1904.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 149 



yield than the north half. The yield of the winter-manured 

 portion for each year being considered 100 for the several 

 plots, the yields of the spring-manured portion of the same 

 plots has varied in the ditierent years as follows : in 1900, 

 from 103 to 125 ; in 1901, from 118 to 177 ; in 1902, from 

 practical equality in two cases to 150. This year, it will be 

 noted, there is but little difference in the yields under the 

 two systems of manuring, and the advantage is on the side 

 of the winter application. The winter application considered 

 as 100 as in previous years, the yields for the spring appli- 

 cation of manures has varied as follows : for the beans, 82.46 

 to 106.87 ; for the straw, 81.39 to 118.71 ; and for the green 

 forage, 89.72 to 120.67. 



In attempting to understand the reasons for such differ- 

 ences as have been noted in the different years, we find, on 

 a study of the weather conditions, that those of the winter 

 of 1902 and 1903 were for this locality quite exceptional. 

 A heavy snowfall came during the first week in December, 

 at which time the ground was not frozen. This snow, with 

 occasional additions from time to time, though sometimes 

 wasting to some extent, lay upon the ground throughout the 

 winter in sufficient amount to prevent the ground from freez- 

 ing. The winter was without those frequent sudden thaws, 

 accompanied by heavy rains, which with frozen ground lead 

 to excessive washins:. So remarkable was the winter that 

 the roots of one of our exceptionally hardy summer crops, 

 dwarf Essex rape, came out in the spring uninjured, and 

 with the approach of warm weather sprouted and made vig- 

 orous growth. Under such conditions it is not strange that 

 loss of the soluble plant food constituents of the manure 

 spread upon the surface took place to a very slight extent, 

 if at all. Could we depend upon such winters as the last, 

 the practice of spreading manure and leaving it upon the 

 surface during the winter would undoubtedly be wise, as it 

 saves on the cost of handling; but, as every one familiar 

 with our climate understands, such winters cannot be de- 

 pended upon, and accordingly the weight of evidence in our 

 experiments is still in favor of hauling the manure into heaps, 

 to remain over winter and to be spread in the spring. 



