FIELD EXPERIMENTS IN I914. O3 



have only been two seasons of growth since these trees have 

 been set, but there are no appreciable differences that can be 

 attributed to the method of preparation of soil. The discharge 

 of a half stick of dynamite at a depth of 30 inches loosened the 

 soil horizontally for a distance of about 20 feet. No very great 

 depth of disturbance could be traced below the level at which 

 the sticks were placed. 



Further trial wasi given in this particular soil to see if it was 

 possible to take care of surplus water that in spring time accu- 

 mulated in some parts of the Ben Davis orchard No. i. For 

 this purpose holes were bored in the fall of 1912 to the depth 

 of about eight feet, and three sticks of dynamite discharged. In 

 the spring of 1913 and 1914 there was no appreciable difference 

 in the way in which these placesi that were treated with dyna- 

 mite drained than in similar wet places which were not treated 

 with dynamite. 



In all of these cases the work was done by an expert in the 

 use of dynamite sent out by one of the powder companies. 



So far as the soil and soil conditions on Highmoor Farm are 

 concerned it is doubtful if there is any advantage whatever in 

 the use of dynamite in the preparation of soil. 



Rotation Experiment. 



potatoes followed by potatoes versus corn, followed by 

 oats and grass. 



There is a more or less widespread opinion that sweet corn 

 is an exhaustive crop and not a good one to precede seeding 

 aown. In 19 ii, at the suggestion of the late Hon. Rutillus 

 Alden, an experiment was begun upon Highmoor Farm to 

 test the exhaustive effects of corn and potatoes in relation to 

 land treated with chemical fertilizers and with organic manure. 

 Four acres were selected in 191 1 for the experiment. The 

 whole field was planted to potatoes on chemical fertilizer that 

 year, using 1,600 pounds per acre of a 4-8-7 goods. Green 

 Mountain potatoes were used and the yie'ld was practically uni- 

 form over the piece. The different treatments began in 1912. 

 It will be noted that on plots A and B that only commercial 



