26 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I9I4. 



and south. The middle plot was left unfertilized as a check 

 plot. To the east plot there was applied each of the three 

 years a mixture consisting of 100 pounds of nitrate of soda, 

 112 pounds of muriate of potash and 600 pounds of Thomas 

 phosphate powder. To the west plot there was applied each 

 of the three years loo pounds of nitrate of soda, 112 pounds 

 of muriate of potash and 600 pounds of acid phosphate. The 

 results are given in the table which follows : 



Tabic shozmng kinds and amounts of fertilizer used and fields 

 per plot and per acre for each year and for the three years 

 combined. 





Kinds and Amount Fertilizer Applied 



Year. 



Yield of Hat. 



Each Year. 



Per plot. 



Per acre. 



A 



100 pounds nitrate of soda 



1910 

 1911 

 1912 



Pounds. 



8560 

 3950 

 5315 



Tons. 



4.28 

 1.92 

 2.66 



Tons. 

 2.45 





li2 pounds muriate of potash 



1.13 





600 pounds of acid phosphate 



1.52 





Total 







8.86 



2.81 

 1.37 

 1.88 



5.10 



B 



No fertilizer 



1910 

 1911 

 1912 



5625 

 2850 

 3750 



1.60 

 .S-1 





Total 



1.07 





6.06 



3.57 

 1.73 

 2.61 



3.48 



r. 





1910 

 1911 

 1912 



7135 

 3450 

 5230 



2.04 





.98 





600 pounds Thomas phosphate powder 



Total 



1.49 





7.91 



4.51 





. 









In 1910 there was an abundant rainfall in the grass grow- 

 ing months and the conditions were favorable for a heavy 

 yield. In 191 1 the conditions were the reverse and not enough 

 water fell after the apphcation oif the fertilizer to render it 

 very available to the grass plants. The conditions in 19 12 

 were fairly favorable for a hay crop. But this was the fourth 

 year for half of the field and the fifth year the other half 

 had been in grass and cut for hay. 



The surprising thing about this experiment is the increase 

 due to the acid phosphate in 1910. Even if the increased yield 

 from the Thomas phosphate plot be entirely ascribed to the 

 muriate and nitrate the application of acid phosphate increased 



