This table may be studied from different standpoints, for 

 the present I shall try to show what it teaches concerning the 

 best combination of fertilizing materials for the crops and soil 

 involved in this experiment. 



The object of this work was to find a "ration," if I may use 

 the term, suited to the wants of the growing plant on this soil, 

 and so far as practicable I believe that the methods adopted 

 in determining "rations" for animals should be applied in feeding 

 plants ; with this in view I have applied equal values of fertili- 

 aers in which the constituents have varied, now from the yields 

 obtained, it is possible to pick out the best, and thus find the 

 most profitable combination. 



The feeding of plants is not essentially different from the 

 feeding of animals, there are more factors of uncertainty in the 

 former, but to the practical farmer it is a question of dollars re- 

 ceived for dollars invested in each case. Hence the use of 

 fertilizers should be studied from this point of view. The Ger- 

 man method of adapting food to animal requirements is to feed 

 a great variety of foods in different combinations, and note the 

 results ; after a time the superiority of certain "rations" becomes 

 'evident, and these are further tested, the foods being analized, 

 their digestibility determined, and from the results the amount 

 of each "digestible nutrient" consumed daily is determined. 

 Applying this method to plants, and we should feed the 

 plants on different plots with a "ration" made up of vari- 

 ous fertilizing materials, the available plant food being in dif- 

 ferent proportions. Then from the yield we may pick out the 

 most profitable combination and determine its composition, 

 this is the true way to obtain a rational standard for fertil- 

 izers. 



The great difference between adapting food to plants and 

 to animals is this ; When it has once been demonstrated that 

 an animal under given conditions requires certain food for the 

 best results it is reasonably certain that the results may be 

 applied in one state or country as in another, due regard being 

 paid to the cost of the food ; but if I demonstrate that a certain 

 combination in which potash is largely contained, is best for a 

 crop of corn in a given locality it is not certain that on other soils 

 having different Geological characteristics the same results 

 would follow. 



15 



