THIRTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII 673 





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Fig-. 14. — Each clot shows the location of a co-operative field where 

 different treatment of the soil and dates of seeding- are being- tried out. 

 Most of these were established in 1912, therefore, data on them is not 

 yet available, 



whole field the preceding year and this may have had considerable to do 

 in blanketing the effects of the later treatments. 



On four of these fields the alfalfa was an absolute failure on those por- 

 tions which received no treatment of any sort, while good yields were 

 secured on these soils when the necessary treatment had been made. 

 On many of the fields the alfalfa on the untreated portion was yellowish, 

 weak and short. Considering these facts, then, it becomes important to 

 know the extent to which the different treatments are either beneficial 

 or essential, when used either alone or in combination. 



These treatments will be considered now only from the standpoint of 

 their benefit to the alfalfa seeding as shown by these tests. No con- 

 sideration will be given, for the present, to general recommendations re- 

 .garding the time and methods of making the applications, etc. 



Manure: — The reports indicate that on nine of the fields manure was 

 absolutely essential to the greatest success with alfalfa. Fourteen re- 

 ports show that while it was beneficial it was not necessarily essential to 

 success provided that some other treatment, possibly bone meal or in- 

 oculation, was given. On eight fields the crops indicated that while the 

 manure was beneficial, it would not bring the greatest success when used 

 alone; something e.sa was also necessary. 



Averaging the reports of all the men who estimated the yields of the 

 different plots, on the basis of 1.5 tons per acre for the untreated plots, 

 the manured plots averaged 2.53 tons per acre, an increase in yield of hay 

 of over 75 per cent. 



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