346 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



even when the sodium salts were used in connection with full rations of potash. The 

 after effects of the sodium and potassium salts up to 1904 have also been studied. 



These experiments, begun in 1894, have been made on 48 twentieth-acre plats 

 grouped in 4 series of 12 each. "Two of the series received sodium chlorid (common 

 salt) and potassium chlorid (as commercial muriate of potash). The other two 

 received potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate. One of the chlorid series and 

 one of the carbonate series was limed in L894, and the other series in each case 

 remained unlimed until 1902, when an application of slaked lime was made to all 

 of the 48 plats. . . . 



"Four of the 12 plats [of each series] received full rations of the potassium salt; 

 to one of these a quarter, to another a half, and to another a three-quarter ration of 

 sodium salt was added. Four other plats received full rations of sodium salt; to one 

 a quarter, to another a half, and to a third a three-quarter ration of potassium salt 

 was added. One of the 4 remaining plats received a quarter ration of each salt, one 

 a half ration of each, one a three-quarter ration of each, and the fourth a full ration 

 of each. The plats in all of the series were manured alike with magnesia, phosphoric 

 acid, and nitrogen. 



" In the year 1900 Indian corn was planted upon the entire area of all of the plats, 

 and in 1901 one or two rows of a number of different varieties of plants were grown, 

 in order, if possible, to obtain further indications as to what varieties seemed most 

 likely to be helped by sodium salts." 



The latter included radishes, chicory, carrots, mangel- wurzels, squash, and soy 

 beans. 



"The results with Indian corn in 1900 show, so far as concerns the yields of ears, 

 that it was doubtful if sodium chlorid (common salt) aided in raising the yield even 

 when the amount of muriate of potash was reduced to 70 lbs. per acre. The same 

 failure of sodium carbonate to prove of positive benefit was observed in connection 

 with potassium carbonate when the amount of the latter substance was reduced so 

 as to contain the same amount of potassium as 70 lbs. of the muriate of potash. Con- 

 cerning the yields of stover, there were somewhat greater indications of benefit from 

 the use of the sodium salts than in the case of the ears, yet the apparent advantage 

 from their use was very slight. ' ' 



In case of radishes, chicory, carrots, and mangel-wurzels, sodium salts were appar- 

 ently beneficial when the amounts of potash salts used were small. In case of soy 

 beans and squash sodium salts were of little or no benefit even in presence of small 

 amounts of potash. 



"In 1902, 1903, and 1904 no further applications of sodium or potassium salts were 

 made, but each plat continued to receive annual applications of phosphoric acid and 

 nitrogen. Where the large applications of potassium salts had been made previously, 

 it was found that timothy and clover were much better able to persist than elsewhere. 

 The influence of the previous applications of potassium salts still continued in a most 

 striking manner even the third year, in all cases where large amounts were used at 

 that time, as was fully demonstrated by the much greater yields of hay. 



"Considerable evidence was afforded that the earlier applications of sodium salts 

 were now helpful by way of increasing the crops of hay in those cases where the 

 previous applications of potassium salts had been large." It is suggested that this 

 may have been due to conservation of potash by soda in the soil. 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers, M. A. Scovell, H. E. Curtis, and W. H. 

 Scherffius {Kentucky Sta. Bui. 117, pjh 87-171). — The results of analyses during 

 1904 of 630 samples of fertilizers are reported. Of these "111, representing 89 brands 

 and 33 firms, fell so far below the guaranteed analyses in phosphoric acid, nitrogen, 

 or potash, or any two or all three of these ingredients, that the deficiencies could 

 not be accounted for by variations in sampling or analysis." 



