DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND ANIMAL CHEMISTRY. 



J. B. LiNDSEY, Chemist in Charge. 



THE EFFECT ON A CROP OF CLOVER OF 

 LIMING THE SOIL. 



BY F. W. MORSE. 



This studj^ of the effect of liming a soil on the composition of a crop of 

 red clover has been made in the course of investigating soil-fertility 

 problems connected with the oldest series of fertihzer plots at the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural Experiment Station. The plots have been re- 

 peatedly described in the annual reports of the station, under experiments 

 with nitrogenous fertilizers, and designated as "field A." 



A brief description of the plots at this point will serve to make this 

 particular study intelligible. The soil is a sandy loam, and the plots re- 

 ferred to in this paper have received only chemical fertilizers for a period 

 of thirty-one years. No dung or Utter has been apphed, and organic 

 matter has been supplied wholly by crops grown on the land in the form 

 of roots and stubble, with an occasional catch crop plowed under. 



Since 1890 the annual apphcation of chemicals has been 45 pounds of 

 nitrogen per acre in nitrate of soda or sulfate of ammonia; 80 pounds of 

 phosphoric acid per acre in dissolved bone black, and 125 pounds of 

 potash per acre in muriate of potash or the double sulfate of potash and 

 magnesia. 



Table I. shows the distribution of the different fertilizers among the 

 plots. 



' Table I. 



Plot 1. Nitrate of soda, dissolved bono black, muriate of potash. 



Plot 2. Nitrate of soda, dissolved bone black, sulfates of potash-magnesia. 



Plot 4. No nitrogen, dissolved bone black, sulfates of potash-magnesia. 



Plot 5. Sulfate of ammonia, dissolved bone black, sulfates of potash-magnesia. 



Plot 6. Sulfate of ammonia, dissolved bone black, muriate of potash. 



Plot 7. No nitrogen, dissolved bone black, muriate of potash. 



Plot 8. Sulfate of ammonia, dissolved bone black, muriate of potash. 



The more recent history of cropping is as follows: in August, 1906, 

 alsike clover was sown in the standing corn then occupying the field. 

 Tlic land remained unplowed for three years. The stand of clover was 



