horwshea tease aweR 1c A R M LA N S BOO , EDITION REVISE D AND PNEARGED UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. PRE BeW POTATO SuULTURE As developed by the Trench System, by the judicious use of Chemical Fertilizers, and by the Experiments carried on at the Rural Grounds during the = past sixteen years. ye ELBERT S. CARMAN, Editor of THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, Originator of the Trench System and _ a . Of the Potatoes Nos. 1, 2 and 3. SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED. nOPY Ric = GOPYRIGAS SGN hea : . AV i | he + Pe a ER LAS 18 _ ~4# ¥ He .* ABs ee = * OF wasuiag i= ~—= oe X THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, — $39 CE tf! j J TIMES BUILDING, NEW YORK, ie ‘ ; hy Copyright 1893, by THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, | ‘ TO MY FRIEND See POR Ne SSE NIN E7E--LAW.ES BARGE SEL Ds ER SS hac. S:, THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED BY PRIVATE LETTER, BY HIS NOBLE EXAMPLE, AND BY MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE JOURNAL I HAVE EDITED DURING THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS, HE HAS ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED ME TO TRY TO DO AS HE HAS DONE, THOUGH WITH FEEBLE SUCCESS. B.S: -C: INT RODUCT ORY, OR the past fifteen years, during the srowing season, '- J have given a part of my time to potato experimen- tation, in the hope that I might throw some additional light upon the various questions involved in the central prob- lem, ‘‘ How to increase the yield without proportionately in- creasing the cost of production.” It often happened that, in the soil of my home grounds, some hills would yield enor- | mously, while others would yield little. What was this owing to? What kind of manure or culture—what preparation of the soil would zwsure the maximum crop ? Would stable or cow manure, hen manure, or a compost of the three?) Would lime, plaster, salt, muck, wood ashes, muriate or sulphate of potash, bone, phosphatic rock, fish, flesh, blood, sulphate of ammonia, nitrate of soda, separately or in any combination, effect this? . Would it be possible so to fit the soil as materi- ally to increase the yield? What would be the best depth to plant the seed?» How much seed should be planted—single eyes, two, three, or four eyes; half potatoes, whole potatoes, stem-ends or seed-ends? Should the manure or fertilizer be placed under or ever, and how much should be used? Should the soil be frmed or rendered as loose and friable as possible? 6 The New FPotato Culture. These were the individual questions suggesting themselves which made up the central problem, ‘‘ How can we increase the yield of potatoes without proporiionately increasing the cost of production 2?” : As experiments were carried on from year to year, it was found that the yield from this experiment plot was increased at the rate of from 100 to 600 bushels to the acre; that por- tions yielded at the rate of over 1,000; that certain hills and certain varieties, treated apparently the same as the rest, yielded over 1,500 bushels to the acre. Would it be posszble to ascertain what the exact conditions were which gave such yields? Would it be possible to approach them on aeres in- stead of plots? Would it be possible to furnish equivalent conat- tions to acres in an economical way ? The reader who has the patience to consider with some care the following pages, may judge for himself whether any ap- proach to a positive answer has been made by the results of the work herein placed before him. River Edge, Bergen County, New Jersey. - CONTENTS. REWER oh ook whence 2) esha a ooo The Origin of the Trench System of Raising Potatoes. The ‘“Potato Contest.”” Howit Came About The ‘‘Contest”’ Plot. The Planting Begun and Finished. The Fertilizer Used. The Trenches. How far Apart. Hilling up Avoided. The Varie- ties Planted. Notesof Progress. A Perfect Stand. Incessant Rains. The First Intimation of Something Wrong. The Vines Die Prematurely. Applications of Various Insecticides. The Cucumber Flea-beetle Discovered to be the Cause. Not Con- fined toany Limited District. Previously Attributed to ‘‘Blight.” Insecticides of no Effect to Kill the Insect—But they Hurt the Vines. Previous Treatment of the ‘‘Contest”’ Plot. The Re- sult. The Plot Measured by the Committee. Yield of the Sev- eral Seedlings. No. 3 Failed. Otherwise the Yield would have Exceeded the Rate of 700 Bushels to the Acre. Report of the Judges. CHAPTER II Failures, but Instructive Failures, The Second ‘‘ Contest” Plot. Modifications. Favorable Conditions in Every Way. Notes of Progress. Flea-beetles in Great Numbers. All Sorts of Insecticides Used Without Avail. Foliage