SOILS, FERTILIZERS AND INOCULATION Q 



Shuttleworth 4 tried surface and underground 

 irrigation with oats, wheat and peas. The water 

 required for maturing crops in subwatered cylinders 

 was 65 pounds for oats, 34 for wheat, and 104 for 

 peas. In the case of peas the yield in the sub- 

 watered cylinder was 116 grams, as compared with 

 63 grams on the surface water. Nobbe and Richter 5 

 state that ether and hydrogen peroxide applied to 

 soils where peas were grown failed to sterifize the 

 soil and increase the yield of peas. Nakamura 6 

 states that borax when used at the rate of one 

 milligram per kilogram of soil exerted a stimulating 

 action on peas. 



Fertilizers for Peas. It is a mistaken idea that 

 peas do not require much fertilizer. While it is 

 possible to have lands too rich in nitrogen and 

 humus, resulting in heavy vine growth, there is little 

 danger of oversupply of potash and phosphoric 

 acid, both of which materials are essential to suc- 

 cess. Some experts say there is nothing better 

 than stable manure, especially if plowed under the 

 preceding fall. It supplies a good amount of decay- 

 ing vegetable matter. Ashes and even well-com- 

 posted hen manure will give good results. One 

 expert says that an application of 400 to 500 pounds 

 commercial fertilizer to the acre, composed almost 

 wholly of potash and phosphoric acid, is desirable. 

 He says 10 per cent potash in a fertilizer is none 

 too much on sandy soil for peas. Nitrate of soda 

 is used sparingly, and at time of planting, to start 

 early growth. 



*Ont. Agri. Col. Farm Rpt, 1899. 

 5 E. S. R., Vol. 16. 

 6 E. S. R., Vol. 1 6. 



