No. 4.] EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN. 179 



to show that, I will call your attention to this chart. If I 

 suppose that the increase that is due to using nitrate of soda 

 is represented by the number 100 for all crops we have 

 grown, the influence of the bone-black where used alone is 

 55, and the influence of the potash is 412 for corn ; but 

 with the oat crop, if we call the increase 100 where nitrate 

 of soda is used, the increase due to the bone-black is 

 nothing, and that due to the potash is o5. You see, then, 

 it is not a question of what the land needs, but what the 

 crop on the land needs. You may say, This land is now in 

 different condition from what it was when we grew oats. 

 No, I think not ; I think the result would be the same if I 

 should put oats on the land now, — the nitrate of soda 

 would be what would pay. But when you come to the 

 rowen, if we call the increase of the nitrate of soda 100, 

 that of the potash is 340, — almost three and one-half times 

 as much. This is because the potash is favorable to the 

 growth of clover. I want to call your attention, your 

 very special attention, to the ftict that, if you will so treat 

 your land as to make clover grow well, do well, then it 

 becomes possible to raise corn very cheaply indeed. That 

 is specially illustrated by that division of the exhibit which 

 shows the product w^here dissolved bone-black and potash 

 have been used continuously. The actual cost of the fer- 

 tilizer is very low ; you will be interested to know how 

 low. Where nitrate of soda is used, it costs $3.60 an 

 acre; bone-black alone, $2.88; potash alone, $3.25. On 

 this particular plot I have been speaking of, where bone- 

 black and potash alone were used, the annual cost of fertili- 

 zer was about $6.25 an acre. That is not very much to put 

 out for fertilizer. It is true that that combination gave a 

 good corn crop at the beginning ; it gives a splendid corn 

 crop now ; and the plot does not seem to be growing 

 poorer, but improving, if anything. It now gives splendid 

 crops of hay, as well as fine corn crops. I want to impress 

 you, if possible, with the fact that you as farmers should 

 use your utmost endeavor to bring your soil into such con- 

 dition that it will bear good clover, — not necessarily clover 

 alone, but clover with mixed grasses. 



