18 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



of potash and five with the high-grade sulfate of potash. 

 These salts were used at the rate of 400 pounds per acre 

 from 1892 to 1899 inclusive ; in 1900 and 1901 the rate of 

 application has been 250 pounds per acre. All plots re- 

 ceive yearly an application of fine-ground bone, at the rate 

 of 600 pounds per acre. Tlie crops grown in the field are 

 rotated, and the following have been included : potatoes, 

 field corn, sweet corn, grasses, oats and vetch, barley and 

 vetch, winter rye, clovers of various kinds, sugar beets, 

 soy beans and cabbages. The crops have been almost uni- 

 formly large. The results were summarized in the report 

 of last year as follows : — 



Among the crops grown, the potatoes, clovers, cabbages and 

 soy beans have with very few exceptions done much the best on 

 the sulfate of potash ; while the yield of corn, grasses, oats, bar- 

 ley, vetches and sugar beets has been equally good on the muriate. 

 The quality of the crops of potatoes and sugar beets produced on 

 the sulfate of potash plots has been distinctly better than that of 

 the crops produced on muriate of potash. Taking all the crops 

 except the clovers into consideration, if we represent the efficiency 

 of the high-grade sulfate of potash by the number 100 that of the 

 muriate of potash is 98.1. Taking into account only those crops 

 showing the preference for the sulfate of potash, and representing 

 the efficiency of that salt by the number 100, the efficiency of the 

 muriate of potash is 88.6.* The present difference in price be- 

 tween the two salts is only about $5 per ton. The conclusion, 

 therefore, appears to be warranted that, under conditions similar 

 to those prevailing in this experiment, the selection of the sulfate 

 rather than the muriate is wise. 



The crops of the past year have been clovers of three 

 kinds, and cabbages. 



A. — Clovers {Sulfate v. Muriate of Potash). 

 The growth of the clover on the sulfate of potash was 

 considerably better than on the muriate. The yields are 

 shown below : — 



* Qlov^rs not included, because weeds have not been separated in harvesting. 



