I02 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [February 



sulphur in the rain water will vary with the rainfall and the near- 

 ness to cities where large amounts of soft coal are used. It is 

 possible that, in some places under certain conditions, the amount 

 of sulphur brought down in the rain water will equal or exceed that 

 lost in the drainage, but that in other places and under other con- 

 ditions the loss will exceed the gain. Field experiments are needed 

 to see whether the plants will respond to sulphur fertilization under 

 field conditions. Remarkable responses were obtained by Judge 

 Peters, John Binns, and Edmund Ruffin in the Eastern United 

 States (Crocker, 15), and have recently been obtained on the 

 Pacific Coast by Reimer and Tartar (58) in Oregon, and by 

 Olson (54) in Washington. To secure further information along 

 this fine, cooperative experiments were conducted on some farms 

 in Indiana and Kentucky from which some of the samples reported 

 in table I were taken. 



Cooperative field experiments with gypsum 



The field experiments were conducted in cooperation with the 

 farm owners. The farm owners were to apply gypsum and report 

 on the effect on yields, if any. Some of the farmers failed to make 

 any report, and those who did gave no weights, so that the results 

 are not as satisfactory as could be desired. Results reported are 

 as follows. 



In the Indiana experiments, gypsum was applied to alfalfa, red 

 clover, and tobacco. The only report received was with regard to 

 the tobacco. This tobacco field was on the farm of Mr. Ross, 

 southwest of Charlestown, Indiana. This is the field from which 

 sample 12 was taken, and, as shown in tables I and III, is low in 

 sulphur and high in phosphorus. Mr. Ross reports a marked 

 increase in yield of tobacco from the use of gypsum on this field, 

 but gives no quantitative data. 



Gypsum was applied to alfalfa, red clover, sweet clover, and 

 tobacco in Mason County, Kentucky. The crops were injured so 

 badly by weather conditions, however, that no results were obtained. 



In Mercer County, Kentucky, gypsum was applied to tobacco, 

 clover, and alfalfa. Of the farmers responding, Mr. Sharp reported 

 no increase in tobacco, while Mr. Fowler reported an increase in 



