176 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



If the squash crop is a success', this rotation is likely to 

 jdeld a good profit, but otherwise the chances are materially 

 reduced. Its applicability depends also upon having a soil 

 where peas mature sufficient!}' early to make it possible to 

 succeed with the turnips which follow. Upon a very cold, 

 late soil this might be difficult ; and, furthermore, such a 

 soil would not be calculated to yield turnips of the finest 

 type and quality. In fact, the soil upon the station farm is 

 not well adapted to either of these crops. 



The data thus far secured in this rotation have not yet 

 been published nor arranged for publication, hence it will 

 be impossible at this time to present more than the foregoing 

 scheme of the rotation and the accompanying suggestions. 



A Six-year Rotation. 



The six-year rotation is essentially identical with the five- 

 year rotation, which includes clover (see page 171), except- 

 ing that it is allowed to continue in grass for one additional 

 year. It is therefore as follows : first year, Indian corn ; 

 second year, potatoes ; third year, winter rye ; fourth year, 

 clover and grass ; fifth year, grass ; sixth year, grass. 



The chemical formulas for potatoes, rye, Indian corn and 

 grass were the same as used in the five-year rotation pre- 

 viously described (see pages 170-173) . This rotation differs 

 in one particular from the five-year rotation, for three of 

 the plots receive stable manure instead of chemical manures 

 for the Indian corn, the other three plots, hoAvever, being 

 treated in the same manner as in the five-year rotations. 



At the outset one of the plots in the stable manure series 

 and one in the chemical series received wood ashes. It was 

 planned to employ lime and enough of a potash salt upon the 

 other plots in each series to equal the lime and potash con- 

 tained in the wood ashes. The reason for comparing the 

 wood ashes on the one hand with lime and potash salts on 

 the other was to see if the latter might not in some cases 

 replace the wood ashes to advantage, and to ascertain by 

 actual experiment if the magical influence generally ascribed 

 to wood ashes in Rhode Island was not, contrary to the pre- 

 vailing opinion, largely attributable to the lime. As this 



