1897.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 



31 



Composition of Clover Hay. 



Sulphate v. Muriate of Potash for Clovers. — This experi- 

 ment with clovers was so carried out as to allow a careful 

 comparison between the sulphate and the muriate as sources 

 of potash for this crop, as well as the com})arisons between 

 varieties. A study of the figures giving yields shows that 

 there seems to be no clearly defined difference in the effect 

 of the two salts upon the total product. It is true that in 

 the case of the alsike clover the muriate plat produced much 

 the larger crop ; but, since this was not the case with either 

 of the other varieties, we are not justified in concluding 

 that this difference is a direct consequence of the different 

 manuring. 



A study of the figures showing the composition of the 

 crops from the several plats, however, reveals the fact that 

 in every instance the percentage of nitrogen-free extract is 

 greater in the hay raised on the sulphate of potash. It is 

 true that the difference is not large, though in the case of 

 the red clover it is sufficient to make a difference of rather 

 over 140 pounds of this valuable class of nutrients in the 

 product of one acre. It seems probable that this difference 

 is due to the action of the chlorine of the muriate of potash 

 in decreasing the formation of starch, — an effect which has 

 often been noticed with the potato. Since, then, starch is 



