The Effect of Borax in Fertilizers. 95 



of the growing season considerable attention was given to sim- 

 ilar field studies in various sections of the State.* ' 



It soon developed that the trouble was confined largely to 

 the fertilizers manufactured by certain individual companies 

 and, as far as the writer observed, to the brands put out by 

 these companies which contained 4 or 6 per cent of potash. 

 Wherever samples could be obtained of the goods used, the 

 analyses made by the Station chemist showed the presence of 

 borax in appreciable amounts. It later developed that borax 

 might be present in a fertilizer from other sources, from mix- 

 tures of nitrate of potash and soda for instance, but in the field 

 observations under consideration the trouble seemed always as- 

 sociated with the potash used. For example, some fields were 

 seen where a part was planted with a fertilizer containing pot- 

 ash, and another part planted with a no-potash fertilizer put 

 out by the same concern. The plants where the last named 

 material was used appeared strong and vigorous when examined 

 the latter part of July, while those where the potash goods were 

 used showed various degrees of what will be described as borax 

 injury. 



Nature and Amount of Injury Occurring on Potato 

 Fields and Its Relation to the Fertilizer Used. 



Although the type of injury may differ, as will be pointed 

 out later, the presence of even small amounts of borax in a fer- 

 tilizer when such fertilizer is applied at the rate of a ton per 

 acre has a very marked effect on the potato plant, both in the 

 field and in the greenhouse. In the field the casual observer 

 first notes, in severe cases, a stunted appearance of the plants, 

 with an abnormal number of "skips" or failures to germinate. 

 Such a field is shown in the foreground of Fig. 14. Note the 

 vigorous growth and even stand of the plants in the background. 

 This portion of the field was planted three weeks after the first. 



*The writer was especially fortunate in being able to inspect a large 

 number of these fields in company with Dr. George H. Pethybridge, 

 Economic Botanist to the Department of Agriculture and Technical In- 

 struction for Ireland, Dr. A. D. Cotton, Mycologist to the Ministry of 

 Agriculture and Fisheries, London, and Mr. E. J. Wortley, Director of 

 Agriculture, Bermuda, all of these gentlemen being potato-disease spec- 

 ialists of international reputation. 



