1880 .]. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
181 
Classification. 
I 
sg- a m 
'gPg'Vl 
^2S° 
s* o*S 5 rL 
$^&£i 
f Group I. 
| Valuable Ingredi¬ 
ents, one by one. 
Group II. 
Valuable Ingredi- - 
ents, two by two. 
10 
11 
12 
000 
18 
14 
|15 
fs S 
Group III. 
Nitrogen as ni¬ 
trate of soda in 
different propor¬ 
tions. 
largest increase; the 
“Nitrogen Mixture’! ni¬ 
trate of soda, sulphate 
of ammonia, and dried 
blood in equal parts) 
next; then followed, 
in order of valuable ef¬ 
fects, produced; nitrate 
of soda, sulphate of 
ammonia, and last and 
worst of all,dried blood. 
In 1879, With the ir¬ 
regularities in experi¬ 
ment C, and the posi¬ 
tively injurious action 
of the nitrogen in D, 
the order of efficiency 
of the ingredients is 
altered so that in the 
average for the two 
years the sulphate of 
ammonia comes first, 
the Peruvian guano 
second, and the nitrate 
of soda last. But more 
trials are necessary to 
give reliable informa¬ 
tion as to the action of 
these materials. The 
factors of the problem 
are so multiplex that 
research will be need¬ 
ed to disentangle and 
measure them. Esti¬ 
mating a bushel of corn, 
with its cobs and stalks, 
to contain 11 lb. nitro- 
gen, and to be worth — 
80 cents, the effects of the nitrogenous fertilizers in 
these “special” experiments and in the general 
experiments described in the previous articles, may 
be summarized as follows, remembering that the 
superphosphate and potash salt, “mixed minerals,” 
supplied the amounts of phosphoric acid and pot¬ 
ash in a crop of not far from 55 to 60 bushels, which 
would also contain about the 73 lbs. of nitrogen. 
In the general experiments the mixture of 300 
lbs. superphosphate and 200 lbs. muriate of potash 
brought on the average of fifty-three experiments, 
about 43 bushels of shelled com per acre. The 
special experiments above seem to me a fairer test of 
wbat the fertilizers may do, because, while made in 
EFFECT OF NITROGENOUS FERTILIZERS ON CORN AND POTATOES. 
EXPERIMENTS FOR STUDYING THE CAPACITY OF THE CROPS TO GET THEIR FOOD FROM NATURAL SOURCES, AND THE EFFECTS 
OF DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS UPON THEIR GROWTH, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE NITROGEN SUPPLY. 
Potash and Phosphoric Acid (with Sulphuric Acid and Lime) supplied in proportions contained in a Corn crop of 50 to 60 bushels. 
.... .... ----- — - —‘ ‘ twills of fertilizii - _. 
_ Nitrogen is one-third, 
two-thirds, and full amount contained in same crop. Amounts of fertilizing materials about as are advantageously employed in farm practice. 
A 1878. Prof. J. R. Farrington, Orono, Maine. Soil .—Clay loam, heavy, moist, nnderdrained,—worn-out meadow. Weather.— Cold, wet, unfavorable. 
B 1878and 1879. W. I. Bartholomew, Putnam, Conn. Noil—Hill land, dark loam, compact subsoil,—worn-out meadow. Experiment of 1879 on adjoining 
portions of same fields as experiment of 1878. Weather.— 1878, favorable; 1879, cold, unfavorable. 
C 1878 and 1879. Chester Sage, Middletown, Conn. Soil .—Heavy loam, hardpan subsoil,—worn-out meadow. Weather .—Favorable. Experiment of 1879, on 
field contiguous to that of experiment of 1878. 
D 1878. Col. J. B. Mead, Randolph, Vt, Soil .—Clay loam, compact subsoil. Had oats in 1878. Heather.— Cold, backward, very unfavorable. 
FERTILIZERS. 
Kinds and amounts per acre. 
Nitrogen 
per acre. 
1. Nitrogen mixture, 159 lbs.24 lbs 
2. Sup’phos., 300 lbs. (Phos. ac., 48 lbs.) 
3. Mur. pot., 150 lbs., (Potash, 75 lbs 
0. No Manure. 
4 ( Nitrogen mixture^ 150 lbs 
j imiugcu miAiuit , ion 
V Superphosphate, SOOlbs 
P 
c (Superphosphate 
®- 'I Xl.fi. Xf ..ftooh 
- S Nitrogen mixture, 150 lbs.. 
a ' I Muriate of potash, 150 lbs. 
