FERTILIZEKS. 711 



The soil at Audubon Park is alluvial, very stiff, and is benefited by 

 tliorongli drainage. "It is an excellent quality of 'mixed' soil." That 

 at Baton Eouge is a brown loam belonging geologically to the Bluff 

 formation. It is underlaid at varying depths by white chalky-looking 

 clay. It is greatly benefited by drainage, but this is difhcult to obtain 

 on account of the conformation of the land. The Calhoun vsoils vary 

 from yellow sandy clays to pure sand. "They are naturally very poor, 

 but susceptible of ra])id improvement and responsive to the smallest 

 application of manures." 



Experiments were made to determine the kind, form, and quantity 

 of each of the fertilizing constituents required by sugar cane, corn, 

 oats, and cotton at Andubon Park; cotton, corn, sugar cane, and pota- 

 toes at Baton Eouge; and cotton, corn, sugar cane, tobacco, and pota- 

 toes at Calhoun. Experiments have also been made to test the com- 

 jiarative merits of broadcast and drill applications and applications at 

 different dates. 



The results show "that the crying want of the Calhoun soils is nitro- 

 gen; that the soils of Audubon Park, under favorable seasons, will 

 appropriate one to two rations of nitrogen with profit. Baton Kouge 

 soils are responsive to nitrogen only when properly combined with 

 phosphoric acid." 



At Calhoun the order of effectiveness of the different forms of nitro- 

 gen was compost of cotton seed, stable manure, and phosphate; crushed 

 cotton seed, nitrate of soda, cotton-seed meal, fish scrap, tankage, sul- 

 phate of ammonia, rolled cotton seed, and dried blood. At Audu- 

 bon Park cotton-seed meal proved the most effective form, followed 

 closely by sulphate of ammonia, fish scrap, nitrate of soda, tankage, 

 and dried blood. At Baton Rouge sulphate of ammonia gave the best 

 results, followed closely, however, by the other forms. It is stated in 

 general that there was little preference in any of these forms of nitro- 

 gen. Nitrate of soda apjieared to be most effective on light sandy soils, 

 suli)hate of ammonia on stiff' clay lands. 



"At Calhoun, upon thin soils, licatiou (24 lbs.) of nitrogen is nearly the maximum 

 quantity which crops can now appropriate. With improvement, these soils may digest 

 and render availalde increased quantities. At Baton Rouge, with favorable seasons, 

 2 rations (48 lbs.) of nitrogen may be assimilated by the crops with profit, though 

 on account of almost annual droughts, it is unwise to apply, as a rule, larger quanti- 

 ties than 1 ration (24 lbs.). Experiments at both of these stations have determined 

 the above. At Audubon Fark 2 rations (48 lbs.) can easily be assimilated by sugar 

 cane in a fair season, provided tlie soil be well drained and cultivated, i. c, in good 

 tilth. Experiments have shown that 3 rations are excessive and always produce a 

 waste. On cotton, corn, and oats less quantities of nitrogen will suffice. Irisli jiota- 

 toes, cabbage, etc., may easily dispose of with profit 72 lbs. (3 rations) of nitrogen 

 per acre." 



The experiments with phosphoric acid indicate "that the soils of Audu- 

 bon Park and Calhoun require only small doses of phosphates mixed 

 with strongly nitrogenous fertilizers to .give remunerative returns, 

 while the soils of Baton Eouge can consume goodly quantities with 

 increased crop products." The soluble forms of phosphoric acid were 



