11)0,3.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 143 



to what cause the superior growth on plots 1 and 3 early in 

 the season was due ; but it appears probable that the cause 

 was the stimulative efiect of the excess of phosphoric acid, 

 which, as has been repeatedly shown, when used in liberal 

 amounts exercises a marked eflect in hastening maturity. 



At present prices for fertilizer materials, the fertilizers 

 used on plots 1 and 3 cost, laid down in Amherst, at the rate 

 of $19.25 per acre ; those used on plots 2 and 4 cost at the 

 rate of $14.20 per acre. The fertilizer combination richer 

 in potash, therefore, costs a little more than $5 per acre less 

 than the combination rei)rcsenting average corn fertilizers. 

 It is significant that at this lower cost we have a corn crop 

 equal to that produced at the higher figure. Last year, 

 when the corn crop on all plots was very poor, the yield on 

 plots 1 and 3 was distinctly better than on plots 2 and 4 ; 

 but, with that exception, the average results to date show 

 corn crops substantially equal on the two fertilizer combina- 

 tions, while whenever the land is put into mixed grass and 

 clover, the fertilizer combination richer in potash gives crops 

 materially larger and of better quality than the combination 

 richer in phosphoric acid. The advantage to date, there- 

 fore, is most decidedly in favor of the fertilizer combination 

 containing the more potash ; and fertilizer manufacturers 

 are urged to increase the proportion of this element in corn 

 fertilizers, and farmers on their part should insist on such 

 increase. 



VII. — Manure Alone v. Manure and Potash. 

 These experiments, which have for their object to show 

 the relative value as indicated by crop production of an 

 average application of manure used alone, as compared with 

 a smaller application of manure used in connection with a 

 potash salt, were begun in 1890. The field used is level, 

 and the soil of comparatively even quality. It is divided 

 into four quarter-acre plots. The crop grown during the 

 years 1890 to 1896, 1899 and 1900, 1903 and during the 

 past season, has been corn. In 1897 and 1898, and again 

 in 1901 and 1902, the crop was mixed grass and clover. 

 Where manure is used alone, it is applied at the rate of 6 



