67 



ment with the phosphate. How much of the crop was due 

 to that, no one can tell. For a complete experiment/ a 

 portion of the lot shonld have been left without any fertil- 

 izer, then the value of that applied would have been shown. 



Mr. Lonofcllow has also grown a good crop of corn on 

 new land, with only fertilizers applied, and also potatoes, 

 successfully with the same, on land that had been in culti- 

 vation four years, with nothing but phosphates used during 

 that time, showing very successful crops with this method 

 of fertilizing. 



Notwithstanding the interesting character of Mr. Long- 

 fellow's statement, the committee are of the opinion that it 

 lacks, in sevei'al ways, the requisite qualities of an experi- 

 ment, such as is intended by the offer of the premium, as it 

 gives only such information as is required in growing any 

 crop offered for a premium, and will be found in his state- 

 ments accompanying his premium crops this year. There- 

 fore, no premium is awarded, as the experience of growing 

 onions, several years in succession, with commercial fertil- 

 izers, was covered by the award of last year. 



The whole subject of the application of manures is one 

 of such magnitude and importance, is so intricate in all of 

 its bearings that your committee hesitate to treat it at all, 

 fully realizing their inability to discuss the subject with the 

 intelligence that its importance demands. The above 

 experiments, and many others reported, may be mis- 

 leading, from tlie imperfect manner in which they are 

 conducted. If they happen to be successful, they are 

 reported; if failures, we hear nothing from them. This 

 statement is not intended to reflect especially upon Mr. 

 Longfellow's experiments, but it is made as applicable to 

 most experiments, as usually conducted upon the farm ; 

 which leaves the reader somewhat in doubt as to the real 

 value of the experiment, on account of the part, or parts, 

 that have been omitted, necessary to show conclusive evi- 

 dence of the application by comparison. 



