of nitrate 

 of soda and 800 to 900 kg. of superphosphate, 50 to 75 kg. of potassium 

 in the form ot sulphate or preferably in the form of phosphate, iu the 

 last case the quantity of superphosphate being reduced iu i)roportiou 

 to the amount of i)hosphoric acid contained in the phosphate of potash. 



Fertilizer experiments on barley, corn, vetch and. oats, Scotch 

 tares, soja bean, oats, and Canada peas and oats, C. A. Guess- 

 MA>-N {Massachii.sefts ^tate Sta. L'pt. IS'JS, pp. 227-.23G).—^hwc. 1889, 5 

 l)lats devoted to this experiment received annually the same fertilizer, 

 either 10 tons of barnyard manure per acre or a ton of wood ashes or (300 

 lbs. of ground bone and 200 lbs. of muriate of potash, or COO lbs. of 

 ground bone and 400 lbs. of sulphate of magnesia. One plat was 

 unfertilized. 



All the fertilizers considerably increased the yield over the unfertil- 

 ized plat. Sulphate of potash and magnesia gave in most instances 

 on leguminous plants better results than muriate of potash. On grain 

 crops muriate of potash iu most cases gave better results than the 

 sulphate of potash and magnesia. Incidentally, the advantage of 

 seeding grain and soja beans in drills was brought out. 



Report of agriculturist and horticulturist for 1893 [Nevada 

 Sta. Rpt. 1S93, pp. 11-24). — Experiments in applying gypsum to alfalfa, 

 culture experiments with potatoes, tests of 07 varieties of potatoes, 

 28 of wheat, 14 of oats, 12 of barley, 7 of corn fodder, 18 of sugar beets, 

 8 of tobacco, and 8 of carrots. With potatoes, planting Ajnil 1 gaA'e 

 better results with most varieties than later planting. The •' seed" 



