﻿EFFECT OF BORAX ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF CROPS. 9 



EFFECT OF BORAX ON POTATOES. 



The potatoes grown in the experiment were McCormicks and were 

 planted on July 1 and dug on October 26. Each of the three sec- 

 tions was planted with 40 seed pieces. The record of the number 

 of pieces that germinated in each plat is given, and it is seen here 

 that the yield is coordinated to a certain extent with the percentage 

 of germination. The rainfall in the first 7 days of July was approxi- 

 mately 2 inches, which was sufficient to thoroughly wet the surface 

 soil a few inches, and the fertilizers doubtless were well diffused in 

 section 1 before the seeds were planted. During July there were 4.97 

 inches of rainfall and in August 4.91 inches, fairly well distributed, 

 which made conditions ideal for potato growing during the first two 

 months of this experiment. 



The yields and the germination records obtained in the experiment 

 are given in Table 3. 



Table 3. — Effect of various quantities of borax on potatoes in field plats on silty clay 

 loam, at Arlington, Va., in 1920. * 



Borax 

 per acre. 



None 



1 pound . . . 



2 pounds... 



3 pounds.., 

 None 



4 pounds... 

 5 pounds.. . 

 10 pounds.. 



None 



20 pounds.. 

 30 pounds.. 

 50 pounds.. 



None 



100 pounds. 

 200 pounds. 

 400 pounds. 

 None 



Sec. 1. — Fertilizer ap- 



Elied in drill 7 days 

 efore planting. 



Yield per plat (pounds). 



Primes. Culls. Total 



Sec. 2.— Fertilizer applied in drill 

 at time of planting. 



Yield per plat (pounds). 



Primes. Culls. Total 



Plants 



July 

 30. 



Sec. 3.— Fertilizer applied broad- 

 cast at time of planting. 



Yield per plat (pounds). 



Primes. Culls. Total. 



Plants 



July 

 30. 



In section 1, where the fertilizer was put in the furrow and the 

 planting of potatoes delayed, there was a slight stimulation with the 

 smaller quantities of borax. The yield was depressed by 30 pounds 

 per acre; quantities larger than this proved still more harmful. 



In section 2, where the potatoes were planted immediately (PL 

 IV, Figs. 1 and 2), the germination was affected, and there was a 

 depression of yield with 20 pounds of borax per acre, while 30 pounds 

 were more harmful. Where 200 and 400 pounds of borax were used 

 there was no germination. In section 3, 50 pounds of borax was the 

 smallest quantity which proved harmful and 100 pounds were 

 decidedly injurious, reducing germination and yield approximately 

 50 per cent. In Plate IV, Figure 3 shows the effect of 10 pounds of 

 borax per acre in the three sections with different methods of fertilizer 

 application. 



9094—22 2 



