133 
AMERICAN AG-RICULTUmST. 
[■Apbil, 
blood or nitrate of Boda ; phosphoric acid by a 
high grade superphosphate ; and potash by a high 
grade German potash salt, (sulphate or chloride). 
Freshly slaked lime, plaster, and stable manure 
can be employed in quantities such as would, un- 
der ordinary circumstances, make an economical 
manuring. The most satisfactory results will be 
obtained on soils that are poor either originally or 
from cropping. On stronger soils, or those in bet- 
ter condition, the effects of the different articles 
will be less manifest. 
As to size of plots, 10 square rods, ( '/lo of an 
acre), will suffice for each. They should be long 
enough to extend through a considerable portion 
of the field, so as to escape, as far as possible, the 
Influence of Inequalities of different portions of 
the soil. Level land is best for the purpose. If a 
elope be selected, the strips should run up and 
down the ascent, so that any wash by rains will not 
transfer materials from one plot to the other. An 
unmanured space, at least two feet wide, should be 
left between the strips. Parallel trials should al- 
ways be made with no manure, for the sake of accu- 
rate comparison . In applying the manure, the great- 
est care must be observed to insure a uniform dis- 
tribution and thorough mixing with the soU, and to 
prevent the manure belonging to one plot from get- 
ting on another. In the use of concentrated ferti- 
lizers as ordinarily practised, there is apt to be great 
waste from lack of even and thorough distribution 
through the soil. They should not be left in lumps 
or concentrated in small spaces, to injure the roots 
which come in contact with them or with their 
strong solutions in the water of the soil, but should 
be so uniformly and thoroughly distributed that 
the largest number of roots may have access to 
them. And since in these experiments it is particu- 
larly important that the effect of each fertilizer be 
fairly tested, it would be by all means advisable to 
mix them, at least those which contain the nitro- 
gen, phosphoric acid, and potash, with once or 
twice their bulk of mellow earth. If the latter is 
rich in vegetable mold, so much the better. Moist 
saw-dust may be used in place of the earth, if more 
convenient. The fertilizers should be applied as 
long as practicable before the seed is put in. It 
will be well to even off the ground by a shallow 
plowing, spread the fertilizers uniformly over the 
plots, and then work them in with a good, deep- 
running harrow, or turn them under by shallow 
plowing. When the plots are accurately staked 
out and the fertilizers carefully applied and worked 
in, the plow or harrow may be run across the 
plots without fear of transporting the fertilizers 
from one to another. Com, potetoes, and root 
crops can easUy be treated in rows, and grain in 
drills. I would suggest the following arrangement 
— the plots being each ten rods long, and one rod 
wide, running parallel to each other, with strips 
two feet wide between each two plots. 
Plot 0. — No manure. 
" I. —Nitrogen— in the form of 20 lbs. of DrledBIood (A). 
•= II. — Phosphoric Acid — in the form of 20 lbs. of Snper- 
pliospliate (B), "With 15 to 17 per cent plios. acid. 
" III. — Potasli— in the form of 20 Iha. of Sulphate of Pot- 
ash (C), Tvitli 40 to 46 per cunt actiial potash. 
" I^---ph''os7hfrrc "l^id 1 '" f^™ "f " 'hs. each of A i B. 
•• 00. — No niannre. 
,1 TT+ Nitrogen, Phosphoric >ln the form of 0=^ Ibi. 
"•■''" Acid, and Potash j each of A, B, and C. 
•• VI. —20 lbs. of Plaster. 
" VII. — 40 lbs. of fresh slaked Lime. 
" vni. — Stable Manure, moderate quantity. 
" 000. —No manure. 
* The Mixture of Dried Blood and Superphosphate, on 
Plot IV, would be equivalent to a hijih grade Superphos- 
fihate — superior Indeed to any in the market, except a few of 
he very best. 1 This mixture on Plot V would be nearly 
or quite a " complete fertiliser." 
