44 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 196. 



ment had been neither manured nor fertilized. These yields are shown 

 in Table II, as also are the yields of drj^ matter in 1899 on all the other 

 plots. 



Table II. — Dry Matter per Plot after Uniform Manuring in 1899. 

 Ensilage Corn {Pounds per Plot). 



Plot. 



South Half. 



1, 

 2, 

 3, 

 4, 

 5, 



1.660 

 1,696 

 1,271 

 1,551 

 1,703 



It will be noted that there is but little variation in yield between N 

 and S on the other different original plots, the extreme range being from 

 1,550 to 1,750 pounds. The results obtained, therefore, indicate that the 

 conditions for the comparison of the two systems of applying manure 

 were fairly satisfactory. 



I would, however, call attention to the fact that probably more im- 

 portant than variations in fertility dependent upon differences in plant- 

 food content were differences in moisture conditions on the different 

 plots. The slope used in the experiment lay upon the west side of a 

 drumUn, a geological formation extremely common and highly important 

 in the agriculture of Massachusetts. As is likely to be the case with 

 slopes on drumlins there is a tendency for seepage water, which sinks 

 into the soil farther up on the slope or on the summit, to work outward 

 toward the surface on the lower parts of the slope. During some years 

 and with some crops this movement of soil water exerted comparatively 

 little effect on the crop, but there can be no doubt that in seasons of 

 comparatively heavy rainfall during the period of most active growth, 

 especially of crops such as corn and soy beans which require high soil 

 temperature for best results, it was sufficient on some of the plots to keep 

 the soil cooler and wetter than is desirable for the best yields. 



Relative Effects of the Two Systems of Manuring on Crop 



Yields. 

 Table III shows the crops grown in successive years during the period 

 of the experiment under consideration, and for each year indicates in 

 how many of the five different comparisons either N or S, or one of them 

 alone, gave the larger yields. Attention is called to the fact that the 

 period during which manure was applied annually in accordance with 

 the two plans under comparison was twelve years, and that there were 

 five comparisons each year, or 60 in all. 



