768 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD 



till' 4 years. Ti'ii Tons of barnyuid nianiire for the root croj) and a standard applica- 

 tion (if couuncrcial fertilizers for tlu' liay also gave good results. Where potash \va.s 

 withheld the total value of the crops for the entire course was reduced. Barnyard 

 mainn-e alone was more satisfactory than the use of commercial fertilizers alone. 



In the second rotiition the ijuantity of muriate of jiotash in the standard applica- 

 cjitioM was reduced to 1 cwt. A very marked reduction in the yield took place when 

 jxitash was omitted. Doubling the standard apjilication for swedes did not ])enefit 

 (lie crop, but resulted in an increase of 4i bu. ])(.'!• acre in the yield of the succeeding 

 barley crop. The use of 3 times the standard a])plication for the hay crop was not 

 ])roiital)le, but 1 cwt. snlphati' of amiiioniaapplied to each of the (cereals in addition to 

 the <loul)le standard dressing gave a marked increase in yield and thorel)y proved use- 

 ful in extracting the residues of large quantities of commercial fertilizers previously 

 given. As in the first rotation, 10 tons of barnyard manure gave better results than 

 any application of eommenual fertilizers. 



Among 9 varieties of oats Siberian, Banner, Waverly, and Yellow Lentewity, in the 

 order given, produced the best yields. Waverly, although not the heaviest yielder, 

 produceil the greatest weight of kernel per ai-re. The straw of the Tam Finlay vari- 

 ety is considered the best for fodder. 



Sutton Trize Winner Yellow Globe mangel produced heavier crops of roots and total 

 solid matter than the Charter variety. In connection with this test an application of 

 12 tons of barnyard manure, | cwt. of sulphate of ammonia, 40 cwt. of superphos- 

 phate, 1 cwt. of muriate of potash, and 2^ cwt. of nitrate of soda after thinning gave 

 better results than the use of 20 tons of barnyard manure and IJ cwt. of nitrate of 

 soda applied after singling. The results of another fertilizer test with mangels 

 showed that nitrogen is the most important element for the crop, and that on light 

 sandy soil potash is much more needed than phosphoric acid. A complete applica- 

 tion of commercial fertilizers in addition to 12 tons of barnyard manure ^ave a large 

 increase in yield over the manure alone. On this same kind of soil swedes receiving 

 12 tons of barnyard manure and a complete application of commercial fertilizers in 

 addition were but slightly benefited as compared with the use of manure only. 



Fertilizer exi^eriments with potatoes on this soil also showed the special need of 

 potash. Withholding nitrogen caused a marked reduction in the yield of good tubers, 

 while the omission of phosphoric acid lowered the yield but little as compared with 

 the complete application of commercial fertilizers. Twelve tons of barnyard manure 

 increased the salable potatoes by more than 7h tons per acre over the check plat, and 

 where the complete application of commercial fertilizers was added this increase 

 amounted to over 9h tons. 



Of Avhat value is the stooling' capacity of grains ? W. Lippoldes {Inaug. 

 Diss., Univ. Jena, 1903, pp. 91). — The work and views of Schribaux and Rimpau on 

 the value of the stooling capacity of cereals are discussed, and data obtained for the 

 purpose of demonstrating the value of the first stem produced by the plant, as com- 

 pared with subsequent stems, are given. Previous articles on the work by Schribaux 

 have been noted (E. S. R., 12, pp. 850, 941; and 15, p. 247). 



The data here presented comprise the weight and number of grains per head, the 

 weight per thousand grains, and the weight, .length, and thickness of the stems of 

 varieties of rye, wheat, and barley. The rank of the earlier appearing stems with 

 reference to these diffei-ent points is pointed out, and the principal conclusions are 

 sunnnarized. Tlie accej^tance of the rule laid down by Schriliaux that the yielding 

 capacity of cereals is inversely proportional to their stooling capacity is not regarded 

 as warranted, on account of the numerous exceptions. The initial stems were not 

 found to be regularly superior to the other stems of the plant. The study of a num- 

 ber of plants show^ed that almost without exception the initial stem was the heaviest 

 and its head contained the largest quantity of grain by weight, while the number of 

 grains and the thickness were also generally in its favor. In length and in the 