Injured. The Kinds Planted. Premature Death of the Vines. The Yield. The Tubers not Half Grown, and a Large Proportion Decayed. Merrie: Liles: vee... Another Failure ona Larger Scale, with its Teachings. Learn by Failures as well as by Successes. A Half-acre Trial on a Poor Soil. General Opinion that such Large Yields cannot be Produced on Extended Areas. May we not Double our Crops without Doubling the Cost of Raising them? The Enemies of Great Yields. Potatoes Checked in their Growth never Yield Maximum Crops. The Fitting of the Half Acre. Plowed in the Fall and Potash and Phosphoric Acid Applied. Why Ni- trogen was not Applied in the Fall. The Trenches Depth to Plant. Covering. Conservation of Moisture. Hilling-up to be Avoided. Why. Shallow Cultivation. Spring Work. A PAGE 2? T3 24 The New Potato Culture. Late, Cold, Wet Spring. An Injudicious Decision. Additiomml Fertilizers Applied. Frost-bitten Seed. One-eye Pieces Planteth of Necessity. Number of Potatoes to the Barrel. The Kimels Planted. The Mulch. The Forms and Quantity of Nitroguib Applied. Partial Failure of the Seed. The Yield. The Cava, CHaprmR Vee ee Mr. Terry’s Views. Expectations not Realized. The Yiells from Small Plots Deceptive. Mr. Minch’s Great Yields Queriatt, The Author’s Yields due to other Causes than the Trenches. Mer. Terry cannot see any Benefit from the Use of Fertilizers on his Land. The Advantages of Level Cultivation Set Forth. Few- er Green Potatoes. Reply to Mr. Terry. Evident reasons why as Large Crops cannot be Kaised on Acres as on Selected Plots. Just as much to be Learned from Trials on Small as on Con- siderable Areas. The Small Plot may tell us Just what the Acre Needs.. Why Farmers Prefer to ‘‘Hill-up.””. How Trenches Direct the Rainfall. Mr. Minch Explains. The Economy of Large Quantities of Manure. CHAPTER V Some Heavy Yields by the Trench Method. The ‘‘Women’s National Potato Contest.’’ Overi1,ooo Entries. Prizes Award- ed. The Yields of the Prize-takers. The Trench System takes the First Prize in a full Acre Contest. The Prize won was $1, 100—the Yield was 738 Bushels. CHAPTER R SLs Oe ee ne eel ee Conservation of Moisture. Importance of Rainfall. Inef- fectiveness of American Experiment Station Work. Sir J. B. Lawes. When and How first Induced to Write for the Ameri- can Farm Press. Governmental Action Precipitated thereby in the matter of Establishing Experiment Stations. Fundamen- tal Weakness of American Stations as at Present Conducted. Political Influences. ‘‘Available” rather than ‘‘ Capable’’ men too often Chosen as Officers. Uncertain Tenure of Office. Conducting the same Experiments Year after Year Impracti- cable. Farmers are Solicited to Try the Effects of Mulching ina Small Way. Objections to the Trench Answered. Tread- ing on the Seed Pieces Condemned. Roots do not Issue from the Seed. Seed Potatoes, unlike true Seed, need a Loose, Mellow Soil. CuHaPpter VII Experiments with Different Fertilizers, First Season. Single or Special Fertilizers. Fertilizers should not be Condemned because Fertilizer Constituents, used Separately, fail to In- crease the Crop. How to Find Out what your Land Needs- The Elements Deficient in the Soil must be Supplied. Wherein Fertilizers Differ from Manure The Neecs of this Particular aT 39 42 47 Contents, Su JJPlainly Shown. The Soil will Answer Questions if put in the Right Way. The Natural Soil Yields. The Specially Fer- tilized Soil Yields. The Complete Fertilized Soil Yields. Tables and Comparisons. Second Season’s Trial on different Land with the same Fertilizers and Fertilizer Constituents. A Soil that will ‘‘Not Grow Beans” without Manure. A Hungry Soil. Tables. A Summary of Results. Third Season’s Trial on a Change of Plots with Essentially the same Fertilizers and Fertilizer Constituents. To what Extent do Small or Thrifty Tops Correspond to the Crop of Potatoes? Ratings Rarely Fail to Indicate. When they (the Ratings) do Fail. Well Balanced Fertilizers never give a Luxuriant Growth of Vines without a Corresponding Growth of Tubers. Better Landthan that of Preceding Trials and more Variable Results. The Land still Replies: ‘‘Give Me All Kinds of Food.” A Letter from Sir j. B. Lawes respecting the Effects of Different Fertilizers. Artificial Fertilizers Profitable, if Judiciousiy Applied, in Po- tato Culture. Nine crops of Potatoes in succession Grown at Rothamsted. The Kinds and Amounts Fed. The Results of Nitrate Nitrogen and Ammonia Nitrogen the Same. The Loss of Nitrogen and the Necessity of a Liberal Supply. The Re- sults of Mineral Fertilizers alone only One-half those when Nitrogen is Added. The Quantity of Potash Required is very Large. The Color of tne Leaves and stems as Attected by