122 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



(7.) Can Chemicals Take the Place of Farm Yard 

 Manure? — An experiment was started on the Agricultural Col- 

 lege farm, at Hanover, N. H., in 1885, which was designed to 

 throw light on this question. 



Two acres of land, from a field of six acres, were selected for 

 this experiment. The land had produced hay for three j-ears 

 previous to 1885 ; oats and sugar beets had preceded the hay. 



The third acre had thirteen loads of manure plowed in and nine 

 loads harrowed in, or in cords this would be 



5.6 cords plowed in 

 and 3.8 cords on the surface, 



or 9.4 cords in all, 



which would sell, as it laid under the stables, for $33.00. This 

 manure was from fattening steers, well fed with hay, straw, 

 cotton seed, and corn meal. The fourth acre had yearly applica- 

 tions of chemical fertilizers, mixed as follows : 



Dissolved bone-black, 346 lbs. 



Muriate of potash, 150 lbs. 



Sulphate of ammonia, 56 lbs. 



The average cost of this mixture has been Si 1.00, and as there 

 have been three applications since 1885, it follows that each acre 

 has received $33.00 worth of fertilizer; the third having $33.00 

 worth of manure, and the fourth $33.00 worth of chemicals. 



The first year the crop was corn, the second year corn, the 

 third oats, and the fourth grass. 



The following table shows the yield of each acre for each year, 

 and also the value of the crop, assuming eighty pounds of corn as 

 harvested to be worth sixt}' cents, thirty-four pounds of soft corn 

 ten cents, and fodder thirty cents per hundred ; oats fift}' cents 

 per bushel, straw thirty cents per hundred, and hay ten dollars 

 per ton : 



