38 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



had been manured somewhat differently. For the fu-st few 

 years the product on manure alone on this plot exceeded 

 the product with equal manure and fertilizers on the other 

 plots. This initial superiority is gradually disappearing, 

 and the product of most of the crops where the fertilizers as 

 well as manure are used now exceeds that upon the seventh 

 plot, where manure only is used. It is possible that the 

 seventh plot does not even yet serve as a fair basis for com- 

 parison ; but the following crops on most of the plots, where 

 fertilizers in addition to manure are used, have given yields 

 sufficiently greater than those produced where manure alone 

 is used to much more than pay for the cost of the fertilizers, 

 viz. : asparagus, rhubarb, peas, squashes, tomatoes and 

 table beets. It should be pointed out, hoAvever, that such 

 increase w^as in most cases very small where sulfate of am- 

 monia is one of the fertilizer materials used. Indeed, with 

 asparagus the combination of manure and fertilizers contain- 

 ing sulfate of ammonia gave a smaller yield than manure 

 alone. With tomatoes the increased yield was mainly con- 

 fined to green fruit. The fertilizers did not materially in- 

 crease the yiehl of ripe fruit as compared with the yield 

 obtained on manure alone. Some crops showed no increase 

 at all on the plots where fertilizers were added to the manure. 

 Among these were celery and turnips, while cabbages gave 

 either no increase at all or one which was insignificant. 



Practically all important out-door garden crops have been 

 grown in rotation upon each plot, and each crop during 

 several years. The crops so far grown are as follows : 

 spinach, lettuce, onions, garden peas, table beets, early 

 and late cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, squashes, cucunil)ers, 

 turnips, sweet corn, celery and strawberries. One row 

 each of asparagus and rhubarb was set in each plot in 1902. 

 The first cuttings were made last year. 



As stated in my last annual re})ort, these " experiments have 

 l)een planned with reference to throwing light especially u})on 

 two points : A. The relative value of nitrate of soda, sulfate 

 of ammonia, and dried blood used as sources of nitrogen. 

 /y. The relative value of sulfate of potash and nniriate of 

 potash. These two points will be separately discussed." 



