﻿6 BULLETIN 1126, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In section 2 fche fertilizer was put in the furrow and otherwise treated 

 as in section 1. except that the seed was planted immediately after 

 the fertilizer was applied. In section 3 the fertilizer was sown broad- 

 cast over an area approximately 12 inches wide along the seed furrow. 



A fertilizer analyzing 4 per cent NH„ 8 per cent P 2 5 , 

 ami 4 per cent K,0 was applied at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre 

 to beans, 1,800 pounds per acre to potatoes, and 400 pounds per 

 acre to corn. The materials used in preparing the 4-8-4 mixture 

 were acid phosphate, sodium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, cottonseed 

 meal, and potassium ehlorid. Sufficient borax was added and well 

 mixed with the fertilizer so as to apply 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 

 100, 200, and 400 pounds of anhydrous borax (Na,B 4 7 ) per acre. 

 Five plats were used as checks, and to these was added the fertilizer 

 which contained no borax. 



Three adjoining rows were used for each treatment; in the first 

 row Lima beans were planted, in the second snap beans, and in the 

 third potatoes. The experiment with corn was made on plats adjoin- 

 ing those in the truck-crop tests. Records of the effect of the borax 

 on germination, on the growth of the plant in its early stage, and on 

 the yield were made in each case. The daily rainfall was recorded, 

 and this factor will be considered in connection with the experiments. 



EFFECT OF BORAX ON LIMA BEANS. 



Lima beans were planted in sections 2 and 3 on May 26, immediately 

 after the application of the fertilizers. The seeds in section 1 were 

 planted 7 days later. Each section was planted with 90 seeds and 

 on June 25 thinned to a stand of 70 plants. The experiment was 

 discontinued on September 22, when the vines were cut and weighed 

 green. The beans were picked as they matured, and the yield of 

 beans in the hull as well as vine growth was recorded. 



In order to determine the effect of the borax on germination and on 

 early growth, a count of the number of plants in each plat was made 

 one month after date of planting and a measurement made of their 

 height. These data together with the yields are given in Table 1. 



The influence of borax on germination can be seen by a study of 

 columns 2, 6, and 10 of Table 1. The data for the two outside control 

 rows are not given, as these were influenced by other experiments in 

 adjoining plats. 



In section 1 . where the fertilizer was put in the drill and planting 

 delayed for 7 days, the three no-borax or check plats germinated 73, 

 82, and 83 seeds out of a possible 90. The 400-pound borax plat ger- 

 minated 4 seeds, the 200-pound plat 37 seeds, and the 100-pound 

 plat 48 seeds. The remaining plats receiving 50 pounds or less ger- 

 minated fewer seeds than the no-borax plats, but the effect was not 

 so marked as in section 2. 



In section 2 only a few seeds germinated in the 100, 200, and 400 

 pound plats. Less than half germinated in the 30 and 50 pound plats, 

 and a marked effect was produced by the smaller quantities of borax, 

 especially the 10 and 20 pound applications. The three checks in sec- 

 tion 2 germinated 82, 75, and 73 seeds, respectively, out of a pos- 

 sible 90. 



In section 3, where the fertilizer was sown broadcast, there was a 

 marked effect on germination with 20 pounds of borax per acre; 

 smaller quantities than this had only a slight effect. There was no 



