May, 1938] 



Experiments With Grass Hay 



11 



1933. Hay was harvested in 1933 and 1934 without fertilizer treat- 

 ment. Plots were laid out early in 1935 and top-dressed in the spring. 



The soil of the O'Kane field probably falls in the Suffield series and 

 is of the clay-loam type. The Suffield series, according to the soil-sur- 

 vey parties working in other parts of New Hampshire, is characterized 

 by "nearly flat topography" since it was "developed from material de- 

 posited in still water." The series is also said to be an "excellent grass 

 soil." 



The surface soil of the O'Kane field plots is probably a clay loam, 

 underlain by interbedded clays and silts. 



The plots in this test were one five hundredth of an acre in extent, 

 small enough so that the green material could all be transported to a 

 drier and brought to a uniform moisture condition. A protein analysis 

 was made on a sample from each plot. 



A glance at the data (Table VII) is sufficient to indicate the need 

 for elements other than nitrogen in grass hay stimulation. A critical 

 study leads to the conclusion that plots treated with phosphoric acid and 

 potash (No. 7) produced slightly more hay than nitrogen alone (No. 2), 

 and that on this particular soil nitrogen and phosphoric acid (No. 3 

 and No. 4) proved more effective in increasing yields than nitrogen and 

 potash (No. 5). The substitution of one-half of the potash in treatment 

 5 with 87.5 pounds of phosphoric acid (No. 6) resulted in a large in- 

 crease of dry matter and protein, both of which are significant when 

 the two treatments are compared. 



Table VII. 



