
No. 33.] av 4g 
In this example there is an evident gain according to the quantity 
of fertilizer applied, but as there were used three different styles of 
seed upon each plat, viz.: single eyes, ordinary cuts and whole pota- 
toes, the correction for probable yield cannot be made without com- 
parison, and hence we will only interpret in terms of greater or less. 
It will be observed, however, that the influence of the four hundred 
pounds additional fertilizer on 1. B. four gives results comparable with 
one of the reductions gained from the analysis of the effect of four 
hundred pounds additional fertilizer previously applied in the case of 
C. three and four. 

In the use of fertilizer it must be always remembered that it is the 
fertilizer which is taken into the plant structure that affects the crop, 
and hence the availability of fertilizer consists in large measure as to 
whether it and the plant come into proper relations. Fertilizer 
applied without the range of the plant-roots can certainly be of little 
avail. As the potato plant has a deep-rooting habit it seems worthy 
of inquiry whether fertilizer applied deeply within the ground, or more 
superficially, would produce the greatest increase of crop. 
Plat C. six, single eyes of White Star potatoes, was prepared for this 
inguiry. Four rows were trenched eight inches deep, and ten pounds 
of fertilizer strewed upon the bottom. ‘The earth was then replaced, 
and the seed planted in ridges, as usual. Four other rows were 
trenched in like manner, the filling replaced, ten pounds of fertilizer 
sprinkled over the surface, and the potato seed planted in the usual 
manner. ‘The yields were, 
Large. Small. Rotten. 
Fertilizer deep......... 312 lbs. 11 ozs. 16 lbs. 3 ozs. 71 lbs. 12 ozs. 
Perimaer superiiciat:. 2) 0900)540 298028. 66.5 58S 4.45 
Calculating to acre areas we haye for the — 
Good. Total yield. 
Deep fertilizer plat...............- 234.5 bush. 300.5 bush. 
Shallow fertilizer plat ............. 225.0 << Ps a! 
These results are certainly inconclusive as indicating a difference. 
From what we have before shown concerning the nearness of figures 
to which duplicates attained, it will be seen that the variation of nine 
bushels of good potatoes is scarcely sufficient to draw conclusions from, 
either for or against the system of fertilizing. Indeed the whole ex- 
periment tends to show that there was no difference at all to be 
ascribed to the fertilizer. The rows of the deeply fertilized tract yielded 
from seventy-one to eighty-two pounds to the row; from the super- 
ficially fertilized tract, from sixty-eight to seventy-seven pounds fer 
row of large potatoes, and in like manner from ninety-one to one hun- 
dred and five pounds, and from thirty-eight to one hundred and three 
pounds for total yield, thus indicating a very close equivalency of soil 
and planting. 

The summary for our potato experiments this year furnishes us with 
scarcely any positive conclusions. ‘There are, however, a number of 
inferences which can be drawn with quite an assurance of certainty. 
