A FERTILIZER EXPERIMENT WITH ASPARAGUS. 255 



that the appHcation of at least a portion of the nitrate of soda at the close 

 of the cutting season reduced the amount of rust. It seemed to both of 

 us, also, to be true that there was less rust where all the nitrate was 

 reserved and applied at the end of the cutting season than when only 

 one-half was so reserved and applied. In conclusion on this point, this 

 then is the only effect of the wide variations in fertihzer treatment upon 

 the health of the plants which can be confidently stated. 



Conclusions. 



The more important conclusions having either direct practical or 

 scientific importance which the investigations reported in this bulletin 

 appear to warrant may be stated as follows: — 



1. The variety of asparagus and the location of the bed with reference 

 to badly infected beds which may be sources of infection influence sus- 

 ceptibihty to rust and probabiUty of bad attacks to a greater extent than 

 variations in manurial or fertihzer treatment. 



2. A number of the varieties produced in the co-operative breeding 

 experiments conducted in Concord appear to have to an exceptional 

 degree the character of relative immunity from rust. The best of these 

 are from crosses with a superior male plant found in a bed of Giant 

 Argenteuil. 



3. In commercial asparagus growing as usually carried on in this State 

 it is a common practice to apply what appear to be excessive quantities 

 of fertilizers. 



4. The medium amounts of the several plant-food constituents applied 

 in these experiments appear to have furnished the different leading ele- 

 ments of plant food in as large quantities as could be utihzed by the crop. 



5. These medium amounts are at the foUo^ving rates per acre: — 



Pounds. 



Nitrate of soda, 460 



Acid phosphate, ........... 300 



Muriate of potash, 260 



6. Nitrate of soda at the rate of about 400 pounds per acre in connection 

 with manure at the rate of 10 tons per acre increased the crop, and appears 

 to be the maximum amount which proved beneficial. 



7. Among the different materials employed for the purpose of furnishing 

 potash, the muriate, everjd^hing considered, proved most satisfactory. 



8. The application of either acid phosphate or muriate of potash with 

 manure at the rate of 10 tons per acre appears not to have increased the 

 crop. 



9. The immediate or even the cumulative effect of yearly applications 

 of manure in increasing the humus content of the soil does not appear to 

 have been beneficial; in other words, chemical fertilizers upon this sandy 

 soil give as good results as manure. 



