1444 



STARCH CROPS 



Science : " Sulphur stimulates the active propagation and the reducing 

 action of bacteria, which break up the complex nitrogenous compounds 

 into ammonia. It also acts on nitrifying organisms ". From this it is 

 concluded nitrogenous matter must first be present in the soil. 



Experiments made in 1914 at the farm Valparaiso en Nunoa were car- 

 ried out under the following' conditions. Rows 54 feet long and 32 inches 

 apart were marked out on soil rich in organic matter ; the seed, bought at 

 vSan Carlo, was disinfected with formalin, as it was of inferior quality. 

 The experimental field, divided into 4 plots, each 51 square poles in area, 

 gave the following results. 



Number 



of 

 plot 



I. (Control) 



Per plot 



2 j Sheep's manure, well decomposed, 1 129 lbs. 



( Sheep's manure, 1129 lbs. 



3 



( Sulphur 70.5 lbs 



4 Sulphur, 70.5 lbs 



Crop of tubers 

 par acre 



bushels 



236 



245 



381* 

 408 



The application of sulphur alone increased the crop of tubers by 72 per 

 cent the action of the sheep's manure being negligible, as the soil was rich 

 in organic manure. The experiment was repeated the following year 

 on a field which had carried lucerne for several j^ears, so that it was suffi- 

 ciently supplied with organic matter. Corahila potatoes were planted and 

 sulphur was applied at the rate of 4 ^2 ^t>s. per row of 54 feet. The experi- 

 ment aimed at studying simultaneousl}- the action of sulphur and of chalk, 

 but only the results from the plots with and without sulphur are cited, as 

 follows : 



Area of plots 



Plots u'itJi sulphur . 

 Plots without sulphiu- 



In this experiment the crop of tubers was increased by 65 per cent by 

 the action of sulphur. 



Conclusion. The author advises the use of sulphur on soils rich in 

 nitrogenous matters or in countries where the requisite quantities of sheep 

 or cow manure can be obtained. 



The sulphur can be selected at the lowest price, as it is not necessary 

 for it to be sublimed. In Germany iron pyrites containing the proper quan- 

 tity of sulphur has been used, and the same results obtained as with the 

 application of purified or sublimed sulphur. 



