1903.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 133 



to have a greater eftect in increasing tlie corn crop than 

 either of the other prominent elements. Especially has this 

 been found to be the case on the better soils of the State. 

 The results upon light and poor soils in Yarmouth, Free- 

 town and Marblehead have shown but small increase for any 

 of the fertilizers used. On such soils farmyard manures 

 prove much the most effective. On the soils with good 

 physical characteristics, i.e., soils on which crops are not 

 likely to suffer excessively in hot, dry weather, and espe- 

 cially if the soil is one which is in a fair state of fertility, 

 the increase due to potash has always been found to be 

 striking, and it is believed that farmers should see to it that 

 this element is more largely supplied to this crop. 



B. — Soil Test ivith Potatoes {JSForth Acre) . 



The field on which this test was carried out has been used 

 in similar tests with various crops for thirteen years, begin- 

 ning in 1890. The crops grown in order of succession 

 include potatoes, corn, soy beans, oats, grass and clover, 

 grass and clover, cabbages and rutabaga turnips, potatoes, 

 and onions, for four years (1898 to 1901 inclusive). 



Rye was sown a short time 1)efore the onion crop of last 

 year was pulled, in the hope of producing a crop which 

 would serve as winter cover, and to prevent washing, to 

 which this field is liable. This object was only in part ac- 

 complished, as the rye sown on the surface did not make a 

 perfect start. There was considerable washing, as a result 

 of heavy storms in March. It is not believed, however, 

 that this was of such a character as seriously to interfere 

 with the accuracy of our fertilizer tests, for it was for the 

 most part with and not across plots. The several plots in 

 this field have been manured in accordance with the usual 

 soil test plan, with the exception that double quantities of 

 all fertilizer materials were used during the years when 

 onions have been grown, as well as this year. In one other 

 respect the treatment of this field has been peculiar. The 

 lower half of all plots received an application of lime in the 

 spring of 1898 at the rate of 1 ton to the acre. The nitrate 

 used during the present season was put on in two applica- 



