132 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



the rate of i ton per acre of ground limestone, phosphorns for 6 j-ears at the 

 rate of 2~i lbs. per acre per annum in the form of 200 11)S. of steamed bone meal, 

 and a yearly addition of 42 lbs. of potassium in 100 lbs. of potassium sulphate. 

 The cost per ton was about .$2 for the limestone, $2.5 for the steamed bone meal, 

 and )fr)0 for the potassium sulphate. 



Under the system of live stock farming all crops from the land as usually 

 harvested were removed, uicluding the corn and stover, oats and straw, and 

 both first and second crops of clover. The amounts of manure applied were 

 determined by the crop yields during the previous rotation, or the amounts of 

 manure ap])lied were such as could be produced in practice from the crops 

 grown. \ summary of the yields of the latest corn crops is given in the 

 Following table : 



Areraijc nf Uirrc corn emits in the corn, oats, and clover rotation of thirteen- 

 year experiments. 



1905, 1906, 1907 

 1905, 1906, 1907 

 1905, 1906, 1907 

 1905,1906,1907 



Special treatnienl. 



Ndiie 



Lime 



Lime, phosphorus 



Lime, phosphorus, potassium 



Average yield per 

 acre. 



Grain 

 farming. 



Busfiels. 

 69 

 72 

 90 

 94 



Live 



stock 



farming; 



Bushels. 



Si 

 85 

 9H 

 9Cj 



The results show in general that the fertility of the soil can l)e maintained or 

 even increased l>y a proper system of grain farming with leguminous crops in 

 the rotation, and that a good system of live-stock farming will also maintain the 

 fertility of the land. It was observed that barnyard manure gave a net profit 

 in the first 3 crops of $1.30 per ton, or of $7.80 an acre, when 6 tons had been 

 applied. As an average of 18 tests with a rotation of corn, oats, and clover the 

 use of 75 lbs. of ])hosphorus per acre produced increases in crop yields worth 

 $12.39. Larger yields were secured and j)hosphorus was nearly twice as effect 

 ive in the 3-year rotation of corn, oats, and clover as in the 2-year rotation of 

 corn and oats. It is pointed out that while phosphorus is commonly the element 

 that first limits the yield, nitrogen is lost from the soil so much more rapidly 

 under poor systems of farming that this constituent soon becomes the liuiiting 

 element, after which phosphorus alone has no power to increase the yield. 



Field crops [at Copper Center Station in 1907], C. W. H. Heideman (Alaska 

 Htas. Rpl- 1!)07, pp. 53-58). — In the tests with spring wheat varieties the most 

 promising results were obtained with Early Riga and Velvet Chaff. Velvet 

 Chaff or Blue Stem made the best growth but only a few heads matured, while 

 Early Riga made only a fair growth but ripened uniformly. The most promising 

 barley for future work in Alaska was Pamir No. 18922 from the Himalaya 

 Mountains. Hanna Fall barley, sown April 27, made a good growth, matured, 

 and was harvested August 15. Champion gave most satisfactory results as to 

 yield of straw and grain and was next in earliness to Pamir. An atti^mpt has 

 been made to cross Pamir No. 18922 with Champion. Burt oats from station- 

 grown seed nearly all matured by August 20. Finnish Blaclv oats from station- 

 grown seed produced its earliest matui-ed lieads August 15, and the entire Held 

 matured August 20, when it was cut for feed. Buckwheat was killed bj^ frost 

 July 4 and millet by frost in June. Wild rice was sovm but none of the seed 

 germinated this season. Of the winter gi-aius. Amber winter rye was most 

 resistant to winterkilling. The crop averaged 4 ft, in height. 



