176 SORGHUM. 



The "superphosphate" contained about 16 percent of phosphoric 

 acid. 



The " chloride of potassium " contained about 50 per cent of potash. 



The "mixed minerals" was composed of two-thirds of superphos- 

 phate, and one-third chloride of potassium. 



The amount applied to one-twentieth of an acre, besides the nitrogen 

 mixture in the experiments Nos. 11 to 15 inclusive, was tlie same 

 amount used in experiment No. 8, viz.: Superphosphate 15 pounds, 

 and chloride of potassium 7h pounds. 



The yield of stripped stalks upon the two plats with no manure, Nns. 

 1 and 10, differs as widely as auj of the others, one being 828 and the 

 other 616 pounds, while the sucrose and glucose in the two are practi- 

 cally alike in quantity. Also Nos. 3 and 1 1 give 795 and 472 pounds 

 of stripped stalks respectively, though both received the same amount 

 of nitrogen. This result by itself, would make it appear that the 

 " mixed minerals" upon plat 11 had been injurious ; but, in No. 8, the 

 yield was about the same as in No. 3. 



Again, in contrasting Nos. 9 and 10, Ave have an apparent falling 

 off in weight of stalks (a surprising result), while the content of sugar 

 is practically unchanged. It will be seen that Professor Cook obtained, 

 by the use of barn yard manure, 9,405 pounds of stripped stalks, while 

 the average of his two no manure plats gave only 8,392 pounds, and 

 the percentage of sugar in the juice Avas practically the same in both, 

 viz.: 9.57 per cent with barn-yard manure, and 9.82 per cent without 

 manure. 



As to the effects of barn-yard manure. Professors Weber and Scovell, 

 of Illinois Industrial University, report as follows: 



To ascertain the effect of manure, a field was spfected which had been used 

 as a barn-yard for several j ears. A part of the cane was planted directly on 

 the rotten manure pile. An analysis was made of a sample taken from this 

 part of the field, as well as of a part away from the manure pile. The seed in 

 each case was iu the ''hardening douj;h." The following is the result of the 

 analysis : 



Manured— Sp. gr. \ OfiS. Grape sug.ar 2 65. Cane susar 10 89. 

 rnmanured— Sp. gr. 1 074. Grape sugar 2.G.5. Cane sugar 1.3 .37. 



The lower specific gravity of the juice from the plat so highly 

 manui-ed, is what might be expected from a rank growth under such 

 circumstances, and the longer time necessary to its complete maturity. 

 It would have been interesting to have had the analysis of this cane a 

 month later, to have seen whether it would not have shown an increase 

 in specific gravity and sugar content. 



