EFFECT OF BORAX ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF CROPS. FS 
It would seem that weather conditions at the time of planting 
exerted considerable influence on the effect of borax on the crops in 
the Arlington work. As this was apparent early in the investigation, 
experiments with corn and cotton were planned and inaugurated 
early in June to determine especially the effect of rainfall and 
weather conditions on the action of borax. Experiments with these 
two crops were begun on June 2 and repeated at intervals of about 
one week for a number of weeks. 
. 
PERIODIC PLANTING OF CORN AND COTTON. 
CORN. 
The experiments planned especially to study the effect of borax 
under different weather conditions were similar in design to the former 
experiments described as far as the method of applying the fertilizer 
is concerned. Only two quantities of borax were used, however, 
namely 5 and 10 pounds per acre, and these are compared with a 
fertilizer containing no borax. Each treatment comprised one 
row 44 feet long, which is one two-hundred-and-seventieth of an acre. 
The outline of the experiments with dates on which each was in- 
augurated is given in Table 6, together with the data obtained. 
TaBLE 6.—IJnfluence of weather conditions on the action of borax on corn at Arlington, 
Va., in 1920. 
Yield per plat. 
| | 
Sec. 1.—Fertilizer applied | Sec.2.—Fertilizer applied | Sec. 3.—Fertilizer applied 
in drill 7 days before in drillat time of plant- | broadcast at time of 
Experiment, date F F : 
started, and borax planting. ing. | planting. 
per acre. 
| In- In- | | In- In- | | In- In- 
Sto- | crease crease; Sto- | crease |crease | Sto- | crease. crease 
ver. | or de- Ears.) or de-| ver. | or de- Ears. oy de- | ver. | or de- Bars, or de- 
crease. crease. | crease. crease.| | crease |erease. 
Series A, June 2: Lbs. | P. ct. | Lbs. | P.ct. | Lbs. | P.ct. | Lbs. | P. ct. | Lbs. | P. ct. | Lbs..| P. ct. 
N@NCH o2.- 32:2... Sh eee 7A al eee ae See Baar ie eee = 7 oe leregoc eee Slee awes 
5 pounds. ......... 45 |+50 31 |+24 44 (+37.5 33 |+37.5 41 14-24-92 36 |+16.1 
10 pounds......... 33 |+10 28 |+12 39 +21.9 34 |4+41.7 | 34 |+ 3 32 |+ 3.2 
Series B, June 9: | 
MVOHE 4. 232125 fe ee Bel Goat Bee aee DE rhs GE iecee. 25 23 See ee | sueatiedr [epee ee 38elae ae 
papOUNGS: == =..- = = 29 |—12.1 20 |—16.7| 47 —29.8 98 |=-38.2°|7 46°|—13'2 | 334 Sis4 
10 pounds......... ; 28 —15.1 19 |—20.8 50 —25.4 33 |—15.4| 58 |+ 9.4 46 |+21 
Series C, July 7: 
ih i 1 OAR eM ea, aad a ele | ASRs ARs SAC ae PAR re S| ee) Be ae Bot Bn yeaa 3 
5 pounds.......... 3 2 Ske 6) eras 74 Sees beg ASG he ok chess Sale ees 143 1963.5 eae [aoe 
10 pounds......... 125%|—s6. Sik. nee ae fon oe ES SLR Soares Re eae 2 L426 117 ee 
Series D, July 15 | 
Oli! ease eee acre Eas RE, Ae) Bea ERS 7d, Se ee Be cies 9 eee 124 oA EBPs Rasen 
TRPOUHOS=.- 2.5... i end a acy BREE Eo 1Q9— 1060452 .<4/ 4 oe: TATE. GSS es Se eee 
10 pounds........- 64 |—31. 2y)sasec2it 3-233] OT 620. 0, |= saad. =e LS Be eee ee 
Series E, August 3: 
None-332 stesso. 1h Sie ee | RI es he eee OTE EaSS Ft | See OF ike 52st Ha lSoeee 
5) pountis. 5.53... cot al ES 5 | eae | ee ee fo) = 108) 8 ee oe see 4G-\|—1655 ||-. Js... eee 
1G pounds... 55. -- Gtr | tS. ee | se ee 5836.2 125-22 ee LHS 22 oo FF SR oe 
| 
In the first experiments of the series, A, the fertilizers were applied 
on June 2, and the seeds were planted on that date in sections 2 and 3 
and on June 9 in section 1. There was an increased yield of both 
stover and corn in the 5 and 10 pound borax plats in each section 
over the no-borax plat. There was a marked stimulation apparently 
due to borax, which was as much as 50 per cent in stover in one case 
