1898.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 11 



that the nitrogen and phosphoric acid are the elements 

 chiefly required. The crop where all three elements were 

 combined was, however, much inferior to that where the 

 nitrogen and phosphoric acid were used without potash. 

 We must therefore conclude that some disturljing factor, at 

 present unknown, influenced the results ; and we are, there- 

 fore, unable to draw practical conclusions which throw light 

 upon the proper practice to be followed in manuring the 

 potato crop. 



Manure Alone v. Manure and Potash. 



An experiment in continued corn culture for the com- 

 parison of an average application of manure with a small 

 application of manure used in connection with muriate of 

 potash was begun in 1890. A full account of the results 

 will be found in the annual reports of 1890-95, and in the 

 latter year a general summary of the results is given. 



The land used in this experiment was seeded with a 

 mixture of timothy, red-top and clover in the standing corn 

 in July of last year. A good stand of grass and clover 

 was secured, although the latter was rather unevenly devel- 

 oped in different parts of the field, suggesting a possible 

 lack of thoroughness in mixing the seeds. 



No manure or potash has been used this year. The field 

 includes four plots of one-fourth of an acre each. The 

 results for 1897 are shown below: — 



Plot 1 (1^ cords of manure alone, 1890-96) : hay, 1,420 pounds ; 

 rowen, 783 pounds. 



Plot 2 (1 cord manure and 40 pounds of muriate of potash, 

 1890-96) : hay, 885 pounds; rowen, 483 pounds. 



Plot 3 (manure alone, as for Plot 1): hay, 1,380 pounds; 

 rowen, 785 pounds. 



Plot 4 (manure and potash, as for Plot 2) : hay, 1,037^ pounds; 

 rowen, 590 pounds. 



The averages are as follows : — 



Plots 1 and 3 (manure alone, 1890-96) : hay, l,403i pounds; 

 rowen, 784 pounds. 



Plots 2 and 4 (manure and potash, 1890-96) : hay, 961 J pounds ; 

 rowen, 536i pounds. 



