FIELD CROPS. 



139 



The object of the second experiment was to determine as far as possible by 

 means of pot cultnres the inflnence upon the yield of grain and straw of the 

 various elements found in commercial fertilizers used in combination with and 

 without lime. Japan variety No. 153 was used for the test and all fertilizers 

 were mixed with the first 3 in. of soil before planting and applied at the rate 

 of 50 lbs. per acre for each element. One of the striking results in this test 

 was the general depression of the plants when treated with lime, the loss 

 amounting to from 14 to 40 per cent. The general results of the test indicated 

 that nitrogen in the form of sulphate of ammonia is especially suitable for the 

 rice plant. The results with fish guano agreed closely with those obtained with 

 sulphate of anunonia. Next to these two substances acid phosphate seemed to 

 be the most available for the plant. The best combination of two elements 

 was nitrogen and phosphorus in the form of sulphate of ammonia and acid 

 phosphate or fish guano and acid phosphate. Where a complete fertilizer made 

 up of the several forms of these different fertilizers was used practically all 

 the plants were killed within a month. 



The relative value of different fertilizers when applied to two widely different 

 types of rice, the Hawaiian Gold Seed and Japan rice, was studied in a third 

 experiment. The fertilizers were supplied in as varied selection as the market 

 afforded and where single constituents were added 40 lbs, of nitrogen, 25 lbs. 

 of phosphoric acid, and 45 lbs. of potash were supplied per acre. The data 

 secured are brought together in the table below : 



Relative value of the various commercial forms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, 

 and potash as fertilizers for the rice crop. 



The average production of the 10 untreated plats was 3.78 lbs. of paddy. 

 In a second exi)eriment in which the Hawaiian Gold Seed variety was grown 

 the results were almost identical with those given in the table above. 



Plat tests were carried out in a fourth experiment with Japan seed rice 

 fertilize<:l with Chinese peanut cake, fish guano, stable manure, and commercial 

 fertilizers. On some plats lime was used, and as in practically all other tests 

 the addition of this substance seemed to depress the yield except on the plat 

 receiving stable manure at the rate of 5 tons per acre. Fish guano and com- 

 mercial fertilizer showed a decided gain in the application made before the crop 



57401— No. 2—08 4 



