181)7.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 15 



3. Soil Test ivith Swedish Turnips. 



This crop, as stated above, occupied one-half of the acre 

 on which the test with cabbages was carried out. The 

 variety was Laing's Swedish turnip, sown June 13. The 

 results show a close agreement with those obtained with 

 the cabbages. The average of the nothing plats was at the 

 rate of 10,250 pounds per acre. 



The average result of the use of phosphoric acid (dis- 

 solved bone-black) was an increase at the rate of 6,308.5 

 pounds per acre. Similar averages for the potash (muri- 

 ate) and nitrogen (nitrate of soda) were, respectively, 7,255 

 and 2,891.7 pounds. The net average profits are at the 

 rates per acre ; for the phosphoric acid, $9.42 ; for the pot- 

 ash, $11.35 ; and for the nitrate, $2.58. 



Here, as with the cal)bages, the combination of phosphoric 

 acid and potash seems essential to large increase in the crop. 

 The phosphoric acid without potash gives no increase ; with 

 potash alone, an increase at the rate of 11,700 pounds per 

 acre. The potash alone gives an increase of but 400 pounds 

 per acre, but with the phosphate it gives an increase of 

 13,633 pounds per acre. 



The combination of phosphate and potash gives an in- 

 crease at the rate of 12,100 pounds per acre, as compared 

 with the nothing plats nearest to the one on which it was 

 used. 



4. Soil Test with Soy Beans, Amherst, South Acre. 



This is the eighth season of soil-test work upon this acre. 

 The beans, variety Medium Green, were sown May 19, in 

 drills 2 1 feet apart, requiring 25 pounds seed for the acre. 

 The nothing plats produced an average of 350 pounds beans 

 and Iblh; pounds straw per acre. 



Potash (muriate) appears to be the most usefu,! element, 

 giving an average increase per acre of 646| pounds beans and 

 45 1| pounds straw. The average increase per acre caused 

 by phosphoric acid (dissolved bone-black) was 126| pounds 

 beans and 250 pounds straw. Similar average for nitrogen 

 (nitrate of soda) was 13^ pounds beans and 116| pounds 



