9U REPORT OF THE BOTANIST OF THE 
ference may be not wholly due to the treatment but partly the 
result of differences in soil conditions, insect injuries, or original 
amount of smut on the two plats. 
The figures in the table on the preceding page seem to aie 
that the broadcast application of the sulphur and lime had little, 
if any, effect on the yield. With one exception (Plat L, 1899) the 
differences in yield between treated and untreated plats were 
comparatively small. With the exception noted these differences 
may easily have been due to differences in soil conditions, ete. 
Moreover, the results are not consistent with themselves. It is 
impossible to find any system among them. For example, Plat 
J, which received applications of the smaller quantity for two 
years, showed a loss of 703 pounds per acre in 1898, a gain of 
903 in 1899, and again a loss of 228 pounds in 1900. 
It appears that where sulphur and lime are applied in small 
quantity, as, for example, 150 pounds per acre, there is little 
danger of harmful results from the accumulation of the sub- 
stances in the soil. This is best shown on Plat F, where the 
substances were applied at the rate of 1,125 pounds per acre for 
_ three consecutive years without materially affecting the yield. 
In 1898 this plat yielded exactly the same as its check; in 1899 
it yielded 19 pounds per acre more than its check; in 1900 there 
was a loss of 1,909 pounds per acre, which may or may not have 
been due to the treatment. Granting that it was due to the 
treatment, the amount is small as compared with the increase in 
yield resulting from the use of small quantities of sulphur and 
lime in the drills. 
This experiment also proves that the increase in yield where 
sulphur and lime are applied in the drills is not due to any 
fertilizing value of the substances. Had the substances any 
considerable value as fertilizer the treated plats should have 
uniformly yielded more than the untreated plats, especially Plats 
B, D and F where the large quantities were used. But such was 
not the case, The three heavily treated plats averaged 627 pounds 
per acre less than their check plats. 
