﻿EFFECT OF BORAX ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF CROPS 



21 



where the rainfall was not so heavy and .was more uniformly distrib- 

 uted the injurious action of borax was much greater. 



Table 11. — Record of rainfall at New Brunsivick, N. J., during Ihe growing season, 



in 1920. 





[Data in inches.] 













Items of comparison. 



Apr. 



May. 



June. 



July. 



Aug. 



Sept. 





4.28 

 3.66 



3.56 

 3.85 



9.64 

 3.52 



6.00 

 4.67 



8.21 

 5.07 



2.23 





2.95 







Table 12 shows the results obtained with potatoes in Maine. 



Table 12. — Effect of various quantities of borax on potatoes in plats on Caribou loam, 



at Presque Isle, Me., in 1920. 



[Yields in bushels per acre; variety grown, Irish Cobbler; fertilizer application, 2,000 pounds per acre.] 



Borax per acre. 



Sec. l.o 



None (check 1) 362.7 



lpound 370.0 



2pounds 381.3 



3pounds 390.7 



None(check2) j 342.7 



4pounds j 341.3 



5 pounds I 328.7 



10 pounds ] 293.3 



None (check 3) | 348.0 



Sec. 2.6 



326.6 

 349.3 

 362.7 

 305.3 

 376.0 

 330.3 

 302.7 

 228.0 

 350.7 



Sec.3.c 



337.3 

 318.7 

 324.0 

 304.0 

 317.3 

 328.0 

 329.3 

 264.0 

 313.3 



Borax per acre. 



Sec. l.o 



20 pounds 201. 3 



30 pounds 118.7 



50 pounds I 88.0 



None (check 4) 338.7 



100 pounds ! 9.3 



200 pounds | 4.0 



400 pounds • 1.3 



None (check 5) 309. 3 



Sec. 2.6 



Sec. 3.e. 



150.7 



200.0 



52.0 



81.3 



26.7 



56.7 



294.7 



321.7 



5.3 



10.7 



1.3 



2.7 



.67 



1.3 



316.0 



237.3 



a Fertilizer applied in drill some time previous to planting. 

 b Fertilizer applied in drill at time of planting, 

 c Fertilizer applied broadcast at time of planting. 



In section 1, where borax was applied in the furrow, injury defi- 

 nitely occurred in the case of the 10-pound application of borax and 

 became progressively worse. It will be noted, however, that the 

 degree of injury was less than in section 2, where the borax was ap- 

 plied in the furrow and planting done immediately. The applica- 

 tion of 1, 2, and 3 pounds of borax per acre apparently stimulated 

 plant growth. 



In section 2, the borax showed injury with the 5-pound application, 

 and the injury with 10 pounds and larger quantities was great. The 

 yields obtained from the plats receiving the large applications of 

 borax, namely, 50, 100, 200, and 400 pounds per acre, are shown in 

 Plate IX. 



In section 3, the general trend of the results is fairly similar to that 

 in sections 1 and 2, the first sign of injury occurring in the case of the 

 10-pound application of borax. In this section the method of apply- 

 ing the fertilizer-borax mixture in the case of the 400-pound applica- 

 tion apparently depressed the yield of the last check. 



The record for Presque Isle, Me. (Table 13), indicates that the rain 

 which fell during June, subsequent to planting on June 5, was fairly 

 well distributed. It would seem that there was hardly enough rain- 

 fall to cause the borax to be leached to any marked extent; in fact, 

 only sufficient to keep the soil in good condition and the borax con- 

 centrated at the seed piece. The relation of the rainfall to the degree 

 of injury sustained by the plants during the period is emphasized 

 at this point, owing to the fact that the first three or four weeks after 

 planting embraces germination and the early life of the plant. 



