1896.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT— No. 33. 23 



An examination of the figures for corresponding years and 

 plats reveals the fact that the plats receiving sulphate of pot- 

 ash have given the largest yield in every instance except 

 one, viz., broadcast application in 1894. The averages for 

 the two potash salts are as follows : sulphate of potash, per 

 acre, merchantable tubers, 253.9 bushels; small tubers, 16.5 

 bushels ; muriate of potash, per acre, merchantable tubers, 

 231.8 bushels; small tubers, 15.25 bushels. The average 

 difference amounts to 22.1 bushels of merchantable tubers 

 and 1.25 bushels of small tubers. The difference in cost 

 between the two potash manures amounts to about two dol- 

 lars per year, the sulphate costing the more. 



It should be remarked that since some adverse influence, 

 previously alluded to (not connected with the system of 

 manuring), has affected the crops upon Plat 4 during 1894 

 and 1895 (drill application of muriate of potash), the above 

 average difference in favor of the sulphate of potash is un- 

 doubtedly too large. If we leave this plat out of the calcu- 

 lation, the average difference in favor of the sulphate of 

 potash amounts per acre to merchantable tubers, 13 bushels ; 

 small tubers, .3 bushels. 



Comparison of the yields on plats receiving the same fer- 

 tilizers in the different years shows that drill application has 

 given the larger yield in all cases except where drill applica- 

 tion of the muriate of potash is compared with broadcast 

 application for 1894 and 1895. As previously stated, Plat 4 

 (muriate of potash in the drill) has evidently suffered from 

 some inherent inequality in conditions. It therefore seems 

 best to disregard the results of muriate of potash for the 

 seasons 1894 and 1895 in estimating tht relative merits of 

 the two systems of application. On this basis the average 

 difference in favor of drill application amounts per acre to 

 23.5 bushels of merchantable tubers. 



Quality of the Crops. 

 In each year, soon after digging, samples of potatoes 

 grown respectively on sulphate and muriate of potash have 

 been sent under numbers with no other information to sev- 

 eral families, who were requested to use them and report 

 whether there was any difference in quality. In 1892 all 



