emery] some experiments FOR THE GARDEN 285 



The above experiments and others may be performed with soils 

 from different fields and different depths or with different mixtures. 



III. Wheat, or other grains: 



(a) Have several plots one rod square, or smaller; in one plant 

 fall wheat year after year. In another the same but manure well. 

 In a third adopt some system of rotation, as wheat, clover, corn, 

 oats. This year we have a plot that has grown wheat four years 

 in succession. It yields very poor crops. We will try the effect 

 of sowing half the plot with cow-peas and turning them under 

 before sowing this fall. 



(b) Try the effects of late and early sowing; of deep and 

 shallow planting ; of thick and thin planting ; of keeping a portion 

 of the plot free from snow aU winter ; of the use of various commer- 

 cial fertilizers, nitrate of soda, sulphate of potash, superphosphate, 

 bone meal, etc., or mixtures of these. 



(c) Plant a single grain of wheat, study the process of "stooling 

 out . ' ' Estimate the amount of wheat produced in three years from 

 one grain. 



(d) Watch for the tiny ears of com and before the pollen has a 

 chance to fall on the silk, wrap up a few ears in muslin or paper 

 bags. Do the same with other ears after the pollen has fallen. 

 Examine these ears after the corn is ripe. 



(e) Procure a small quantity of a culture of nitrogen fixing 

 bacteria for alfalfa and inoculate the seed sown in the plot. 

 Compare the growth with that in another plot in which the seed 

 was not inociilated. Dig up plants from time to time and look 

 for nodules. 



IV. Potatoes : 



(a) Does the size of the sets affect the yield? Cut sets of 

 accurate weight, one-eighth ounce, one-half ounce, etc., plant a row 

 of each and compare results in the fall. 



(b) Is it good to plant whole potatoes ? 



(c) Do small potatoes make as good ''seed" as large ones? 



(d) If your land is not too rich try the effect of a potash fer- 

 tilizer (an ounce of sulphate of potash to the sq. yd.). 



(e) We have been troubled here with blight for two years. 

 This year we have two plots; one we spray religiously with 

 Bordeaux mixture ; the other we leave to the tender mercies of the 

 fungi. 



