98 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



used is exceptionally light. The soil in the experiments on 

 Avhich the conclusions here presented are Ijased is a medium 

 loam. On a lighter soil the results would possibly be more 

 favora1)le to the muriate. 



As has Ijeen stated, the yield of the clovers has not been 

 taken into account in making the calculations upon which 

 the statements concerning the relative efficiency of the two 

 potash salts are based. The reason why they have not been 

 so taken into account is because there have always been 

 more or less weeds produced among the clovers, and these 

 have not been separated. The amount of weeds has natur- 

 ally been greater in proportion as the clovers have been 

 thinner and poorer. The. figures, therefore, showing yields 

 on the several plots in the form of hay, including the weight 

 of the dried weeds as well as the weights of the dried 

 clovers, do not correctly represent the effect of the fertiliz- 

 ers ; accordingly, these figures have been discarded. There 

 is, however, not the slightest doubt that in its effects upon 

 the growth of the clovers the sulfate of potash stands dis- 

 tinctly ahead of the muriate. In some years and upon some 

 plots the difference has been very large, at other times it has 

 been smaller, and in a few instances the weight of the har- 

 vested product grown on muriate of potash has slightly 

 exceeded that grown on the sulfate. It is without hesita- 

 tion, however, that farmers are advised to employ sulfate of 

 potash rather than the muriate, where good clover crops are 

 desired, particularly unless prepared to use lime as well as 

 potash salts liberally. If lime be liberally used, as indicated 

 by our experiments on other fields, good clover can be grown 

 on muriate of potash ; but the combined cost of the lime and 

 muriate will in most cases exceed the cost of the sulfate. 



IV.— Field C. 



A. The Relative Value of Nitrate of Soda, Sulfate of 

 Amtnonia and Dried Blood as Sources of Nitrogen. 

 The experiments upon which the conclusions now pre- 

 sented are based have been in progress since 1891, each of 

 the several sources of nitrogen being applied yearly through- 

 out the entire period upon the same plot. The crops grown 



