158 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



tillering at the expense of grain, as has been shown by 

 experiments in Germany.* After a few years all of this 

 application was omitted. This was done in consequence of 

 the continual apparent enrichment of the soil in nitrogen. 



Until recently no manures were applied directly for the 

 clover crop. Now an application of 100 pounds of muriate 

 of potash is used per acre annually. 



When the experiment was begun it was not supposed that 

 the soil was sufficiently acid to render the growth of clover 

 impossible, but such proved to be the case, and hence it 

 became necessary to use lime, which was applied in some 

 cases at the rate of 1,000 pounds and in others at the rate 

 of 2,000 pounds per acre. Under the definite system since 

 adopted the equivalent of 800 pounds of actual lime (calcium 

 oxide) per acre is now being applied once every six years, 

 after the previous irregularities in liming have been balanced. 



History of the Land. 



Prior to 1889 the land had been in grass for many years 

 apparently without top-dressing. It was badly infested with 

 moss, and produced annually not far from a quarter of a ton 

 of poor hay per acre. In the sunnner of 1889 the land was 

 plowed, dressed lightly with finely ground steamed bone, 

 and Hungarian seed was sown. In 1890 about 6 cords of 

 stable manure were applied per acre, and it was seeded again 

 with Hungarian. In 1891 common white beans were planted 

 without manure, and in 1892 Indian corn was similarly 

 planted, for the purpose of ascertaining the relative fertility 

 of the two-fifteenth-acre plots f which had been laid out per- 

 manently, in the mean time. Plots 11, 13 and 14 were 

 emploj^ed in the experiment. The actual rotation began 

 with potatoes upon Plot 11 in 1893. The following year 

 the rotation upon Plot 14 began with the same crop, and 

 the potato crop came upon Plot 13 in 1895. Plot 14 was 



* P. Wagner, Die Stickstoffdungung, p. 161, cites results to this effect by 

 Heine. 



t The plots are separated by 3- foot paths on the sides and by wide roadways 

 on the ends. Tlie entire area of the plot is manured uniformly. To avoid the 

 errors due to greater or less growth upon the edges of the plot, a strip 3 feet 

 wide on each side and (5 feet wide on each end is first harvested, leaving just 

 j^o of an acre for the final harvesting and weighing. 



