1899.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 49 



The Proper Course as regards Potash Supply. 



What, then, in view of such results, are we to recom- 

 mend? Clearly not to cease using potash, — we have been 

 unable to raise good crops without it. It is believed the 

 remedy will be found in one of three directions; viz., (1) 

 the occasional liberal use of lime where muriate of potash is 

 employed; (2) the use of other potash salts, such as car- 

 bonate or sulphate ; or (3) the employment of wood ashes 

 as a source of potash. Should potash be supplied in the 

 form of either carbonate or sulphate, lime leaches from the 

 soil much less rapidly ; the same is true of ashes, and these, 

 moreover, supply much lime. This entire question, how- 

 ever, demands further experimental study, and I am not at 

 present prepared to give definite advice upon this point. 



Again, in conclusion it may be said the most profital)le 

 results of the year's work are the suggestions for fixture lines 

 of work, which, being completed, must throw much needed 

 light upon the problems connected with the use of fertilizers. 



3. Soil Test ivith Oats. JVorioell. 



The past was the third season of soil test work upon this 

 acre, the two preceding crops having both been corn. The 

 results with 'l)oth of the tests with corn have indicated a 

 strong demand for potash by corn on this soil. These 

 results were thus in entire agreement with those obtained 

 in almost all of the large number of soil tests with this crop 

 that during the past ten years have been carried out under 

 my direction in all the counties of the State. 



The results the past season with oats seem also to be in 

 general accord with results previously obtained in other 

 sections with this crop. This is not shown clearly by the 

 figures giving the yields, for the reason that excessive rains 

 flooded parts of the field which is nearly flat soon after the 

 seed was sown, rendering germination poor and uneven. 



From examination during the growing season I feel certain 

 that in this experiment it was the nitrate of soda which most 

 largely benefited the crop. The crop on dissolved bone- 

 black was at the rate of 9.7 bushels per acre; on dissolved 



