1919.1 PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 13a 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



E. F. GASKILL. 



The experimental work of this department has been con- 

 tinued along the same general lines as previously reported. 

 The study of different phases of the question of soil fertility 

 has required about the same number of field plots. 



The crop on Field A (the nitrogen experiment) was corn, 

 and the results are in close agreement with those obtained 

 in previous years. 



On the potash field (Field G) the crop was soy beans, and as 

 in previous years the crop did not show any striking response 

 to potash. 



Potatoes were grown on the phosphate field, and while the 

 yield was only fair on most of the plots, yet, as has usually 

 been the case with this crop, the better yields were obtained 

 on the plots receiving the quickly available phosphates. 



The north corn acre gave on the average about 23^ tons of 

 hay per acre but, owing to the drought, no rowen crop. 



On Field B, where muriate and sulfate of potash are com- 

 pared, the various crops this year gave results in close agree- 

 ment with those of previous years. 



The orchard work has been continued as in previous years, 

 with the exception of that at the Graves' Orchard, which was 

 discontinued because of the expiration of the lease of the 

 orchard . 



As a result of our work in testing different varieties of soy 

 beans, we have three varieties of yellow beans, which have 

 not yet been named, which give promise of being very useful 

 in this State. None of these varieties, however, yields as well 

 as our Medium Green variety. It is believed these yellow 

 varieties will be found the better varieties for some of the more 

 elevated areas where the growing season is not as long as it 

 is here in Amherst. 