For the artificial fertilizers I would recommend 
only the high grade articles, both because they are 
generally cheapest, and because they will be fairest 
for the tests. Nitrate of soda or sulphate of am- 
monia could be used to furnish nitrogen, instead 
of dried blood, and would work somewhat quicker. 
Indeed, to stimulate the growth of grass and grain 
crops, they are excellent. The chloride of potassi- 
um, or "muriate of potash," as it is often called, 
is less costly than the sulphate of potash, and may 
be substituted for it. The only objection to the 
chloride Is, that its effect on the quality of certain 
crops, as potatoes, sugar beets, and tobacco, is not 
as favorable as that of the sulphate. 
The quantities, 20 lbs. for '/n acre, or 320 lbs. to 
the acre, are smaller than many farmers employ, but 
will suffice for the experiments. It must be re- 
membered that these articles are more concentrated 
than most farmers are in the habit of using. The 
cost of these articles, in small lots as above, wiH of 
course be greater than when bought by the ton.* 
I have drawn up a table, showing what would be 
the amounts, composition, and cost of the articles 
recommended, IE used in considerable quantities, at 
the rate of 330 lbs. to the acre. The prices are those 
at which ton lots could be bought in the large 
markets, for cash, plus 55.00 per ton for freight. 
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The surest test of the deficiencies and supplies of 
plant-food in a given soil will be made by continuing 
the experiments for a number of years, through an 
ordinary course of rotation for instance, usifcg the 
same fertilizers on the same plots year after year. 
At the same time, a good deal can be learned from 
a single trial. And even if, in the hurry of harvest 
time, the crops are not carefully weighed, the 
• Dried blood, with say 10 to 11>^ per cent nitrogen, cor- 
respondinE; to 12 or 14 per cent ammonia, will cost, in small 
lots, probably about 3 cts. per lb. In lots of not lees than a 
ton, it could be bought, I think, for $40.00 per ton cash. An 
article with 10 per cent nitrogen, or 200 lbs, to the ton, would 
bring the nitrogen at 20 cts. per lb. Nitrate of soda, of 95 
per cent purity (about 155i per cent of nitrogen), is offered 
at 4 cts. per lb., or in ton lots, for cash, at from $75 to $60 per 
ton; tlie nitrogen would thus come to a little over 25 cts. per 
Vd. Sulphate of ammonia, with from 20 to 20>< per cent of ni- 
trogen. Is offered at about 5M cts. per lb., or. In large lots, for 
cash, at $95-4100 per ton. An article with 20 per cent of ni- 
trogen, at $100 per ton, would bring the nitrogen at 25 cts. 
per lb. Superphosphate from spent bone-black, with 15 to 
17 per cent soluble phosplioric acid, is offered at about 2>f 
cts. per lb., or in ton lots, for cash, at $33 to $35 per ton. An 
article with 16 per cent soluble phosphoric acid, or 320 lbs. to 
the ton, at $35.00 per ton, would furnish the phosplioric acid 
at about 11 cts. per lb. It Is offered at about this price in 
superphosphates, made from South Carolina rock and other 
fossil and mineral phosphates. Sulphate of potash, with 80 
to 85 per cent of pure sulphate, corresponding to 43 to 45 per 
cent actual potash, is offered at in the neighborhood of $70 
per ton cash, which would bring potash at 8 cts. per Ih. 
" .Muriates," with 80 to 84 per cent of chloride of potassium, 
corresponding to 50 to 52 per cent actual potash, are offered 
at $60 or less per ton cash. At this rate potash would cost 
about 6 cts. per lb. The prices above given are such as have 
been paid in Boston and New York by Connecticut farmers, 
foi- articles of which samples have been analyzed at the Ex- 
periment Station here. The costs at places remote from the 
markets would, of course, be increased by freights. Dried 
blood and superphosphate from spent bone-black are, at 
present, exceptionally cheap articles, and would, if any con- 
siderable retail demand should spring up for them, be apt to 
rise In price. Peruvian gnano will supply nitrogen and 
phosphoric acid with a little potash in the ben forms and at 
extremely low cost. As sold in this State during the past 
year, it has been the cheapest source of those ingredients 
which has come under the notice of our Station, except half 
dry fleh-scrap, an article too crude and wet to warrant 
distant traiiBportation. 
thought and study Involved in the inception of the 
experiments and watching their progress, wiU be 
full of instruction. 
