»5 



the percentages of timothy were 39% and 67%, respectively, ^^""^ ^'^^ 



and in the fourth year the differences were even more ^"'^ 



marked. 



Timothy is a grass which will not . aiit r 



erate an acid sou, and it is probable that c -i m 

 , ,. . . ' 1 • o J- J Soil Necessary, 



the liming given these plats in 1097 did 



not make them as "sweet" as would have been best for 



this crop. Now, when Nitrate of Soda is used by plants, 



more of the nitric acid is used than of the soda and a certain 



portion of the latter, which is an alkali, is tt N't t 



left to combine with other free acids of the xr . i- c -i 



., ,„, . ... ,. I- 1 -J Neutralizes Soil 



soil. 1 his, like lime, neutralizes the acids ... . 



J L cc " 1 -1 r u Acids and 



and thus sweetens the sou tor the ^ ^ . 



, r> J , J Sweetens the 



timothy. Red top, on the contrary, does ^ .. 



well on soils which are slightly acid, and so 

 would have the advantage over timothv in a soil not 

 perfectly sweet. With the assistance of the soda set free 

 from the Nitrate, the timothy was more than able to hold 

 its own and thus to make what the market calls a finer, 

 better hav; and since the market demands timothv and pays 

 for it, the farmer who sells hay is wise if he meets the 

 demand. 



Financial Profit from Use of Nitrate. 



Frequently more plant food is paid for wj j p 

 and put on the land than the crop can 

 possibly use, the excess being entirely thrown away, or, at 

 best, saved to benefit some subsequent crop. This was 

 far from the case in these trials. Indeed, it was found by 

 analysis of the hay that more potash was removed by the 

 crops of the first two years than had been added in the 

 muriate used, consequently the amount applied upon each 

 plat was increased in 1901 and in 1902. The Nitrogen 

 requirement of the crops was found to be slightly less than 

 was supplied in 450 pounds of Nitrate and the amount was 

 reduced to 400 pounds in 1901 and to 415 pounds in 

 1902. The Nitrate on the second plat was also reduced 

 in proportion. The phosphoric acid, however, was probably 

 in considerable excess since liming sets free phosphoric acid 

 already in the soil and so lessens the apparent financial 

 profit ; but not to an excessive degree. 



