FIET.D CROPS, . 29 



iuvestigations in resard t() the injury to vegetation and animal life observed by 

 the author in the vicinity of certain smelters, particularly one located at Ana- 

 conda, Mont. From all the work in the vicinity of Anaconda, the author draws 

 the following conclusions: 



"(1) The forests around the smelter appear from actual chemical analysis ti> 

 be injureil for at least 10 miles north of the smelter, G miles south of the smelter, 

 and 13 miles west of the smelter. 



"(2) This injury to forests by sulphur dioxid undoubtedly extends to a dis- 

 tance of 15 to 20 miles north of the smelter, 8 miles south of the smelter, 15 

 miles west of the smelter, and perhaps even farther in certain localities, al- 

 though not proved by chemical analysis. 



"(3) The junipers are very resistant to smelter fumes and are able to grow 

 close to the smelter; the red firs are susceptible to the fumes and are badly 

 damaged at distances of about 15 miles or perhaps even farther; the lodgepole 

 pines are intermediate between the other two species of trees, but show damage 

 for at least 10 miles. 



"(4) Large quantities of arsenic are discharged from the smelter on the sur- 

 rounding country, this poison being found in forage crops in large enough 

 quantities to poison cattle. 



"(5) The waste from the reduction plant discharged into the Deer Lodge 

 River renders it unfit for irrigation i)urposes. 



"(6) The land irrigated by the Deer Lodge River, containing the waste from 

 the reduction plant, is greatly injured by the copper present in the irrigation 

 water. 



"(7) The soils irrigated by the Deer Lodge River which were studied by the 

 writer do not contain enough alkali salts to be injurious to ordinary farm 

 crops." 



The methods of analysis are described at length. 



FIELD CROPS. 



studies on the im.proveinent of sand, marsh, and heavy clay soils, A. R. 

 Whitson, R. R. Marshall, and E. J. Delwiche (Wisconmi Sta. Rpt. 1907, pp. 

 263-28.5, flgn. Jf). — Experiments begun in previous years (E. S. R., 18, p. 1034) 

 for the purpose of improving certain typical sand, marsh, and heavy clay soils 

 of the State by different systems of cropp ng and manuring were continued in 

 1007 and the details of the experiments are repo/ted in this article. 



Fertilizer experiments with ]U)tatoes on sandy soils at Sparta resulted in the 

 lieaviest yield from the plat receiving 30.000 lbs. of barnyard manure per acre, 

 the yield consisting of 90.S3 bu. of large and 16.33 bu. of small potatoes per 

 acre. The plat treated with 50,000 lbs. of peat, 100 lbs. of potassium sulphate, 

 and 200 lbs, of phosphate stood second with a yield of 55.GG bu. of large and 

 12..33 bu. of small potatoes per acre. The results in general indicate that the 

 most serious need of the land is nitrogen and that very little benefit is to be 

 derived from the use of commercial fertilizers. 



Crimson clover made a fair growth on manured land and develoiied nodules. 

 Alfalfa made a very poor growth, developed no nodules, and showed practically 

 no benefit from fertilizers. Alsike clover made a fair growth on the manured 

 soil and a very poor growth on other portions of the field. Cowpeas developed 

 nodules quite generally and made a good growth. 



At Iron River the largest yield of oat hay on sandy soil was 1,824 lbs., ob- 

 tained on tlie plat receiving 20,000 lbs. of manure. Tlie plat receiving peat, rock 

 l)hospliate, and potassium sulphate and tlie one treated! with ground limestone 

 and sodium nitrate ranked next in yield. These results also i)Iainly show the 



