1903.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 



145 



nitrate of soda at the rate of 150 pounds per acre. The 

 manure is always applied in the fall ; the ashes, and the 

 bone and potash and the nitrate of soda, in early spring. 



The past season has been in general favorable to the hay 

 crop, but our yields on this field are lower than usual, 

 chiefly, it is believed, on account of the fact that both the 

 first and second cuttings were made earlier than usual, which, 

 as has been stated, was for the purpose of avoiding ripe 

 weed seeds. The yields of hay, and of rowen, where any 

 was cut, and the totals for each system of manuring, were 

 as follows : — 



Fertilizeks used. 



On barnyard manure, . . . . 

 On bone and potash and nitrate of soda, 

 On wood ashes and nitrate of soda, . 



Hay 

 (Pounds) . 



2,396 

 2,661 

 3,723 



Kowen 

 (Pounds). 



1,805 

 1,242 



Total 

 (Pounds). 



4,201 

 3,903 

 3,723 



The average yield of the entire area for this year is 3,942 

 pounds; the average for the period 1893 to the beginning 

 of the present year was 6,619 pounds ; the average to date, 

 6,413 pounds. The plots when dressed with manure have 

 averaged 6,655 pounds ; when dressed with bone and potash, 

 6,420 pounds ; and when dressed with w^ood ashes, 6,094 

 pounds. The average yields for this year, as will be seen, 

 are materially below the general averages. As has been 

 stated, this is undoubtedly accounted for chiefly by the dif- 

 ference in the time of cutting. The av^erage even for this 

 year constitutes a very satisfactory crop, and for the entire 

 period is such as to render the hay crop, at the prices 

 which the manures used cost, a decidedly profitable one. 



XI. — Experiment in the Application of Manure. 



The experiment now to be reported is in continuation of 

 work begun in 1899. It has for its object to determine 

 Avhether it is better to spread fresh manure during late fall 

 and winter, allowing it to remain upon the surface until 

 spring, or to put the manure when hauled out into large 



