236 DAIRY FARMING 



crops worth only $9,828. The manure would have been 

 worth $4,572 more to the farmer if spread thinner. 



The land that received the heavier application is better 

 for future crops but by no means is it better to the ex- 

 tent of the cost of the heavier application. The best 

 measure of how much better it is, is found in the results of 

 the last few years. As an average for the last four years, 

 the plots that had received 64 more tons of manure per acre 

 gave crops worth only $8.63 more than the crops on the plots 

 using the lighter application. This difference is not enough 

 to give any promise of catching up. 



The same principle is shown by results at the Ohio Ex- 

 periment Station. Many different experiments have been 

 conducted for many years. In every case a given quantity 

 of manure has given the greatest returns when spread thinly. 

 One test in a three-year rotation of potatoes, wheat, clover, 

 has been continued for 21 years. Manure was applied 

 at the rate of 4, 8, and 16 tons on wheat. The total values 

 of the crops per acre were as follows : 1 



No treatment $782.49 



4 tons manure every three years (28 tons) . . 900.04 



8 tons manure every three years (56 tons) . . 963.17 



16 tons manure every three years (112 tons) . . 1099.31 



When a total of 28 tons of manure was applied, the in- 

 creased crops were worth $4.20 per ton of manure. An ad- 

 ditional application of 28 more tons of manure per acre 

 gave additional crops worth $63.13, or $2.25 per ton for the 

 additional manure. A still further addition of 56 more tons 

 gave crops worth $2.43 per ton for the last additional manure. 



Of course the land that has received the heavier appli- 



1 Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Circular 144. Data for 1914 

 supplied by C. G. Williams. 





