68 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



J. B. Lawes, of England, in his series of experiments covering 

 tliirty-four 3'ears witli tlie same crop under similar conditions, has 

 shown that artificial fertilizers or chemicals are the equivalents of 

 dung, and Ville, of France, has, in like manner, confirmed and 

 added to this conclusion. In addition to their scientific value, Mr. 

 Lawes' experiments have shown the reliability- of a mixture of fer- 

 tilizers in producing crops, and he has stated, as the result of his 

 long experience, that under certain circumstances he should give the 

 preference to a chemical over an animal fertilizer like j-ard manure. 



Dr. Sturtevant said we may claim, also, from experimental evi- 

 dence, largely negative in its character, that a complete fertilizer is 

 the equivalent in crop-producing capacity to dung, while the theory 

 of Ville, that the farmer can cause the plant to analyze the soil, and 

 determine the needs of the soil, has received no confirmation in 

 practice. Dr. vSturtevant therefore claimed with considerable posi- 

 tiveness, that the plan of applying single fertilizers to limited areas 

 for a single year, is unworthy the attention of the practical farmer, 

 as having never been productive of information in regard to the 

 cropping condition of the land in the past, and as not promising 

 anything at present. An application of a single fertilizer maj^, 

 however, in the hands of a trained observer, oflfer valuable infor- 

 mation, but it is incapable of analyzing a field and showing its defi- 

 ciencies, until in some way — an impossible thing at present — we are 

 assured that the field is of a uniform composition, a uniform ph^-si- 

 cal state, and the crops planted are all treated in a uniform manner 

 during growth, originating from seed of uniform heredity, and 

 special hereditary characteristics. 



He said that the great difference between the single and the 

 complete fertihzer was in their relation to each farmer's practice. 

 That the single fertilizer might advantageously supplement dung, 

 while the complete fertilizer can replace dung. That the farmer 

 who uses a complete fertilizer secures the same certainty as if using 

 dung, while the farmer who uses a single fertilizer secures favorable 

 or unfavorable results according to the condition of the land in 

 reference to past supply of plant food. If we know our land is 

 deficient in one element, then we should apply this element. But 

 we cannot know this, as there are continual changes occurring in 

 the land, and it is but the available plant food which concerns us 

 as farmers, and not that in an inert state, so far as regards this 

 question. 



