62 INDIAN CORN CULTURE. 



Experiments with fertilizers.— It is inter- 

 esting, however, to note some of the results 

 from using fertilizers experimentally on corn. 

 Much of this work has been done with great 

 care, and may be suggestive, if not having a 

 direct application. 



In 1881 Prof. W. 0. Atwater, in an address 

 before the Connecticut State board of agricul- 

 ture, reported on the effects of fertilizing 

 materials upon corn grown in 73 experiments 

 on sandy or sandy loam soil, extending over the 

 years 1878, 1879 and 1880. In these experi- 

 ments, "phosphoric acid took the leading place 

 often, potash occasionally, and nitrogen very 

 rarely." Prof. Atwater considers the experi- 

 ments numerous and decisive enough to war- 

 rant the inference that, as corn is commonly 

 grown, nitrogenous fertilizers in any quantity 

 would rarely be profitable. 



For several years past fertilizer experiments 

 on corn have been conducted by the Storrs' 

 (Connecticut) experiment station, under the 

 direction of Prof. C. S. Phelps. "The crops 

 grown on light soils were in nearly all cases 

 greatly increased by the use of potash or nitro- 

 gen, or both, while in only one case was there 

 any considerable increase from the use of phos- 

 phoric acid." On the heavy soils phosphoric 

 acid gave by far the best results. "The experi- 

 ments thus far made indicate that for corn, 



