154 EXPEIUMENT bTATION. [Jan. 



SOME EFFECTS OF FERTILIZERS ON THE 

 GROWTH AND COMPOSITION OF ASPAR- 

 AGUS ROOTS. 



TRED W. MORSE. 



A series of fertilizer experiments on asparagns was planned 

 in 1906 by Director Brooks, to ascertain the efficiency of differ- 

 ent methods of manuring this crop. The field is located on the 

 farm of Mr. C. W. Prescott in Concord, and its soil is like that 

 of most asparagns fields, a sandy loam of little natural fertility. 



In January, 1910, the writer was assigned the task of ascer- 

 taining the specific* efl^ects of the three i^rincipal chemical fer- 

 tilizers used in the experiment — nitrate of soda, acid phosphate 

 and muriate of potash — on the chemical composition of the 

 crop, as such effects would be important factors in determining 

 the relative efficiency of the fertilizers. 



This paper will deal with the effects of the fertilizers upon 

 the roots of the asparagus plants, a matter about which little 

 has been reported by other workers. 



Eousseaux and Erioux made a partial analysis of the roots as 

 a minor part of an elaborate research on the asparagus crop pub- 

 lished in 1906.1 



Tanret has made an extended study of the properties of the 

 carbohydrates contained in the roots.^ 



Wichers and Tollens have reported very complete analyses 

 of roots collected before and after the cropping season.^ 



The material studied by the writer consisted of the entire 

 underground portion of the asparagus plant, except the fine, 

 fibrous feeding-rootlets which were removed, as it was impos- 

 sible to collect any reasonable proportion of them. 



1^0 effort was made to separate the crown or center of the 



• Annates de la Science Agronomiriue, 3(1 Seriof?, I., pp. 189-326 (1900). 



a Bulletin de Soc. Chim. (4) V., pp. 889-893 (1909); Compt. Rend. 149, p. 48 (1909). 



' Jour, fur Landwirthachaft 58, pp. 101-112 (1910). 



