Feb. lo, i9*3 Influence of Fertilizers Containing Borax on Cotton 437 
Table II .—Temperature and rainfall at Arlington Farm , Va. t June to September , 1920 
Week of — 
Rain¬ 
fall. 
Temperature. ! 
Week of— 
Rain¬ 
fall. 
Temperature. 
Maxi¬ 
mum. 
Mini- j 
mum. j 
Maxi¬ 
mum 
Mini¬ 
mum. 
Inches. 
° F. 
°F. 
Inches . 
°F. 
0 F. 
May 30 to June 5... 
I. 19 
90 
47 
Aug. 1 to 7. 
O. 71 
87 
53 
June 6 to 12. 
I. 08 
95 
5 i 
Aug. 8 to 14. 
I- 13 
92 
66 
June 13 to 19. 
•36 
93 
57 
Aug. 15 to 21. 
2* 57 
91 
66 
June 20 to 26. 
1.68 
84 
56 
Aug. 22 to 28. 
.29 
85 
62 
June 27 to July 3. . . 
1. 96 
94 
57 
Aug. 29 to Sept. 4... 
. 11 
90 
48 
July 4 to 10. 
. 62 
89 
55 
Sept. 5 to 11. 
2. 01 
84 
52 
July 11 to 17. 
.41 
9 1 
63 
Sept. 12 to 18. 
. 01 
87 
45 
July 18 to 24. 
1. 19 
95 
59 
Sept. 19 to 25. 
•03 
90 
44 
July 25 to 31. 
.80 
92 
53 
Sept. 26 to Oct. 2. . . 
i -43 
88 
55 
Comparing the rainfall record at or about the time the fertilizers were 
applied in the various experiments, it is seen that the moisture conditions 
were about optimum when and after the plantings were made in series 
A, B, and C. The rainfall, however, was very light during the weeks 
of July 4 and July 11 and was again light the weeks of July 25 and Au¬ 
gust 1. The effect of the borax in experiments D and E, which were 
planted in the period of dry weather, is more severe than in the experi¬ 
ments which were planted when the moisture was normal. For example, 
in section 1, 20 pounds of borax per acre reduced the growth 9.7 per cent 
in series C, 47.5 per cent in series D, and 19.2 per cent in series E. In 
section 2, the growth was reduced in series C 29 per cent; in D 35.5 per 
cent, and in E 36 per cent. In section 3, the growth was reduced 22 
per cent in series C, 35.2 per cent in D, and 14.3 per cent in E. The 
formation of bolls was also reduced more in series D and E than in C. 
A few days after the plantings were made in the latter experiments a 
light rain fell, which was followed by a dry period. While the plants 
were young in the earlier experiments there were occasional heavy rains, 
and at no time did the soil become very dry. It is not probable that 
a rainfall of 1.08 to 1.68 inches in one week distributed over a period 
of several days would wash very much borax out of the reach of the 
roots of the cotton. However, it would result in the diffusion of the 
borax through the soil, and this diffusion could undoubtedly account 
for the lesser degree of injury in series A, B, and C. Under the rainfall 
conditions of series D and E the borax was concentrated in locations 
surrounding the roots of the young plants and would naturally cause 
a more severe injury and a greater retardation of growth. 
The data as a whole show that the effect of borax on cotton under 
the weather conditions prevailing at the time of this test is decidedly 
harmful when 20 pounds per acre are applied in the drill or sown broad¬ 
cast. This quantity showed harmful effects whether the seed was planted 
immediately after the fertilizers were applied or after the intervening 
of a light rain. When applied in the drill, 10 pounds per acre checked 
growth decidedly, but were only slightly harmful when sown broadcast. 
