ANNUAL REPORT, 1934 63 



on Cape Cod were given up at the end of the cutting season. The plots at Waltham 

 will probably be continued until more conclusive results have been obtained. 



The plots at North Eastham have been cut for three full cutting periods. 

 The soil on which these plots are located is classified as Merrimac coarse sand. 

 The organic matter content is very low. Although harvest records have been 

 obtained from these plots for only three full years, fertilizer has been applied for 

 the past five years, the roots having been set in 1929. While the results under these 

 conditions are not conclusive, they do give some very definite trends, as follows: 



1. Fertilizer containing 8 percent nitrogen applied at the rate of 1 ton per 

 acre gave the best results in the nitrogen series. Nitrate of soda was the best 

 nitrogen carrier. 



2. A fertilizer mixture containing 12 percent phosphoric acid, where the 

 phosphorus was derived from superphosphate, gave the best results in the phos- 

 phorus series. 



3. A fertilizer containing 6 percent potash gave an average increase of 31.6 

 percent as compared to a fertilizer containing no potash. The results indicate 

 that muriate of potash is the best form. 



4. The substitution of salt (NaCl) for muriate of potash resulted in reduced 

 yields. Salt added to a complete fertilizer did not increase yields. 



5. The indications are that the nitrogen fertilizer should not all be applied 

 at once, but that one-half should be applied at the end of the cutting season 

 and the remainder one month later. Apparently, some of the nitrogen is lost from 

 this very sandy soil at Eastham when it is all applied at once. 



6. One of the most outstanding results of the experiment was the increase in 

 yield obtained by the use of organic matter in the form of seaweed plus 350 pounds 

 of superphosphate per acre. 



7. Asparagus was greatly benefited by an application of lime to the acid 

 soil. The limed soil gave an increase of 21.8 percent as compared with the un- 

 limed. 



The Waltham plots continued to increase in yield in 1934, although the in- 

 crease was not as great as that obtained last year. The yield records show about 

 the same results as last year, and about the same as those obtained at the North 

 Eastham plots. One of the differences is that increased yields may be obtained 

 by 12 and 18 percent potash in the fertilizer mixture, provided the nitrogen in 

 the fertilizer is raised from 8 to 12 percent. Better results were obtained when the 

 fertilizer was applied May 1. Although the soil at Waltham is well supplied with 

 organic matter, the plot which receives manure and superphosphate continues 

 to give high yields. A very good kill of weeds was again obtained by the use of 

 Cyanamid in both powdered and granular form. 



Depth of Planting and Height of Cutting. The results of this experiment have 

 not changed greatly from those of last year. The plots where roots were planted 

 shallow (2 and 4 inches deep) continue to give the greatest yield, the difference 

 in yield being due mainly to the loss of plants where the roots were planted 

 deeper than 4 inches. 



The plots where the asparagus is cut with 12 inches of green seem to be losing 

 some of the advantage in yield that they had at the beginning of the experiment. 

 Cutting the asparagus with only 4 inches of green did not result in an increased 

 yield as compared to the plots cut with 8 inches of green. The results of this 

 experiment to date indicate that cutting asparagus with a full 8 inches of green 

 does not reduce the total yield and does result in an increased market value of 

 the asparagus. 





