718 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



" The preceding analyses prove that this fodder is one of consider- 

 able nicrit." 

 The lolloping table gives the composition of the ash: 



Compos'iiion of the ash of JnstraHan salt hiinli. 



Per cent. 



Silica 16.24 



Potash 11. 42 



Soda 35.39 



Lime 5. 79 



Magnesia 3. 23 



Peroxid of iron 1. 38 



Ahiuiiua 1. 95 



Brown oxiil of niaugauose 0. 22 



Phosphoric acid 2. 80 



Sulphuric acid 2. 64 



Chlorin 24.33 



105. 35 

 Excess of oxygen due to chlorin 5. 35 



Tota 1 100. 00 



Per cent of pure ash in air-dried substance . ; 19. 37 



Althoiigli a ton of the air-diied plant contains nearly 14 lbs. of jiot- 

 ash and 3^ lbs. of phos])horic acid, the fertilizing valne of the ashes is 

 more than balanced by the large amount of injurious alkali Avliich it 

 contains. A crop of 10,000 lbs. of dry salt bush removed 21.3 lbs. of 

 l^otash, 5.93 lbs. of phosphoric acid, and IS.OOlbs. of nitrogen from the 

 soil. By analyzing the alkali spots on which the plant was grown and 

 the crop itself, it was found that a single crop of Australian salt bush 

 removed 2.5 per cent of the total potassium sulphate in the soil, 2.99 

 l)er cent of the sodium chlorid, and 2.21 per cent of the sodium carbon- 

 ate. "Soils where the percentages of alkali are near the limit of toler- 

 ance can no doubt be sensibly relieved by planting the salt bush and 

 permanently removing each cutting from the land." 



Fertilizer experiments vi^ith tobacco, W. Frear {Pennsylvania 

 ma. apt. 1893, pp. 82-112). 



Synopsis. — This is a report of progress on an experiment conducted by the station in 

 cooperation with the Lancaster County Tobacco Growers' Society. Tabulated 

 data give the yields of unferuieuted tobacco ; the results are discussed at length. 



General discussions on the tobacco crop, on tlie soil and climate of 

 Lancaster County, and on tlie theory and practice of manuring the 

 crop precede an account of the experiments conducted in 1893 at 2 

 localities in Lancaster County. 



The questions investigated were: (1) Effects of phosphoric acid on 

 limestone soils; (2) relative values of sulphate of potash and double 

 carbonate of potash and magnesia; (3) cotton-seed meal, linseed meal, 

 horn meal, and mixed cotton-seed meal and nitrate of soda as sources 

 of nitrogen in complete fertilizers; (1) relative values of stable manure 

 and chemical fertilizers; and (5) profit from the use of the above-men 

 tioned fertilizers. 



