1897.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 



197 



The weights and particular stage of growth of the vegeta- 

 bles when harvested control, under otherwise corresponding 

 conditions, the actual consumption of each of these articles 

 of plant food. Our information regarding these points is 

 still too fragmentary to enable a more detailed statement 

 here beyond relative proportions. It must suffice for the 

 present to call attention to the fact that a liberal manuring 

 within reasonal)le limits pays, as a rule, better than a scanty 

 one, especially in the case of those crops which reach in a 

 short period the desired state of maturity. 



The various mixtures of fertilizers used in the experi- 

 ments under discussion provided by actual supply'for one- 

 half of the available nitrogen actually called for to meet 

 the demand as above pointed out. A liberal cultivation of 

 peas and beans cannot fail to benefit the nitrogen resources 

 of the soil. The order of arrangement of the ditlerent crops 

 within each plat was the same in all of them for the same 

 year. 



They occupied, however, a different position relative to 

 each other in successive years, to introduce, as far as 

 practicable, a system of rotation of crops. (For details 

 see previous annual report.) 



Statement of Croi^s raised since 1S91. 



Season of 1896. — The field was ploughed April 20. 

 The fertilizers were the same as in the preceding years ; 

 each of the six plats received the same amount and kind of 

 fertilizer, which was harrowed in April 24. 



