164 
Many specific results as to the relation between climates and crops 
on a large scale are entirely altered from season to season by the chem- 
ical influence of the climate on the fertilizer and the soil in general. 
We have here, therefore, a source of discrepancy that has contributed 
appreciably to obscure the influence of the climate on the plant. 
PRIZE CROPS. 
Evidently crops of seed or grain depend, primarily, on the amount 
of nitrogen in the sap, and, secondarily, on the elaboration of those 
precious nitrates into albuminoids. Hence the recognized need of 
manures, fertilizers, and leguminous crops. But the study of the 
remarkable crops of corn raised as so-called prize crops in 1889 dem- 
onstrates that excellent results may be obtained on some soils without 
manures, and is otherwise very instructive, since the heavy manuring 
in many cases must have been largely counteracted by the waste 
caused by rain. I condense the following from the monthly reports 
of the department of agriculture of South Carolina for March, 1890, 
pp. 233-243 : 
In 1889 the American Agriculturist offered a prize of $500 for 
the largest crop of corn that should be grown on 1 measured acre of 
ground during the year 1889. Forty-five leading competitors ap- 
peared, of whom 10 were from South Carolina. The average of these 
10 prize crops from that State gave 105 bushels per acre, whereas the 
average of the 25 crops from other States was 103.5 bushels per acre. 
The accompanying table gives most of the more appropriate statis- 
tics for the 7 best results in this list of 45: 
Data relative to the best 7 of the 45 competing crops. 
Bere Locality. | Soil. Quantity of fertilizer. 
UaevAL J . Drake, Marlboro County, | Poor santy soil__| (@) 
: | | 
2 | ae Rose, Yates County, | Sandy loam__-_-__- 800 pounds Mapes corn manure. 
| * : | 
3 | George Gartner, Pawnee | Rich black loam_) 90 loads barnyard manure. 
County, Nebr. | 
4 | J. Snelling, Barnwell County, | Sandy loam__-_--- | 300 bushels stable manure; 300 bush- 
Suc: els cotton seed. 
5 | L. Peck, Rockdale County, Ga__|____- doze ene 4 loads stable manure; 30 bushels 
heated cotton seed; 1,000 pounds 
Packard standard fertilizer; 500 
} pounds cotton-seed meal. 
6|B. Gedney, Westchester | Clay loam _------ | 800 pounds Mapes corn manure. 
| County, N. Y. | 
7 | E. P. Kellenberger, Madison | Sandy loam_----- | No fertilizer at all. 
|} County, Ml. 
“Prize crop No. 1.—The sandy soil had been fertilized in 1887 by Mr. Drake and had 
yielded in 1888 the great crop of 917 pounds to the acre of lint cotton, and was therefore 
already profiting by the heavy enrichment that is had received that year. In Feb- 
ruary, 1889, in preparation for the present contest, Mr. Drake began a new course of 
manuring, and from that date until June 11 the following material was added to the soil: 
One thousand bushels stable manure; 867 pounds of German kainit; 867 pounds of 
cotton-seed meal; 200 pounds of acid phosphate; 1,066 pounds of manipulated guano ; 
200 pounds of animal bone; 400 pounds nitrate of soda; 600 bushels of whole cotton 
seed. The total cost of this manure was $220 and the work in applying it, together with 
the frequent culture that was given, made the whole expense of the crop $264. The value 
of the corn that was raised was $206, and the value of the manure left in the soil for the 
next year’s crop was at least $150. 
ee 
ee 
