92 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE 



spreading, one that we have followed, is to fill the manure 

 spreader about half full of manure, then spread on a layer 

 of phosphate an inch or two in depth, then fill up the spreader 

 with manure. It is very liable to blow away, and the manure 

 on top prevents this. "We have a drill that we have used to 

 some extent, made especially for applying phosphate, but 

 we prefer to apply with the manure spreader, provided we 

 have the manure. 



RESULTS 



The results of experiments, covering a period of five years, 

 on the King farm northeast of Springfield, show that phos- 

 phate treated plots yielded an average of seventeen and six- 

 tenths bushels more of corn per acre than untreated plots. 

 The increase in the yield of oats and wheat was also pro- 

 portionately greater. The Illinois Agricultural Experiment 

 Station at Urbana has obtained equally good results. On 

 the other hand, we want to be candid with our readers and 

 state that our own results with phosphate have not been so 

 favorable. We believe that one thousand pounds per acre 

 applied on forty acres will eventually pay for itself in in- 

 creased yields. In addition to increasing the yields some- 

 what, phosphorus has caused the corn to mature earlier and 

 has made it more sound than that grown on the untreated 

 fields. These last results, rather than the small increase in 

 yields, have convinced us that we have profited by the appli- 

 cation of phosphate. We expect to use more in the future. 



LIMESTONE 



The object of applying limestone is to neutralize the 

 acidity of the soil. Limestone is not a plant food. If soil 

 is acid, bacteria storing legumes will not thrive. Without 