Such experiments do not, it Is true, tell exactly 
how much of a given fertilizer wiU be most profita- 
ble, but they will indicate, if carefully and thor- 
oughly conducted, what substances are abundant 
and what lacking in the soil, and, consequently, 
what ones it will be best to buy, and what ones not 
to buy in fertilizers. 
Variations from the plan suggested above will 
of course occur to every thinking farmer. The 
size of the plots may be varied, other kinds and 
amounts of fertilizers used, or the plan otherwise 
altered, as may seem best. And it must be borne 
in mind that drouth or other causes may interfere 
with the results, and that these will be made surest 
by repeating the experiments in successive years. 
W. 0. Atwateb. 
Wesleyan Vniversity, MidcUetown, Conn. 
The Carolina Parrot, or Paroquet. 
{Conurus GaroUjierms.) 
Inquiries as to our native Parrot can be best 
answered by the picture on the first page, and a 
brief description here. T7e can not undertake to 
decide whether our bird is properly a Parrot or a 
Paroquet, or, as some write it, "Parrakeet," as 
ornithologists differ as to the common name, some 
using both terms indiscriminately. The bird has a 
length of 14 inches, and its spread of wings is 22 in. 
The peculiar form of bill, the structure of its claws 
to adapt it to climbing, in which it also uses its bUl, 
and its brilliant colors, readily distinguish this from 
all other native birds. The general color of the 
plumage is emerald green, with bluish refiections ; 
the edge of the wings yellow, spotted with black ; 
the neck and back part of the head are bright-yel- 
low, while the fore part of the head and cheeks are 
red, against which the large white bUl shows very 
distinctly. The sexes are so much alike that it is 
very difficult to distinguish them. They make their 
nests in the hollows of trees, and it is said that sev- 
eral females deposit their eggs in the same nest. 
This bird is rapidly disappearing ; formerly it was 
not rare around Lakes Erie and Ontario, but at 
present it is mostly confined to the Gulf States, ex- 
cept in the far TVest, where it reaches a much high- 
er range, occurring occasionally in Iowa, and is 
found along the Missouri River. It is stated that a 
flock of Parrots was seen near Albany, IST. T., in 
January in 1790, an occurrence so unusual that it 
was regarded as ominous. Their rapid disappear- 
ance is no doubt largely due to their destructive 
character. Among wild plants they are especially 
fond of the seeds of the Cockle-bur, (Xanthium), 
which they devour most industriously, and did they 
confine themselves to this, they would be useftd ; 
but they are fond of grain, and devour large 
quantities, and are also exceedingly destructive to 
fruit ; apples and pears they take only for their 
seeds, and often destroy large quantities of the 
fruit before it is ripe in the search for seeds, they 
also devour nuts, grapes, and other fruit. The 
Parrots come in flocks, and when they alight upon 
a grain stack, they are in such numbers as to make 
it appear as If covered with a brilliant carpet. 
Shooting, no matter how many are killed, does 
not frighten them away, for they return again and 
again, though hundreds of their companions are 
slaughtered. They fly in flocks, aways screaming 
when on the wing. When wounded they are very 
ferociotis and can bite severely. They are very 
readily tamed, but can not be taught to articulate, 
while their disagreeable voice, which is not allowed 
to suffer for lack of practice, makes them undesira- 
ble as pets. Wben yotmg they are regarded as good 
for food. Since it has become fashionable to use 
bright plumage in trimming women's hats, and for 
other decorations, thousands have been shot for 
this use by persons who have gone to Florida and 
other Southern States for the purpose. Those who 
are familiar with their rapid destruction, think that 
they will, before long, become exterminated. 