Group IV. 
Nitrogen in mix- | 
ture in diff 
proportions 
' (Nitrogen mixture, 150 lbs. 
. „ (Mixed mineral fertilizers. 
( (Nitrogen mixture, 300 lbs.. 
00 No manure. 
( n ( Mixed minetal fertilizers.. 
( '( Nitrogen mixture, 4501bs.. 
f , n i Mixed mineral fertilizers.. 
' lu ' ( Nitrogen mixture, 150 lbs.. 
lbs., (Mixmin. 
{ fertiiiz’s 
“ 6 ) 
Group V. 
„ ( Nitrogen mixture, 450 lbs.. 
000 No manure. 
f ,q ( Mixed mineral fertilizers.. 
| Id. 
. Sulphate of ammonia, 225 lbs 
Nitrogen, % Ra- j ,, ( Mixed mineral fertilizers. 
tion, in different | ' l Dried blood, 450 lbs_ 
/.nmhinflt.innn. ... ( Peru, guano, “ Standard,”'550 lbs... 
L J0 ‘ I Muriate of potash, 150 lbs 
is 5 Superphos., 300 lbs., 1 Mixed min. 
10 ' ( Mur. pot., 150 lbs., ) fertilizers.. 
17 Farm manure. 
24 lbs.. 
24 lbs.. 
24 lbs.,= 
K Ration. 
48 lbs., = 
% Ration. 
72 lbs.= 
Full Ration. 
24 lbs., = 
% Ration. 
48 lbs., = 
% Ration. 
72 lbs.. = 
Full Ration. 
48 lbs., = 
% Ration. 
48 lbs., = 
% Ration. 
48 lbs , = 
% Ration. 
YIELD PER ACRE IN BUSHELST 
B 1879 
|B 1879 
C 1879 
D1879 
A1878 
B1878 
C1878 
POTATOES. 
CORN, 
CORN 
CORN 
CORN 
CORN 
CORN 
§$§ 
© 
i? 
a 
© 
I is 
a 
e 
e 
G 
© Is 
^to a. 
£ 
£ 
§ 
£ 
s 
£ 
£ 
£ 
bu 
bu 
bu. 
bu. 
bu. 
bu. 
bu„ 
22 
20 
42 
7.4 
42.6 
6.2 
48.8 
6.8 
19.5 
15.1 
12.7 
20.4 
40 
32 
72 
36.5 
41.0 
4.4 
45.4 
7.0 
,29.1 
39.9 
16.5 
29.1 
24 
22 
66 
7.7 
54.2 
4.9 
59.1 
41.2 
32.9 
19.1 
62.3 
37.0 
30 
16 
46 
7.7 
33.1 
6.4 
39.5 
8.2 
20.3 
17.7 
11.3 
17.3 
78 
36 
114 
41.4 
36.9 
4.2 
41.1 
20.5 
37.0 
41.9 
11.2 
32.2 
32 
20 
52 
7 1 
55 0 
3.2 
58.2 
39.2 
42 9 
21.1 
68.9 
39.6 
81 
34 
115 
42.0 
43.6* 
2 . 2 * 
45.8* 
50.2 
39.0 
43.1 
70.3 
51.3 
84 
46 
130 
45.7 
57.2 
3.6 
60.9 
40.8 
39.8 
51.7 
84.0 
53.8 
108 
40 
148 
46.8 
57.6 
3.8 
61.4 
47.6 
43.9 
47.3 
79.7 
54.4 
32 
24 
56 
8.5 
40 2 
4.4 
44.6 
58.6 
7.3 
47.5 
25.5 
52.6 
7.0 
78.4 
19.9 
54.4 
88 
42 
130 
42.2 
56.4 
2.6 
47.3 
134 
32 
166 
44.0 
66.6 
7.1 
73.7 
45.5 
48.4 
50.0 
72.1 
55.6- 
106 
36 
142 
44.5 
31.2t 
2 . 8 t 
34.0t 
38.5 
45.5 
50.7 
83.9 
49.5 
116 
30 
146 
39.1 
73.8 
1.4 
75.2 
42.5 
41.1 
56.4 
84.6 
56.4 
39 6 
4.9 
44.5 
10.5 
10.1 
21.7 
57.1 
112 
44 
156 
40.2 
85.6 
2.6 
88.0 
42.8 
35.9 
58.1 
82.2 
110 
48 
158 
40.7 
62.9 
62.9 
57.8 
44.3 
55.0 
69.6 
55.0 
92 
40 
182 
38.5 
71.6 
71.6 
54.6 
48 1 
55.3 
77.5 
57.6 
86 
38 
124 
36.5 
58.8 
4.6 
63 4 
45.9 
48.6 
46 5} 
31.85 
49.811 43.311 
43.6 
• These low results are doubtless due to irregularities in the soil. Being so palpably abnormal those of plot 16 are substituted in computing averages, 
t Excluded from subsequent computations for same reason, f Yard manure, 20 two-horse loads per acre. 5 Stable manure well cured, 15,000 lbs. per acre. 
