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 
planed on July 1 and dug on October 26. Hach 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 dee germination records obtained in the experiment 
are given in Table 3. 
TABLE 3.—Hffect of various quantities of borax on potatoes in field plats on silty clay 
loam at Arlington, Va., in 1920. 
| 
tied in drill y deve Sec. 2.—Fertilizer applied in drill} Sec. 3.—Fertilizer applied broad- 
P tara piantiay, at time of planting. cast at time of planting. 
Borax =| ——-__ a 
per acre. | Yield per plat (pounds). | Yield per plat (pounds). | pjants | Yield per plat (pounds).| plants 
up up 
July July 
Primes.| Culls. | Total. |Primes.} Culls. | Total. 30. | Primes.| Culls, Total. 30. 
None .2i6%) - 34 1 35 39 2s 41 40 | 43 2 45 42 
1 pound. 38 2 40 45 1 46 43 | 46 2 48 43 
2 pounds 38 i 39 38 2 40 41 50 3 Do 44 
3 pounds 40 3 43 40 2 42 44 49 4 woe) a4 
None....... 37 RAG 39 5 41 40 | 42 3 45 44 
4 pounds 40) 4 44 54 1 55 44 | 42 1 43 42 
5 pounds.... 39 1 40 33 1 34 39 | 45 1 46 44 
10 pounds... 36 3 39 39 1 40 38 49 1 50 42 
None.....-. 31 5 36 35 1 36 42 51 1 52 44 
20 pounds... 32 2, 34 30 2 32 30 | 45 1 46 43 
30 pounds 24 2 26 25 1 26 28 45 1 46 44 
50 pounds » 2 25 23 1 24 20 | 35 1 36 40 
None? 2042 30 rl eee oo 33 2 35 39 55 1 56 43 
100 pounds.. 14 2 16 | 14 1 15 9 24 0 24 24 
200 pounds.. 2 2 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 
400 pounds.. 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 | 0 0 3 
INONeG <3 22.- 39 2 | 41 44 2 46 41 | 42 2 44 43 
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 (PI. 
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 
