54 



HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



the manure alone). This field has now been broken up, 

 and will next year be put once more into corn, when it is 

 believed the beneficial effect of the large growth of clover 

 upon plots 2 and 4 will become apparent. 



"Special" Corn Fertilizer v. Fertilizer Richer in 



Potash. 



This experiment was begun with a view to comparing the 

 results obtained with a fertilizer proportioned like the aver- 

 age " sjjecial" com fertilizers found upon the markets in 

 1891 with those obtained with a fertilizer richer in potash, 

 but furnishing less nitrogen and phosphoric acid. 



Corn was grown during each of the years from 1891 to 

 1896 inclusive. From 1891 to 1895 it was found that the 

 fertilizer richer in potash gave the more profitable results. 

 In 1896 there was no practical difference. It was decided 

 during the season of 1896 that it might be possible to derive 

 a greater benefit from the larger quantity of potash applied 

 to two of the four plots if grass and clover should be grown 

 in rotation with the corn. Accordingly the land was seeded 

 with a mixture of timothy, red-top and clover in the stand- 

 ing corn in July, 1896. The field is divided into four plots 

 of one-fourth of an acre each. The materials supplied to the 

 several plots are shown in the following table : — 



Fertilizers. 



Plots 1 and 3 

 (Pounds Each) 



Plots 2 and 4 

 (Pounds Each). 



Nitrate of soda, 



Dried blood, . 



Dry ground fish, 



Plain superphosphate, . 



Muriate of potash, . 



Cost of materials per plot, 



20.0 

 30.0 

 30.0 

 226.0 

 22.5 

 $3 23 



18.0 

 30.0 

 20.0 



120.0 

 60.0 



$3 10 



In 1897 the average (both hay and rowen) produced by 

 plots 1 and 3 was 873.5 pounds, or 3,494 pounds per acre; 

 on plots 2 and 4, 860.5 pounds, or 3,442 pounds per acre. 

 This difference is too small to be of practical significance. 

 The rowen crop was heavier on plots 2 and 4 than on plots 



