CHEMICALS FOR POTATOES. 



The co-operative work carried on in 1889 was not contin- 

 ued, except in a single case, as there are few who are willing to 

 devote the necessary time and trouble to the laying out of plots, 

 and more especially to the weighing of the harvested crop. The 

 exception above noted was a series of tests on potatoes, carried 

 on by Mr. S. B. Whittemore, of uolebrook, in the heart of the 

 potato region of New Hampshire, and the results are of inter, 

 est and value to every man who contemplates purchasing fertil- 

 izers for use on this crop. 



The combinations of chemicals were the same as those sent 

 out in 1889, and in the following table is given the kind and 

 amount of each chemical used per plot of one-twentieth acre, 

 and also the chemical composition of the mixed fertilizer as it 

 would have shown by chemical analysis : 



It will beseen from this table that each form of plant food 

 is used by itself (see Plots 18, 19. 20), also in combinations of 

 iwo with the third om tted (see Plots 3, 4, 5), and in addition to 

 these the three forms are combined in varying proportions (see 

 Plots 2, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16). Plots 2 and 15 are duplicates, as are 

 10 and 13. 



The Station mixed and sent out all the chemicals, and also 

 the prepared fertilizer, for Plot 14, using an amount on each 

 plot which would, at the prices then asked, cost ten dollars per 

 acre. The prepared fertilizers used on Plots 7 and 8 were se- 

 lected by Mr. Whittemore from the local market, and whether 

 the cost was more or less than ten dollars per acre I am unable 

 to say; it is probable, however, that two pounds more of 

 Bradley's XL should have been used, as its selling price is usu- 

 ally the same as that of Bowker's H & D. Two bushels of ashes 

 were used on the supposition that they cost twenty-five cents 

 per bushel, which is the average price for unleached ashes, and 

 thirty-five bushels of manure were selected because that amount 

 would give what our fanners consider a good dressing, namely, 

 seven cords, or twenty loads, per acre, the cost of this, however, 

 would be twice the cost of the fertilizer used on the other plots, 

 and this fact must be kept in mind in comparing results. All 

 the other plots are directly comparable, since there was equal 

 »utlay on each. 



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