228 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 280 



DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND ANIMAL CHEMISTRY 

 J, B. Lindsey in Charge 



The Effect of Fertilizer and Cultural Treatment on the Nitrogenous 

 Compounds of Havana Seed Tobacco. (E. B. Holland and E. Bennett). 

 The analytical work on tobacco has been continued along similar lines as in 

 previous j'ears with the exception that many duplicate samples have been sweat 

 to determine the effect of the additional treatment on the nitrogenous compounds 

 of the leaf. In view of the fact that recent investigators have stressed the carbo- 

 hydrates as a criterion of quality, it would seem advisable to broaden the inquiry 

 and attempt to correlate the carbohydrates and nitrogenous compounds with 

 burn and character of ash. Substantially all the chemical work planned for the 

 season has been completed and the results await examination. 



Tobacco Field Experiments. (Compiled by E. B. Holland and E. Bennett). 

 Experiments in raising Havana Seed tobacco have been conducted on the sta- 

 tion plots since 1924 to determine the effect of various cultural and fertilizer 

 treatments on the total yield, grades, and market value of the crop. The data 

 for the 1924-1930 crops inclusive have been recalculated and compiled for pub- 

 lication and present many interesting facts concerning the size and weight of 

 leaf of the several grades under the various treatments. 



Oil Sprays. (E. B. Holland). Work has been continued with a light par- 

 affin base oil, a medium paraffin oil, and a naphthene base oil. Miscibles were 

 prepared from all three lubricating oils by three methods and applied in field 

 tests under the supervision of the Entomology Department, with satisfactory 

 results. 



Spontaneous methods of preparation again proved preferable to the old proc- 

 ess requiring heat, and an organic base more efficient than alkali. The oils 

 themselves have been submitted to various physical tests to determine their 

 position in the field of lubricants. 



Nitrogen Fixation in the Presence of or as a Result of the Growth 

 of Legumes versus Non-Legumes under Certain Defined Agronomic 

 Conditions. (F. W. Morse). This year (1931) oats were grown on the non- 

 legume areas and field peas together with oats on the legume areas. Nitrogen 

 was omitted from all plots this year as has been the procedure in alternate years. 

 Eight annual crops have been removed from the plots since the beginning of the 

 experiment, and a summary of the results is given in addition to those of the 

 current year. 



Results from Plots 7 and 9 which have not received any nitrogen in fertilizers 

 since 1882 are compared with those from Plots 8 and 10 which have received 

 nitrogen regularly, the former in sulfate of anuiionia and the latter in organic 

 animal matter. The comparison for this year, however, is between no nitrogen 

 and residual nitrogen from previous applications. The figures are averaged from 

 each pair of plots. 



The crops this year (1931) were harvested for fodder just as the seed began 

 to fill out. It made little difference in the yields whether nitrogen had been 

 omitted for fifty years or only one year. Combining peas with the oats increased 

 the dry matter about 25 per cent and the nitrogen over 70 per cent. 



Crops on the non-legume areas during the eight years were hay, corn fodder, 

 Japanese millet, corn fodder, hay, hay, Japanese millet, oat hay. On the legume 



