52 
tradiction. One trial says each 100 lbs. of fertilizer used gave in- 
crease of about six bushels; another trial says each 100 lbs. of fertil- 
izer used gave increase of about three bushéls. We hence have the 
equation as 100: 100:: 3: 6 or l= x, a manifest error, and whose 
only service is to show to us that our ’ fiowres i in their nature do not 
admit of such interpretation as this. 
These figures do show, however, that the fertilizer was of advan- 
tage, because in all the cases there was an increase of crop on the fer- 
tilized as against the unfertilized adjoining plat. Plats G. 2 and G. 
4 may be considered duplicates, and their variation in yield is about 
10 bushels peracre. G. 3 and G. 5 may be equally as well considered 
duplicates, and their variation is about 28 bushels. We cannot 
hence be certain but that as great a difference might exist between 
our comparison plats, even without the different treatments. 
The impossibility of giving figures which shall correctly and defi- 
nitely express the advantage accruing from the fertilizer in this 
case may be further appreciated by considering plats G. 3and G. 5 
in their relations to G. 4. It will be borne in mind that G. 4 is a 
fertilized plat, while G. 3 and G. 5 are its left and right hand neigh- 
boring plats without fertilizer. Ifthe yield of the fertilized plat, 
230 bushels per acre, be compared with the yield of the left hand 
unfertilized plat, 180 bus. per acre, the apparent gain is 50 bushels; 
if the comparison be with the right hand unfertilized plat, 152 bus. 
per a., the apparent gain is 78 bushels. Therefore our answer may 
be equally well 50 or 78 bushels, according to our desire, hence there 
can be no exactitude to our figures, and we can express the value of 
the fertilizer application but in terms of greater or less and not 
numerically. 
FERTILIZERS. 
The influence of fertilizers upon crops can be better studied in 
the field than upon plats, as the larger areas tend to equalize condi- 
tions, and variation in one direction to become balanced by variation 
in another. Yet even in lar ge areas we note that the crop is not al- 
ways proportionate to the fertilizer applied, and it is certainly im- 
proper to assume that there is less fertility in the more highly man- 
ured portion than in the less, because the crop is less. The Station 
field of eleven acres of Clawson wheat was planted in three portions, 
and the crop harvested was as below. 
28 acres, 300 Ibs. land'plaster per @....-...--....----.-- crop 29.81 bush. 
42 acres, 295 Ibs. superphosphate Per 8. on oko edna s el OD Eee OnE 
Sa acres, 400d gs. ee Wet ke ON ee crop 42.57 bush. 
The inference is justifiable that the increase of crop came through 
the action of the applied fertilizer, but it would be erroneous to in- 
fer that less fertilizer was more efficacious than a greater quantity. 
A slight difference in the amount of winter killing would account 
for all the variation noted between the two fer tilized fields. 
One oat field, White Russians drilled in on corn stubble, with 200 
Ibs. superphosphate per acre, received four different seedings. 
qiacre, 3, pecks:seed. per iad 1. ue 2-4 payo- si d- Eh eb a crop 54 bus. per a. 
+6 4 6 6é ie al RE Ty aed fe aees Le, | meee Gent oP | crop 56 oe 
6e 8 oe “e en, © SiMe Yin Geet sg. ree ee te © crop 66 sé <6 
st « 40 ‘6 “ fe OED TBI) | ROTOR ITRTOY » Gate SS) crop 66“ A, 
