1911.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 11 



clovers and grasses. In such portions of the area as have been 

 |)l()we(l and reseeded, it has always been found that we had 

 a crop of whileweed to contend with. Undoubtedly the soil, for- 

 merly rather indiii'erently managed, like that of so many of the 

 New England farms, is heavily stocked with seeds of this as well 

 as of many other weeds, and every time it is turned over con- 

 ditions have been made right for the germination of some of 

 those which have previously been buried too deeply to germi- 

 nate. 



The statement of the conditions affecting this area must have 

 made it apparent that thoy do not afford a satisfactory basis 

 for close comparison on limited areas. The total area involved, 

 however, is so large that the unequalities and disturbing con- 

 ditions which have been referred to are somewhat equalized and 

 it was therefore thought to be worth while a few years since 

 to undertake comparisons between different fertilizer combina- 

 tions with a \'iew to affording at least object lessons on the pos- 

 sibilities of modifying and improving the herbage in permanent 

 grass land by varying use of fertilizers. 



General Plan. 



In each of the principal sections into which the area is 

 naturally divided by roads and principal walks, a few half- 

 acre sections were laid off" and throughout the period of the 

 experiment, which is now some six years, these have received 

 no fertilizer whatever. In two of the natural subdivisions of 

 the area, plots of substantially one-half acre each have been 

 laid off and these throughout the entire period have been ferti- 

 lized annually with nitrate of soda only at the rate of 150 

 ])(»unds per acre. 



On the balance of the entire area basic slag meal has been 

 ap]ilied annually at the rate of 500 })ounds per acre. This 

 on different sections of the area has been used in connection 

 with the different leading potash salts as follows : — 



( 1 ) On that portion of the area lying north of the " Cross 

 Walk " so-called, the potash salt used is muriate at the rate of 

 150 pounds per acre. 



(2) On that portion of the area south of the Cross Walk 



