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



and 37.5 per cent in ear production in another case. The third day 

 niter the fertilizers were applied there was a rainfall of 1.19 inches 

 and the fourth day 0.83 inch. This depth of moisture falling in 2 

 days undoubtedly diffused the borax in the soil. At any rate the 

 borax in the quantities applied, 5 and 10 pounds per acre, under 

 these weather conditions had no harmful action. 



In series B, which was started on June 9, the borax caused some de- 

 crease in both stover and corn. This decrease was most severe in 

 section 2, where the yield of stover was decreased nearly 30 per cent 

 and of ears 28.2 per cent by 5 pounds of borax. The yield of stover 

 was decreased 25.4 per cent and that of ears 15.4 per cent by 10 

 pounds of borax. At the time of applying fertilizers and planting the 

 soil was moist, but there had been no rain for several days. The Tight 

 showers which fell within the 10 days following the planting were not 

 more than would moisten the surface inch of soil. 



Series C was not planted until July 7, and no yield of ear corn was 

 produced by tin's and the subsequent planting, as the planting was 

 made too late in the season to mature. The yield of stover, however, 

 is given. The effect of the borax in this planting was to cause no 

 decrease with 5 pounds in section 1, and only slight decreases in sec- 

 tions 2 and 3. The decrease with 10 pounds was more marked in sec- 

 tions 1 and 3 and especially in section 2, where it was as much as 30 

 per cent. The soil was moist at planting time, and there was 0.62 of 

 an inch precipitation the next day, after which there was no precipi- 

 tation for a week. The second week after planting there were light 

 showers daily which were sufficient to keep the surface moist. 



Series D was planted on July 15, and the action of the borax was 

 somewhat more severe than in series C. A slightly decreased yield 

 in each section was caused by 5 pounds of borax. The use of 10 

 pounds of borax caused a considerable decrease in sections 1 and 2, 

 but a slight increase in section 3. The first 10 days after this experi- 

 ment was begun the soil was rather moist. There were light showers 

 for the 4 days following the planting, amounting in all to 0.48 of an 

 inch rainfall, and on the sixth day, July 20, there was 0.89 inch 

 precipitation. 



The last planting was made on August 3, and series E in Table 6 

 shows that the borax was harmful to growth in sections 2 and 3 with 5 

 pounds per acre, and its harmful effects were very marked in each 

 section where 10 pounds were used, amounting to a decrease of 36.2 

 per cent in growth in section 2. The rainfall in ' the 10-day period 

 following the planting was moderate, amounting to 0.69 of an inch, 

 which was well distributed. In the second 10-day period, 3.38 inches 

 precipitation occurred, but this, too, was well distributed, and there 

 were no heavy rains during the 20-day period. 



In each of these series, excepting A, the borax had a harmful action. 

 However, the degree of harmfulness in the several series varied, and 

 in series C it was very mild. The experiments generally were made 

 under favorable moisture conditions, the depth of rainfall which oc- 

 curred shortly after the fertilizer was applied in each test did not vary 

 greatly, except in series A, where there was a precipitation of 2.02 

 inches in the four days following the fertilizer application, and in series 

 C, where the planting was followed on the second day by a rainfall 

 of 0.62 of an inch. 



