8 
BULLETIN 115. 
scattered over the land at the rate of 4.7 tons per acre and thoroughly 
harrowed into the soil three times before seeding. 
The following analysis of lime cake is given in the Beet Sugar 
Gazette of July 20, 1903: 
Per Cent 
Potash.._____-...05 
Phosphoric Acid....- -.- --—- 2.08 
Nitrogen----—-.—-.. .26 
Lime Carbonate------54.61 
Oxide of Lime..___-.-.---13.32 
The fertilizers were applied at the time of seeding with the seed, 
by the use of an attachment to the regular seed drill. The fertilizer 
falls in such a way that a slight layer of soil falls over the seed and the 
fertilizer over this layer and a thicker layer of soil covers fertilizer 
and all. It will be seen that in this way a large amount of concen¬ 
trated chemicals is applied directly with the seed. The beet seed has 
germinated quicker and stronger when applied with the fertilizer in 
this way than when no fertilizer was used. As all the materials were 
easily soluble examination showed that it had been practically ab¬ 
sorbed by the moist soil in a few days before germination of the seed 
was fairly in progress. The method of applying fertilizers with a 
drill was changed also because it was realized that should fertilizers 
be found desirable to'use s to any extent on sugar beets, the cheapest 
method of practice would be the most desirable. 
It, was planned to apply the materials used singly or in mixture 
in the following quantities: 
Nitrate of soda 150 pounds, and the same quantity in three ap¬ 
plications of fifty pounds each, one portion applied at time of seeding, 
and the other two portions at different periods later in the season. 
Nitrate of soda 300 pounds, and in the same quantity in portions 
of 100 pounds each in three applications, as before. 
Acid phosphate rock, 300 pounds. 
Sulphate of potash, 100 pounds. 
However, it was found that the three materials differed in tex¬ 
ture and consistency, no two mixtures being alike, it was impossible 
to regulate the drill attachment to sow the exact quantity intended. 
Soil History of Field C3, 1904.—The most practical benefit from 
the results of an experiment of this kind would doubtless be derived if 
carried out on soil which had been more or less exhausted by previous 
beet crops, but none such was available. 
The land finally chosen was some which had borne alternate 
crops of grain and corn for the previous five years without manure, 
and had not been in alfalfa for at least ten years, as far as known. 
On such a soil it would be natural to expect that the nitrogen would 
be nearly exhausted, and the high return from the nitrogen in the 
fertilizer is not surprising. 
The previous crops on Field C3 for ten years, as far as known, 
have been as follows: 1893 red clover; 1894 barley, rye and oats; 
1895 corn; 1899 grain; 1900 corn; 1901 emmer; 1902 Kaffir corn; 1903 
wheat; 1904 beets, fertilizer experiment, 
