98 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, [Pub. Doc. 



muriate of potash, we got an increase of 20 bushels of corn 

 to the acre. 



The nitrogen and phosphoric acid together did not do 

 much good until oats were the crop. There is an increase 

 of the first crop of grass in this column, due no doubt to the 

 nitrogen, but no increase of rowen. There is no increase in 

 corn for the year 1894 in this column, for there is no potash. 



In the next column nitrogen and potash come in, and you 

 see the corn crop is largely increased each year. On the 

 oats there is an increase due to the nitrogen. On grass we 

 have an increase in the first crop, due to nitrogen, 1)ut com- 

 paratively little increase in the second crop. 



The efi'ects shown in the next column, where phosphoric 

 acid and potash were used, are similar to those produced 

 where potash only was used. 



Then we have nitrogen, ^jhosphoric acid and potash, and 

 here we see potash again produces its efiect on the corn. 

 The nitrogen in this combination produces also a large effect 

 on the oats and the grass. 



The effect of potash on grass and clover all the way 

 through should be noted. With potash alone there is not 

 much increase in the first crop, but a large increase in the 

 second. This is because potash favors the growth of clover, 

 which makes the rowen. Where nitrogen and potash are 

 used the two crops are nearer together, but there is a moder- 

 ately large increase in the rowen. Here, where the nitrogen 

 and potash were used, it was the nitrogen that gave us the 

 increase in the first crop, and there is also a moderate 

 increase in rowen, due to potash. Where we have used 

 phosphoric acid and potash there is a larger increase in 

 rowen Init little increase in the first crop, because there is no 

 nitrogen. 



My chief ground of criticism of special fertilizers as we 

 find them lies in the fact that their composition is not 

 what it should be. Almost without exception they con- 

 tain too large a percentage of phosphoric acid, and too little 

 of either nitrogen or potash or of both of these. To obtain 

 as much potash as he requires, he who depends exclusively 

 upon special fertilizers must purchase much more phosphoric 

 acid than is necessary. Permit me to call your attention 

 to figures which illustrate this point : — 



