26 BULLETIN 1126, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
was very little mixing of the soil. The only plants which were 
damaged were those in the seed drill row immediately over the old 
fertilizer-borax drill row. 
An interesting case was encountered where cotton in a commer- 
cial field was damaged by Searles Lake potash in 1919. This field 
was again planted to cotton in 1921. The growing crops for both 
seasons on the same field are shown in Plate XI. In Figure 1 of 
Plate XI (photographed August 27) is shown the cotton in 1919 
which had been fertilized with a mixture analyzing 3 per cent NH,, 
8 per cent P,O,;, and 3 per cent K,O at the rate of 800 pounds per 
acre and in addition had received 100 pounds of Searles Lake potash 
containing 12 per cent of borax. This is a 12-acre field and yielded 
that year between 3 and 4 bales of cotton. The soil is the Norfolk 
sandy loam and is well suited for cotton production. In Figure 2 of 
Plate XI (photographed August 22) the field of cotton is shown 
as it appeared in 1921 after being fertilized with a similar mixture 
containing no borax, and it was estimated that the 12 acres would 
yield about 12 bales of cotton. From this it is apparent that all 
effects of the borax applied in 1919 had disappeared. 
SYMPTOMS OF BORAX-AFFECTED PLANTS. 
The descriptions of borax-affected plants as observed by the 
various investigators are here given in order that the reader ma 
recognize the abnormal characteristics produced by this chemical, 
especially if compared with the photographs shown in this and the 
other papers cited. These characteristics are as follows: 
Poiatoes.—Potato plants affected by borax present rather striking characteristics, 
as noted in the field experiments reported. The seed piece often fails entirely to 
»Ortcp germinate, or it may be delayed in germination. When germination has failed, 
_there was an @#btrmdence of decay in the seed piece even after the lapse of considerable 
time. In cases where germination is not seriously affected, the young sprouts are 
often killed. There is an absence of roots at the seed piece, but root development 
often occurs above the seed piece in the upper layers of soil. The small plants always 
have a poor root development. The stalks of affected plants are not as thick as those 
of normal plants and are very spindling, the leaves are small and narrowed, light in 
color, and bleached, or at least there is a marginal yellowing of the leaflet. This is 
prominent on the more severely injured and dwarfed plants. The yellowing is of a 
bright golden color and not the pale yellowing usually present in plants that are 
normally or prematurely ripening. In milder cases the abnormal color is restricted 
to the extreme edges of the leaves, particularly the lower ones. While the lower leaf 
was badly affected, young shoots formed on its axis would appear entirely healthy 
only to suffer the same difficulty in their laterdevelopment. The dead tissues suggest 
more of an olive color than a green and resemble most closely a potato leaf which had 
been rapidly killed and quickly dried with little yellowing. The marginal injury 
appeared to be caused by an accumulation of borax. In severe cases the leaves at 
the top of the plant are noted as folded upward on the midrib. Commercial fields 
where borax caused injury presented a broken appearance in stand, with plants of 
irregular size, often very weak and spindling. 
Corn.—The toxic action of borax on corn may result in the prevention or delay 
of germination and in distorted and bleached plants. In severe cases following 
germination the seedling has not sufficient vitality to push through the soil, and in’ 
such cases it withers and dies. The stalk frequently fails to develop its leaves after 
having pushed through the soil. With as small a quantity as 5 pounds per acre, 
borax was observed to produce a slight bleaching when the plant was 2 to 3 weeks old. 
Badly bleached and distorted plants resulted where larger quantities were present. 
The injury by borax is always at germination and during early growth, for if the 
stalks were not killed they finally produced good ears of corn. Young plants injured 
by borax tend to be lighter in color and in some cases are bleached entirely white. 
This prevention of chlorophyll formation may be due to an interference with the 
