176 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Corn Exhibit, North Adams. — South Soil Test Acre. 



Experiments were begun on this field in 1889. Previous to this 

 year the land had been in grass for several years without manure. 



The soil is a medium loam, underlaid by gravel. At the start, 

 the plots, without manure or fertilizer, in a good season produced 

 about 25 to 28 bushels of corn per acre ; now the similar product is 

 6 to 10 bushels. Each plot has yearly received an application of 

 the same fertilizers, and usually in the amounts shown below. The 

 exceptions to be noted are : — 



1. In 1897 double the usual amounts of all fertilizers was ap- 

 plied, as an effort was made to grow a crop of onions, — a failure, 

 on account of poor germination. 



2. The whole field was limed at the rate of 1 ton per acre in 

 1899. 



3. Lime and plaster have been used at the rate of 400 pounds 

 per acre since 1899 respectively on plots 5 and 13. 



Fertilizers used, and Yields. 



The object of this experiment has been to throw light upon the 

 special needs of different crops, and the results show conclusively 

 that they differ greatly. 



The crops grown in the several years beginning with 1889 are : 



