92 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XI, No. 4 
who maintain that the sulphur brought down in the rainfall will not 
equal the loss of this element in the drainage, and their point seems to 
be established by the limited work that has been done along this line. 
They contend that the application of sulphur compounds may be bene¬ 
ficial for the maximum production of crops high in sulphur when they 
are grown on soils that are low in this element. 
To establish this point, numerous experiments have been carried on, 
at first abroad and later in this country; and many of these have been 
mentioned in former publications (i~6). Since then other work has 
been published or started along this line, but it is not thought necessary 
to describe these experiments here further than to state that in some 
cases decidedly beneficial results have been obtained by applying sul¬ 
phur or its compounds to some soils and crops; in other instances no 
benefits were obtained; and in still other experiments an injury was 
noted. These variations are to be expected when different soils and 
crops are employed in experiments. 
In demonstrating the effect of a given element on plant growth it is 
sometimes extremely difficult to arrange the experiment so as to prove 
the desired point, for the reason that the element is generally applied in 
combination with other elements; consequently the results are not always 
easy of interpretation. 
EXPERIMENTAL WORK 
In an effort to avoid the above difficulty the writer used flowers of 
sulphur mixed with soil to which the necessary fertilizing ingredients 
were added, together with calcium carbonate. For this purpose eight 
surface soils, taken to a depth of 6 % inches, each representing a distinct 
type in Kentucky, were selected; and on these were grown five different 
crops. These soils had been in cultivation for a number of years and, 
with one or two exceptions, had had little manure or fertilizer added. 
Their locations and descriptions are as follows: 
No. 892.—Eastern coal-field area, Lawrence County, from the farm of Ernest 
Shannon, 3 miles west of Louisa and 20 rods north of the Louisa-Bussyville road. 
This land had been cultivated over 60 years; no fertilizer used; produced about 20 
bushels of com per acre. The land appeared to be somewhat worn. 
No. 893—St. Louis-Chester area, Warren County, from the Alderson farm, 1 mile 
west of Bowling Green. This land had been cultivated for 60 years; no fertilizer 
used; produced about 20 bushels of com and 15 bushels of wheat per acre. 
No. 894.—Cincinnatian area, Mason County, from the farm of John M. Chambers, 
about 2X miles northwest of Washington. This land had been continuously cropped 
for nearly 100 years; very little fertilizer added; was worn out and produced very 
poor crops. 
No. 895.—Western coal-field area, Muhlenburg County, from the Station experi¬ 
ment field, 2% miles southwest of Greenville. This land had been cultivated for 40 
years, and some fertilizer and manure used. It produced 30 bushels of com, 12 
bushels of wheat, and 1 ton of hay per acre. 
