1 6 Journal of Agricultural Research voi. xvi. no. i 



SUBSTANCES — continued. quantity used. 



Acid phosphate i,ooo and 2 ,000 pounds per acre. 



Complete mixture: 



Acid 2,000 and 4,000 pounds per acre. 



Basic Do. 



Stable maniu'e 20 and 40 tons per acre. 



Control plots alternated with those receiving treatment. 



The land used for planting had not been used for spinach for many 

 years previously and was in good condition. It had received excellent 

 treatment for several years and seemed to be very uniform in all respects. 



Each bed was 5 feet wide and 61 feet long, and received four rows of 

 seed. The chemicals were applied on July 29, 191 5, and immediately 

 hoed into the soil. The land vv^as kept free of v/eeds until September 11, 

 when curled Savoy spinach seed was drilled in. In 10 days the stand 

 could be reasonably well determined, and since the variation with the 

 treatment was clearly seen, the result may be summarized here. 



PROGRESS OF PLANTS IN THE FIELD 



The " best" stand was seen in the beds receiving stable manure; "very 

 good" in beds receiving magnesium carbonate; "good" in those with cal- 

 cium carbonate, acid phosphate, sodium sulphate, and basic complete 

 mixture; "scattering" only in those with potash, sodium nitrate, sodium 

 chlorid, and complete acid mixture. The controls were in the class 

 designated "Good," a few in "Very good." 



Owing to the unsatisfactory stand in some of the beds, all were re- 

 seeded on September 23, and irrigated. On September 30 plants began 

 to appear, a thick stand being seen by October 6. The usual cultiva- 

 tion and thinning took place about a fortnight later. 



From notes taken on the beds as they appeared on October 27, cer- 

 tain outstanding features may be developed. On taking completeness 

 of stand, growth, and color as criteria, the treated plots were distributed 

 in the following groups: 



Excellent : basic complete mixture. 



Very good (equal or better than the best control plots) : acid phos- 

 phate, sodium sulphate (heavier treatment), magnesium carbonate, 

 manure. 



Good (equal to the poorer control plots) : calcium carbonate, sodium 

 sulphate (lighter treatment) . 



Poor (poorer than controls) : complete acid mixture, sodium chlorid, 

 potash, sodium nitrate. 



The poor plots were marked by a yellowish -green color, poor growth, 

 and death of some of the seedlings, giving a bad stand. The greatest 

 injury was seen in those parts of the plots receiving the heavier treatment, 



