14 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATI(3X. [Jan. 



regarded as the most valuable product of this experiment. These 

 problems are not solved. Their solution will throw important light 

 upon methods to be employed in compounding and selecting fer- 

 tilizers. 



Conclusions (based upon Results in 1899). 



1. By reference now to the table showing the yields for 

 1899, it will be seen that what last year was merely a sus- 

 picion, supported, it is true, by incidental observations in 

 connection with other experiments, is apparently confirmed 

 by the results of this year after liming, viz. : tliat last year 

 the aj^plication of potash failed to prove henejicial as in the 

 earlier years when corn was grown, because its continued use 

 in the form of muriate had resulted in depleting the soil of its 

 lime. 



It should be noticed that I say " apparently confirmed." 

 I would point out that the results of this experiment by 

 themselves do not furnish absolute proof, for its plan is such 

 that it does not enable us to decide that the superior results 

 of the past season may not have been due to the fact that 

 the lime proved beneficial through indirect efifects which 

 might have been exerted equally well by some other alkali, 

 such as an alkaline salt of soda or of magnesia. To deter- 

 mine this point, two series of pot experiments wdth soil from 

 two plots in this field have ])een carried out. In these, be- 

 sides slaked lime, we have employed land plaster (sulfate of 

 lime), carbonate and sulfate of magnesia, and bicarbonate 

 and sulfate of soda. The results are not fully worked up, 

 but they decisively indicate : («) That the benefit from the 

 use of lime 2vas not due to the fact that it corrected soil acidity. 

 (Sulfate of lime, a neutral salt, produced a better growth 

 than slaked lime, while neither the carbonate of magnesia 

 nor the carbonate of soda proved distinctly beneficial ; the 

 latter, indeed, was highly injurious.) (b) That it was not 

 due to indirect action of any other sort. (Substances exer- 

 cising similar chemical and physical influence upon the soil 

 did not prove equally beneficial with the plaster or the slaked 

 lime.) 



2. The yield of each of the plots which has been manured 

 with muriate of potash is largely increased. Alone and in 



