FIELD CROPS. 533 



an increase in starch content and a corresponding decrease of the pro- 

 tein content followed. Sylvanit as a source of potash proved a com- 

 plete su1)stitute for kainit, and is preferred by the author for barley. 

 While the yields obtained with nitrate of soda were somewhat larger 

 in all cases than with Peruvian guano, the composition of the grain 

 was nuich blotter on plats fertilized with Peruvian guano, the color of 

 the grain was l)etter, and the extract on an average -1.3 per cent higher. 

 The iuitlior considers Peruvian guano a far better fertilizer for barley 

 than nitrate of soda. P^xperiments during the unfavorable season of 

 1898 showed sulphate of ammonia to be as satisfactory a source of 

 nitrogen as Peruvian guano. Winter barley gave better yields on 

 light soils than rye, and was fairly satisfactory as a barley for brew^ing 

 purposes. 



In experiments with sugar beets large leaf development and high 

 sugar content of the root were found to be interrelated. Beet seed 

 grown l>y reliable seedsmen gave better yields and produced beets 

 having a higher sugar content and percentage purity than seeds of the 

 same variety grown by a sugar-beet factor^^ Potash applied to sugar 

 beets increased the yield considerably, but tended to decrease the 

 sugar content of the beet roots. Up to a certain limit each application 

 of 100 kg. of nitrate of potash increased the average yield of sugar 

 beets 2,. 500 kg. per hectare. Sugar beets grown after catch crops 

 turned under in the fall resulted in considerably increased yields over 

 sugar beets grown after catch crops plowed under in the spring. Con- 

 siderable decrease in yield regularly followed the omission of phos- 

 phoric acid from fertilizer formulas employed. The use of phosphatic 

 fertilizers exerted no regular or marked influence on the sugar content 

 of the beet roots. Superphosphate proved better than Thomas slag as 

 regards the yield of roots. Catch crops used as nitrogen gatherers 

 for sugar beets regularly increased the yield. They were most effective 

 with regard to yield and profit when accompanied by applications of 

 phosphoric acid. 



Sheep manure on sugar beets increased the yields over deep-stall 

 manure and had no depressing effect on the percentage sugar content 

 and purity. Supplementing either deep-stall or common-stall manure 

 with 200 kg. of nitrate of potash per hectare resulted in a profit, but 

 doubling or trebling this amount did not increase the profits.. 



Of the varieties of potatoes grown in 1897, Prof. Maercker and 

 Geheimi-at Theil gave the best yields. 26,'l00 and 22,833 kg. per hec- 

 tare, respectively. In 1898 Silesia led with a yield of 31:,317 kg. per 

 hectare. The use of kainit decreased the average starch content of the 

 potatoes grown 1.91 per cent. On the station soil phosphoric acid 

 used alone increased the yields 501: kg. per hectare. When used in 

 combination with barnyard manure it increased the yields 2,060 kg. 



