The Effect of Borax in Fertilizers. 



Fig. 19. Bad cases of borax injury in the field. This represents the 

 entire growth made by the plants in three months. Note that the root 

 system is almost entirely destroyed. Compare with Fig. 21. 



Browning and killing of the roots was a very prominent 

 sign of the trouble, being more pronounced in the case of the 

 badly dwarfed plants. This condition is well illustrated by 

 Figure 19 from a photograph made on August 13. It will be 

 noted that in spite of the fact that the seed pieces ^ad been 

 planted nearly 3 months the plants had made practically no 

 growth above the surface of the ground. The roots had been 

 killed off at the base and there were no roots present at the 

 nodes ofxthe stem, where it was covered with soil, as would nor^ 

 mally be the case. Of the roots at the base of the stem, whether 

 the fertilizer was applied above or below the seed peice, fre- 

 quently nothing remained but a tuft of dried, brown stubs. 



Seed-pieces in direct contact with the fertilizer often 

 showed a burning and erosion of the cut surfaces. In general, 

 however, the presence of borax seemed to have a preservative 



