Thinking that there might be a residual effect from the fertilizer, 

 certain of the treatments were replanted with wheat without repeating 

 the fertilizers. In case of the untreated soil the second crop was reduced 

 in yield to 65 per cent of the first, whereas the reduction in yield with 

 a complete fertilizer either with or without lime fell to 36 per cent of the 

 original yield which was produced with the fertilizer. In fact, the sec- 

 ond crop in the baskets to which fertilizer had been originally applied 

 was very slightly greater than was the second crop on the untreated soil, 

 which shows that the effect of the commercial fertilizer was practically 

 exhausted by the first crop. It is also worthy of mention in this con- 

 nection that it is impossible even by repeating the fertilizer to secure as 

 large a yield in the second or the third crop as was originally secured 

 with the treatment in the first crop. This is probably due to the fact 

 that the draft made upon the soil by the plants during the short period 

 of growth is fully as great as under field conditions during the entire 

 season, and that the crop itself leaves a residue in the soil which may 

 be harmful to a succeeding crop of the same kind unless the soil remains 

 unused for a sufficient length of time to admit of an oxidation or dis- 

 appearance of this objectionable substance. 



The commercial fertilizer above referred to as used in the field prac- 

 tice contains 8.6 per cent of phosphoric acid as against 3 per cent each 

 for nitrogen and potash, and it is safe to state that this is not far from 

 the proportion which is generally used in commercial fertilizer in the 

 county at large. According to the census of 1899, the annual expendi- 

 ture for commercial fertilizers in Lancaster Countj r amounts to a little 

 more than $70,000. From the above results it would seem probable 

 that the percentage of phosphoric acid might be material!}' reduced and 

 that of nitrogen increased with satisfactory results. The growing of 

 cowpeas as green manure for this soil is plainby the most economical 

 way to build it up. In fact, before the above tests were made one of 

 the authors (F. E. B.) had already arrived at this conclusion as the 

 result of his observations. Messrs. Root and Hurst in their report 

 upon the soil survey of Lancaster County (1904) make the following 

 statement : 



Since stock raising is not followed in this county and adequate manurial ele- 

 ments can not be supplied from this source, the legume must be chiefly relied 

 upon as an economical soil renovator. The farmers are gradually realizing the 

 beneficial results of such crops, and a more extensive acreage is being devoted 

 to their cultivation. It can not be pointed out too clearly how invaluable such 

 crops are in almost all sections of the South, not only in supplying plant food to 

 the soil, but also in improving its physical structure. 



The suggestions herein made for the building up of Cecil silt loam in 

 Lancaster County are not based solely upon the above tests but also on 

 the fact that the results seem to be in thorough accord with the obser- 

 vations of experts who have visited the county and with the experience 