1 II Hog manure. It Hen manure. Trie “ nitrogen mixture ” consisted of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, and dried blood in equal parts. 
Or, from a pecuniary standpoint the results show: 
In Trials. 
Total 
Number. 
With 
Nitrogen. 
Amounts. 
Costing. 
The Nitro¬ 
gen paid for 
itself in 
trials. 
The Nitro¬ 
gen failed to 
pay for itself 
in trials .' 
The average 
loss in tlie 
several tri¬ 
als was 
l 
29 
24 Ibe. 
$ 5.621 
8 
21 
$ 0.90 
1877-8-< 
15 
48 “ 
11.00 
1 
14 
4.45 
f 
6 
72 “ 
16.50 
none. 
6 
8.51 
( 
26 
24 lbs. 
$ 5.62) 
5 
21 
(J) 
© 
to 
o 
1879 ; 
14 
48 “ 
11.00 
1 
13 
9.48 
! 
6 
72 “ 
16.50 
none. 
6 
16.26 
1878 1 
55 
24 lbs. 
$ 5.62) 
13 
42 
$ 0.90 
and4 
29 
48 “ 
11.00 
2 
27 
7.47 
1879 { 
12 
72 “ 
16.50 
none. 
12 
12.39 
Average Results op 
|THE CROPS AVER-: THE CROPS CON- 
; AGED BUSHELS TAtNED POUNDS Nl- 
PER ACRE. TROGEN PER ACRE. 
1878 AND 1879. 
Special Experiments. 
1878. 
3 exp’ts. 
1879. 
3 exp’ts. 
fl ® 
CO x> 
1878. 
3 exp’ts. 
JS 
OO N 
T-t O 
CO 
1878 and 
1879. 
6 exp’ts. 1 
Mixed minerals alone. 
do. + 24 lbs. Nitrogen 
do. -f- 48 lbs. Nitrogen 
do. -j- 72 lbs. Nitrogen 
50.8 ! 50.6 
57.7 1 51 8 
58.4 4 52.5 
60.0 | 50.9 
50.7 
54.8 
55.5 
55.5 
67.7 
76.9 
77.9 
80.0 
67.5 
68.0 
70.0 
67.8 
67.6 
73.0 
74.0 
73.9 
General Experiments. 
Mixed minerals alone___ 
do. + 24 lbs. Nitrogen 
27 ex- 26 ex¬ 
p’ts. p’ts. 
42.9 , 40.8 
48.6 1 46.7 
53 ex- 
p'ts. 
41.9 
47.7 
27 ex¬ 
p’ts. 
57.2 
64.8 
26 ex¬ 
p’ts. 
54.4 
62.3 
53 ex- 
p’ts. 
55.8 
63.5 
all sorts of weather and on worn-out soils, they were 
all on soils and in latitudes fit for corn, as many of 
the general experiments were not. In these, the 
mixture of 300 lbs. superphosphate and 150 lbs. of 
potash salt, which can be bought for $8.35, brought 
on the average 501 bushels of shelled corn per acre. 
The experiments of the two seasons bear unani¬ 
mous testimony to two things: The com was 
helped but little by nitrogen in the fertilizers; and 
it gathered a good deal from natural sources. The 
increase of crop and of nitrogen in the crop will 
appear more clearly if we look at it another way. 
In number 
of trials. 
With Nitrogen. 
The 
average 
increase of 
Corn was 
The 
increase of 
Nitrogen 
in the crop 
was 
Amount 
per 
Acre . 
Contained 
in Crop of 
( 
29 
24 lbs. |18 bushels 
5.9 bush. 
7.9 lbs. 
1877-84 
15 
48 “ 
36 “ 
7.6 “ 
9.1 “ 
6 
72 “ 
54 “ 
9.3 “ 
12.4 “ 
1 
26 
24 lbs. 
