542 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Sea salt in sugar beet production, A. Damseaux {Jour. Soc. Agr. Braiatit et 

 Hainaut, 55 (1910), A'o. J/S, pp. 1115, iJTS).— Each of the 7 plats of the experi- 

 ment received 80,000 kg. of barnyard manure and 300 of superphosphate. The 

 check plat so treated yielded 5,990 kg, of sugar per hectare as compared with 

 6,170 on that which received 200 kg. of nitrate of soda in addition. Plats 

 treated with (1) 200 kg. of nitrate of soda and 100 kg. of sea salt, and (2) 150 

 kg. of sulphate of ammonia and 100 kg. of sea salt produced yields of 6,050 kg. 

 per hectare each. Plats treated with (1) 100 kg. of nitrate of soda and 100 kg. 

 of sea salt, (2) 75 kg. of sulphate of ammonia and 100 kg. of sea salt, and 

 (3) 150 kg. of sea salt yielded 6,160, 6.200, and 6.040 kg. of sugar per hectare, 

 respectively. The application of a moderate quantity of the salt did not injure 

 the quality of the product. 



[Variety and manurial experiments with sugar cane], R. R. Hall and 

 J. R. BovELL {Rpt. Agr. Work Barbados, Imp. Dcpf. Agr. West Indies, 1907- 

 1909, pp. 4-109). — Earlier results have been previously noted (E. S. R., 22, 

 p. 536). 



All experimental plats at the Dodds Botanic Station received 20 tons per 

 acre of manure in addition to the artificials reported. All plats of the nitrogen 

 series received 80 lbs. of phosphate as superphosphate and 60 lbs. of potash as 

 sulphate. The plat given nothing further yielded 144 lbs. of sugar per acre 

 less than the check plat. The best result in this series, a gain of 1,937 lbs. of 

 sugar per acre, followed the application of 60 lbs. of nitrogen as blood meal 

 during January. " The plats which received nitrogen in the form of dried 

 blood have, in each case, given better results than those where the equivalent 

 amount of nitrogen was applied either as sulphate of ammonia or as nitrate of 

 soda." Sulphate of ammonia applied in June gave practically no increase. 



On the phosphate series each plat receiA-ed 60 lbs. of nitrogen as sulphate of 

 ammonia and 60 lbs. of potash as sulphate. The greatest increase, 1,807 lbs. 

 of sugar, followed the application of 80 lbs. of phosphate per acre in basic slag. 

 Superphosphate of lime usually caused a diminished yield and in no case was 

 its increase economically profitable. 



Each of the potash plats received 60 lbs. of nitrogen as sulphate of ammonia 

 and 80 lbs. of phosphate as superphosphate. The plat receiving 60 lbs. of 

 potash as sulphate applied partly in January and the remainder in June yielded 

 635 lbs. more sugar per acre than the no-potash plat. 



A summary of the 16 years' tests shows that on the nitrogen series the best 

 monetary result followed the application of 40 lbs. of nitrogen, 15 lbs. in Janu- 

 ary and 25 lbs. in June. The net gain as compared with the no-manure plat 

 was $21.16 or $20.97 as compared with that receiving only phosphates and 

 potash. In the phosphate series 80 lbs. of phosphate as basic slag was applied 

 at a loss of 67 cts., while 100 lbs. on a heavy clay brought a gain of $1.96. 

 Perhaps because of the lime in the slag in the potash series, an application of 

 80 lbs. of potash as sulphate gave an increased profit of $16.31 per acre or 

 $10.95 more than the plat treated only with nitrogen and phosphates. All 

 things considered, phosphates appear to have reduced the yields and the best 

 results were obtained on plats that received no phosphate whatever, with the 

 possible exception of the clay plat which received basic slag. 



Varieties producing little or no fertile pollen were planted chess-board fashion 

 with others. Eighteen rows were bagged and artificially pollinated with nega- 

 tive results. Of the hybrids which have been grown to maturity none shows 

 particular promise. Of 4,086 seedlings planted in 1907, 88 are of sufficient 

 value to be retained. Of 14 seedlings obtained in 1902 from B 208 and D 95, 

 4 have excelled White Transparent with yields ranging from 5,589 to 6,673 

 lbs. of sugar per acre. 



