532 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



tiiul the other half at the end of May increased the grain yield 308 kg, 

 per hectare over applying the same total amount early in the spring. 

 In general, no spring applications of nitrogenous fertilizers are made if 

 the wheat crop presents a good appearance. Commercial fertilizers 

 were most efi'ective on wheat when the crops immediately preceding 

 had received either green or ))arnyard manures. Increasing the appli- 

 cation of nitrate of soda beyond 200 kg, per hectare, while protital)le 

 in a few cases, in general tended to produce straw, which lodged badl}'^ 

 and caused a decrease in the yield of grain. Thomas slag was most 

 effective in the presence of nitrogenous fertilizers. Phosphoric acid 

 in a water-soluble form has given better results with wheat than appli- 

 cations of equal amounts of citrate-soluble phosphoric acid. 



Variety tests with winter rye resulted in placing Heine Zeelander 

 and Lowchow Petkuser at the head of the list of desirable varieties for 

 growing at the station. Treating rye seed with Alinit did not increase 

 the ^nelds. 



Of the peas grown, Strube Early Victoria was the earliest and best 

 yielding variety. A light application of barnyard manure or of nitrate 

 of soda in the early stages of growth was found very beneficial for 

 peas, and is recommended, 



Oats followed different combinations of leguminous plants used as 

 nitrogen gatherers. The best yield of both grain and straw followed 

 a mixture composed of 50 per cent horse beans, 25 per cent peas, and 

 25 per cent vetch. Results obtained with Nitragin were conflicting. 

 An application of 200 kg. per hectare of nitrate of soda increased the 

 crop of oats following alfalfa 101 kg. over an application of 100 kg, of 

 nitrate of soda. Winter oats were not grown with profit. 



Of a number of varieties of barley grown, Hanna stood first as 

 regards yield, both in 1890 and 1897. In 1898 Selchower headed the 

 list. Heine Improved Chevalier barley has regularly produced the 

 largest yields of straw. The Hanna barley ripened from 5 to 10 days 

 earlier than any other sort grown. It also proved especially well 

 adapted for culture on light soils when fertilized with potash and phos- 

 phoric acid, a feature which it is thought will contribute largely toward 

 furthering the culture of barley in Germany. The variety Goldthorpe, 

 though below some others in yield, was, nevertheless, one of the most 

 satisfactory grown. In extract material, color, fineness, and size of 

 grain, it outranked every other variety grown. Its chemical compo- 

 sition was least injuriously affected by fertilizers. It stood up well 

 under all conditions. It was not a good variety for light soils, but 

 proved especially valuable on soils too rich in nitrogenous fertilizers 

 for the satisfactory culture of other varieties. Potash fertilizers on 

 barley usually increased the grain yield, and whenever that occurred 

 an improvement of the quality of the grain for brewing purposes by 



