712 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



invariably more profitable than the insohible. Of tlie latter, slag meal 

 was most effective, while bone meal in no case gave a profitable return. 



" Neither at Calhoun uor Audubon Park have excessive (juantities been beneficial. 

 At the former perhaps 24 lbs. soluble phosphoric acid per acre is an abundance for 

 any crop, while 1 ration (36 lbs.) has been found to be ample for the caue crop at 

 the latter station at Baton Rouge. Upon the best character of soils and in favor- 

 able seasons 50 lbs. or more to the acre of this ingredient might be profitably applied 

 to certain crops." 



'No cro]) .it any of the 3 stations has been benefited by the ap[)lioation of potassic 

 salts." 



Tiie results of the experiments with the different methods of appli- 

 cation indicated that — 



"If the soil be very loamy or clayey and retains fertilizers well, perhaps little or 

 no loss will occur by putting all the manure under the plant at the time of planting. 

 Put if the soil be sandy and inclined to ' leach,' fertilizers, particularly nitrogen com- 

 pounds, should never be ai)plied all at once under fibrous-rooted plants. Mineral fer- 

 tilizers may be thus applied, since they leach but little, and even comidtte fertilizers 

 niay be thus used under quickly-growing tap-rooted plants. . . . 



" Where the soil is open and porous and root development can occur witliout hin- 

 drance, then broadcasting may be done, with chances that the fibrous roots, permeat- 

 ing easily in every direction, may catch most of the applied fertilizers, but in very 

 stiff, compact soils such extensive root development is impossible, and therefore 

 much of the broadcast fertilizer will not bo accessible to the roots of the growing 

 crop. As a rule, then, it may be asserted that broadcasting is permissible upon hoed 

 cr<i])s in light soils, but wasteful in stiff, heavy soils." 



The results of experiments at Calhoun strongly favor 1 application at 

 time of planting under cotton, but "strongly suggest the practice of 

 making at least 3 applications of fertilizers for such plants as corn, 

 cane, etc. At Baton Kouge little or no loss has occurred from 1 apjdi- 

 cation at time of planting. . . . At Audubon Park experiments have 

 been made similar to those discussed above, with 1, 2, and 3 api)lications, 

 with as yet, no positive evidence against the iirevailing custom of 1 

 application." 



As regards the best depth of application " the consensus of results 

 points unmistakably to the depth of 2 to 3 in. as producing the best 

 results, and also shows the advantage of having all the ingredients 

 combined at this depth." 



Successful results with arotation of oats, cowpeas, cotton, corn, and cow- 

 peas are reported, and in conclusion tabulated data are given for experi- 

 ments with fertilizers on sugar cane at Audubon Park for 1892 and 1893, 



Soil tests -with fertilizers in Virginia (Southern Plnnter, 56 {1S95), No. 3, pp. 

 79-81). — The Virginia State Board of Agriculture, at its meeting January 8 to 10, 

 1895, adopted resolutions appropriating a sum not exceeding $1,500 for the purpose 

 of conducting soil tests with fertilizers, not more than $150 of which is to be expended 

 in any one Congressional district. This money is placed under the control of the 

 Conini i^sioner of Agricultui-e and the members of the State Board of Agriculture from 

 the difterent districts in which experiments are made. The services of a scientist to 

 aid in selecting and laying out jilats, supervising the exi^eriments from time to time, 

 and preparing reports of results are to be secured through the Virginia Agricultural 

 and Mechanical College, or from some other source, provided such services can be 

 procured for a sum not exceeding $500. 



