FERTILIZING MEADOWS 



35 



on meadows of mixed grasses, 1 5 pounds of timothy sown 

 with 7 pounds of red clover and 7*^ pounds of redtop. 

 Following are given the yields of field-cured hay ob- 

 tained, per acre, upon each of the three plots in 1901 : 



"Grass from like areas of each plot was harvested in the case of 

 the first crop, and assorted for the purpose of ascertaining the 

 relative amounts of redtop and timothy which were present. Follow- 

 ing is the result of this examination: 



RELATIVE PERCENTAGES OF REDTOP AND TIMOTHY UPON THE 

 THREE PLOTS. 



"It will be noted that with each increase in nitrate of soda the 

 percentage of timothy showed a marked gain, just as was the case 

 with the total yield of hay. The most plausible explanation which 

 has suggested itself for this striking result, is the influence upon 

 the growth of the crop brought about by the soda of the nitrate 

 of soda, by virtue of its tendency to render the soil alkaline. It 

 will be recalled that in other experiments at this station, it has 

 been demonstrated that redtop is capable of thriving on soil 

 too sour (acid) to be suited to timothy and Kentucky bluegrass. 

 When nitrate of soda is applied to soils as a manure, plants re- 



*Four hundred pounds of nitrate of soda furnish about 62 

 pounds of nitrogen. 



