468 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Comparing these results with those obtained in the previous 

 year, where the produce of the various plats was practically 

 of a corresponding weight (458 lbs. each), it was noticed 

 that the application of potash compounds a'one, muriate of 

 potash leading (see Plats No. 9 and 10), had exerted a marked 

 eifect on the quantity and the quality of the corn fodder raised, 

 increasing the previous annual yield not less than one hun- 

 dred per cent, above that of the preceding year (1884). 



The amount of corn fodder raised on Plat No. 1, which 

 received nitrate of soda, had exceeded but slightly (22 lbs.) 

 that of the. previous season ; while the application of blood, 

 ammonium sulphate and phosphoric acid had not prevented a 

 considerable falling oflf. The yield of corn fodder of fertilized 

 and unfertilized plats was practically the same in most in- 

 stances. 



In sight of these facts, it seemed but justifiable to conclude 

 that a deficiency of the soil in available potash had controlled, 

 in our case, more than that of any other essential article of 

 plant food, — the final yield of the crop. 



As the cultivation of grasses and fodder corn affects the 

 manurial resources of the soil in a similar direction by ab- 

 stracting approximately one part of phosphoric acid to four 

 parts of potash, it is but a natural result that a soil which 

 originally did not contain much more of available potash than 

 of available phosphoric acid must become unproductive before 

 the latter is exhausted. In case circumstances necessitate a 

 direct succession of these two crops, it is well to remember 

 that fact, and to provide against a failure by applying to the 

 soil liberally, in particular, potash compounds in some form or 

 other. Muriate of potash deserves recommendation. 



To verify the above conclusion, the experiment was contin- 

 ued during the past season (1886), with the sole modifica- 

 tion of increasing on each fertilized plat the particular fer- 

 tilizing ingredients to twice the amount used in the preceding 

 year. 



The plats were thoroughly plowed and harrowed May 15, 

 1886. The fertilizers were sown broadcast in each case, and 

 slightly harrowed in before planting the corn, in rows. May 21 

 and 22 (Clark's variety). The rows were three feet three 

 inches apart. The seeds were dropped from twelve to fourteen 