18 bushels 
5.9 bush. 
7.9 lbs. 
18794 
14 
48 “ 
36 “ 
1.9 “ 
2.5 “ 
6 
72 “ 
54 “ 
0.3 “ 
0.4 “ 
1878 l 
55 
24 lbs. 
18 bushels 
5.9 bush. 
7.9 lbs. 
and 4 
29 
48 “ 
36 “ 
4.8 “ 
5.8 “ 
1879 ( 
12 
72 “ 
54 “ 
4.8 “ 
6.4 “ 
The nitrogen increased the crop enough to pay 
the cost in thirteen trials out of ninety- 
six. The pecuniary loss rose and fell with 
the amount of nitrogen used. With 
mineral fertilizers alone the crop gather¬ 
ed, a6 is shown by the above estimates, 
some 65 lbs. of nitrogen per acre.* 
As regards the effects of the several 
fertilizing materials, phosphoric acid took 
the leading place often, potash occasion¬ 
ally, and nitrogen very rarely. In bad 
seasons, and on some soils in good sea¬ 
sons, neither material had any effect. 
The most effective ingredient, as might be 
expected, depended upon the soil and the season. 
Is Com in Its Relations to Nitrogen, more 
Closely Allied to the Cereals, or to the 
Legumes: To the Grains or to Clover f 
One thing detracts from the decisiveness of the 
experiments. Most of the trials were on old grass 
land which contained large quantities of roots on 
which the corn doubtless fed. How well it could 
provide itself with nitrogen from nitrogen com¬ 
pounds in the soil and from air without the roots 
to feed upon is not settled. But the trials that 
have been repeated on the same plots imply that 
the corn did not depend greatly upon the roots of 
previous crops for its nitrogen. 
* 1 may add that Mr. J W. Sanborn, Farm Superin¬ 
tendent of the N. H. Agricultural College, has conducted 
experiments for two years on a similar plan, and, with a 
smaller.quantity of the superphosphate and potash salt, 
got 37 bushels in 1878, and in 1879, on the same plot, 67).£ 
bushels. By the addition of nitrogen, the yield in 1878 
was increased, but diminished in 1879, as in the ex¬ 
periment of Col. Mead, of Vermont (D, of the table). 
The experiments are numerous and decisive 
enough to warrant the inference that, as com is 
commonly grown, nitrogenous fertilizers iu any 
considerable quantity would be rarely profitable. 
They imply that corn has somehow or other the 
power to gather a great deal of nitrogen from soil 
or air, or both, and that in this respect it comes 
closer to the legumes than the cereals, that it is 
more like clover than wheat—that, in short, com 
may be classed with the “ renovating ” crops, 
A Question for Further Investigation. 
Corn is botanicaily allied to wheat. The cereals, 
generally, demand large quantities of available 
nitrogen. But in all these experiments com makes 
little response to nitrogen, or is positively damaged 
by it, and does well with the mineral fertilizers. 
Why, how, of to what extent the implied conclu¬ 
sions are true I do not presume to say. The sub¬ 
ject evidently demands much more thorough study; 
Practical Application. 
According to the tables in last December’s 
American Agriculturist, the several valuations of 
digestible ingredients that would make the feeding 
value of a ton of fair hay $11.00, and of a bushel of 
shelled com 60 cents, would bring a ton of well 
cured corn-stalks at $8.00. Reckoning the stalks 
at only $6.00 per ton and If ton to the 50 bushels 
of shelled com which came with the mixture of 300 
ibs. superphosphate and 150 lbs. muriate of potash, 
the value of the crop for fodder would be $40.50- 
Supposing the crop to be fed on the farm, two- 
thirds of its nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, 
reckoned at prices ordinarily paid for them in 
equally valuable forms in commercial fertilizers, 
would be worth $8.50, the cost of the fertilizer. The 
fertilized crop probably leaves the land in about as 
good condition as it was before ; the manure, well 
husbanded, more than pays for the fertilizer, and 
there remains over $40.00 worth of fodder in return 
for labor and rent of an acre of land. It strikes me 
that farming of this kind is profitable and practical. 
A Word to Our Experimenters. 
I wish to warmly second the proposals of the 
Editors of the American Agriculturist for experi¬ 
ments with fertilizers the coming season, and hope 
that as many as possible may join in the trials, and 
that those who made them last year will repeat 
them the coming season. W. O. Atwater. 
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. 
