COMPOSITION OF SOIL AS ATFECTING SORGHUM. 



179 



Besides these six samples of soil from Rio Grande, !N^. J., analyses 

 have been made of several other soils, upon which sorghum was grown 

 the past year, as follows : 



G. Grounds of the Department of Agriculture. — The recent treatment 

 of this plat, is given in the annual rejwrts of the past three years. 

 The sample for analysis was taken November, 1882. 



H. Soil Xo. 1. — G'-eat Bend, Kas. — This soil has l>een cultivated for 

 sis vears. The yield was 10^ tons stalks per acre. No fertilizer 

 used. 



I. Soil Xo. 2. — Great Bend, Ka-s. — This soil was plowed for the first 

 time. The yield per acre was 8 tons of stalks. No fertilizers were used. 



J. Soil from Bising City, Xebr., upon which 18 tons per acre of 

 sugar beets were grown, which gave, on analysb, an average of 12.27 

 per cent of sugar in the juice. 



K. Soil from Hutchinson, ikTa^. -Yield of sorghum, 6 tons stalks per acre. 



L. Soil from Sterling, Kas. — ^Under cultivation tor three years in 

 cereal crops. A black, sandy loam. Average yield per acre, 7 tons stalks. 



^I. Soil from Sterling, Kas. — A black, sandy loam. Under cultiva- 

 tion for seven years with crops of cereals. Crop xery promising, but 

 destroyed by hail. 



N. »Soi7 from Sterling, Ka-<. — Black, sandy loam. Under cultivation 

 for five veare in cereal crops. Average yield per acre, 1 2 tons of stalks. 



O. Soil from Sterling, Kas. — A strictly sandy soil, in cereals for five 

 vears. Average yield per acre, 10 tons of stalks 



PER CEXT OF SOILS PASSED THROrGH SIEVES. 



The mechanical condition of a soU. determines often its degree of 

 fertility, quite as much as chemical composition. This state of ex- 

 treme comminution is said to account for the great fertility of the 

 tchernozeme or black soil of Southern Russia, which, upon chemical 



