EFFECT OF BORAX ON POTATOES. 7 
Table 2. — Precipitation at Presque Isle, Me., for June, July, and August, 1920. 
Rainfall record (inches). 
Day. 
Rainfall record (inches). 
Day. 
June. 
July. 
AllgUSt. ; 
June. 
July. 
August. 
1 
0.45 
0. 17 
17 
9 
0.13 
.50 
18 
0. 03 
.42 
.05 
3 
.37 
.43 
1.10 
.63 
19 
0.20 
4 
20 
5 
21 
.06 
.57 
1.02 
.10 
.12 
6 
22 
"~06* 
.03 
.02 
0.23 
7 
.73 
.11 
1.00 
23 
1.32 
8 • 
24 
9 
25 
10 
.43 
.12 
.46 
"\'oi 
.01 
26 
.01 
11 
.49 
27 
.03 
12. . 
28 
13 . 
.04 
29 
1.09 
1.01 
14 
30 
.08 
.08 
15 
31 
* .15 
16 
.04 
.09 
SUMMARY. 
This bulletin presents the results (tf borax experiments conducted 
on Caribou loam, the principal soil type in Aroostook County, Me. 
Injury definitely occurred with an application as low as 5 pounds 
of borax per acre, when put in the furrow and when the planting was 
done immediately, which is the method customarily followed in this 
section of Maine. The other methods of applying- the fertilizer, 
broadcasting at the time of planting and applying in the furrow 
some time before planting, did not show injury in as low concentra- 
tions of borax as showed injury when the fertilizer-borax mixtures 
were applied in the furrow at the time of planting. As the quantity 
of borax was increased the injury in all cases became progressively 
worse, until, with the larger quantities of borax per acre, great in- 
jury ensued. 
The moderate and fairly regular rainfall during the month of 
June was not sufficient to carry the borax out of the reach of the 
growing plant, so that no alleviation of the injurious action was 
noticeable. 
The types of injury observed in the commercial fields during 1919 
were similar to those found in the borax experiments of 1920. Some 
of the reactions with borax, observed in both seasons, were as fol- 
lows : Failure of the seed piece to germinate, the killing of sprouts, 
the absence of roots at seed pieces, general weakness of plants which 
came through the ground, bleaching of the foliage (or at least a 
marginal yellowing of the leaf), a poor stand, and low yields. 
