HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ALDEHYDES Ilf SOILS. 



23 



The appearance of the plants on June 27 is shown in Plate VII, figure 1. 

 The four rows of plants on the left are growing on the treated plot 

 and the four rows on the right on an untreated plot. . It is evident 

 that the salicylic aldehyde is interfering with the proper development 

 of the young plants. The effect became even more marked as the 

 plants approached maturity. When mature, the peas were picked 

 from the vines and weighed. After drying, the peas were shelled 

 and measured. The vines themselves were cut and their weight 

 taken. After curing, the weight of the dry hay was recorded. In 

 Plate VII, figure 2, are shown the vines and peas as gathered from 

 the check plot and from the salicylic aldehyde treated plot. The 

 effect of the salicylic aldehyde in depressing crop yields is apparent. 

 In Table XI are given the results obtained in this experiment with 

 salicylic aldehyde on cowpeas. The results are given as obtained 

 from the individual plots and also in terms per acre: 



Table XI.— Yield of covjpeas as affected by salicylic aldehyde in the field. 





Yield per plot. 



Yield por acre. 



Treatment. 



Vines. 



Pods. 



Vines. 



Pods. 





Green. 



Cured. 



Green. 



Cured. 





Pounds. 

 2S.0 

 23.0 



Pounds. 

 10.0 

 8.5 



Pounds. 

 6.6 

 5.6 



Tons. 

 8.96 

 7.36 



Tons. 

 3.20 



2.72 



Tons. 

 2.11 



Check b 



1.79 









25.5 

 16.0 



9.3 

 4.3 



6.1 

 3.5 



8.16 

 5.12 



2.96 

 1.38 



1.95 



Salicylic aldehyde 



1.12 





9.5 



5.0 



2.6 



3.04 



1.58 



.S3 







From the table it will be seen that the average yield of green vine 

 and pods on the check plots was 10.11 tons, and on the salicylic 

 aldehyde plot it was only 6.24 tons, making a total decrease of crop, 

 3.87 tons, or 38 per cent. The yield in pods alone was reduced 43 per 

 cent, and in vines alone, 35 per cent. The cured hay, minus the pods, 

 was reduced in yield as much as 1.6 tons per acre, a decrease of 50 per 

 cent. 



EFFECT ON STRING BEANS IN THE FIELD. 



The string beans were less affected by the salicylic aldehyde than 

 the cowpeas, and also less than the garden peas. The seeds were 

 sown May 21; they germinated well, and a good stand was secured. 

 As the crop grew it became apparent that there was a difference in 

 the growth of the treated plots and the untreated, but it was not 

 as marked as with the cowpeas. On July 22 the crop was harvested 

 and the weight of green vine and beans obtained .separately. The 

 results are given in Table XII, and a photograph of the harvested 

 crop is shown in Plate VIII, figure 1. 