Ni- trogen, by Minerals and by Both. Explanation. A Larger Crop of Potatoes Obtained with Minerals alone than with Ni- trogenalone. Wheatan Exception. Why. Instructive Tables ; Study them. The Minerals may Remain for Future Crops— the Nitrogen is Lost. Results of Experiments made at Roth- amsted on the Growth of Potatoes for Twelve Years in Succes- | sion on the Same Land, as set forth by Dr. Gilbert. Twelve Years of Potato Culture without any Manure or Fertilizer. The Yield as Great, under this Exhaustive Treatment, as the Aver- age Yield cf the United States. Nitrogenous Manures alone Barely lucrease the Yield. The Slow Action of Farm-yard Ma- nure. The Marked Effects of an Addition of Nitrogen to Farm- yard Manure. JLuisease does not Increase by Continued Growth from Sezson ts Season. Specific Gravity of the Potato an In- dication of Quality. Cook Potatoes with their Skins on. Pie MEG N Gatlin a Pee dias Sa aie vests ins ade. w Wena Sieh nh Shai The Effects of Differen: Quaatities of ‘‘Complete” Fertil- -izerson Potatoes Fertilizersagainst Manure. Telling Effects of Fertilizers on Potatoes. ‘hey Increase the Yield more than does Stable “ianare. Trial upon One-tenth of an Acre that had not been Manured in 15 Years. Smo>other Potatoes from the Fertilizer. ‘Tue Vital Questicn which each Farmer must Solve for Himseit cr be Left Behind in the Procession. The Yields from 220, 440, 880, 1,320, 1,760, 2,200 pounds of Fertilizer to the Acre. Sulphate of Iron Harmful. Averages. A Differ- ence of over 138 Bushels per Acr2. In what Way is the Reader to turn the Results to His Own Advantage ? PAGE 69 1O The New Potato Culture. GrArriR se a eae Shall the Fertilizer be placed Under or Over the Seed Pieces ? Its Importance Depends on the Method of Culture. Tables. Averages. The Second Year Results. GeneralSummary. The Difference in Favor of the Fertilizer Over 9.68 Bushels per Acre. CHAPTER X -e@@ wv &€He ~Results of Planting Potatoes in Trenches of Different Depths. First Trial. Planted from Two to Ten Inches Deep. Second Trial. Third Trial. Summary of Averages. CHAPTER ND 2 ROR een ii re tee Nitrogen, especially Nitrate Nitrogen as in Nitrate of Soda. Its Effects when Applied Alone. May Farmers derive a Profit fromits Use when Applied to Land Indiscriminately or as Farm Manure is Applied? Joseph Harris’s Views and the Author’s Answer. Experiments. The Results, in a Partial Way, Justify Mr. Harris’s Conclusions that the Average Potato Fertilizers of To-day are too Low in Nitrogen, in so far as this Particular Soil may be Taken as a Guide. See to it that the Land is well Supplied with Minerals, and then Add Increasing Doses of Ni- trogen in an Experimental Way. CuHaPtTer XII Sundry Experiments. Potatoes Raised in Half Barrels. First, Pure Sand ; Second, Garden Soil ; Third, Three-quarters Garden Soil, One-quarter Cut Straw. Results. Experiment with Three Barrels. Barrels Half Filled, the Seed Potatoes Planted and Covered with a few Inches of Soil. As the Shoots Grow the Barrels are gradually Filled, Leaving the Seed Pieces 16 Inches Below the Surface. Where would the Tubers Form? The Root and Tuber-forming Growth. Blight. Results. Seed Potatoes Treated in Various Ways, and Fertilizers. Excessive Manuring. Effects of Salt. A New Way to Mulch Potatoes. ‘‘Valley Mulching.” Pieces Placed on Top of the Soil and Covered with Mulch and Fertilized. Trenches Mulched, Fer- tilized and Not. Doubts Expressed as to Reported Yields. As High as ‘‘at the Rate” per Acre of over 1,800 Bushels, as Es- timated from a few Hills. The easy Method of Computing Yields with Accuracy. The Best Distance Apart for ‘‘ Single- eye” Seed. Different Number of Eyes to a Piece, from Single to Four Eyes toa piece. Different Sized Pieces without Re- gard to Number of Eyes. Experiments to Determine how Much Flesh each Eye should Have. Seed-end against Stem- end. Shall the Distance Apart, of the Seed Pieces Planted, be Proportionate to the Size of the Seed ? PAGE 83 87 ISO RET er Rr a A Oi babae ee: Contents Size of Seed. Generalizations. Habit of the Variety to be Considered. Small Seed of some Kinds—Large of Others. No Positive Rule can be Given. Illustrations. The Loss from Missing Hills. Underground Development. Relations be- tween Few Eyes and Long Joints; Bushy and ‘'Leggy’”’ Vines. True Roots and Tuber-bearing Stems. Absurd Names. Seed and Stem Ends might more Properly be Called Tip and Butt, or Top and Bottom. Potato Growth. How Stems are Modi- fied by Light and Air; by Soil and Moisture. Limiting the Space for the Growth of Nodes and Tubers. Increase the Root System by Deeper Planting and a Mellow Soil. A Ten-story House may Occupy the same Ground Area as a One-story House. Again, as to the Size of Seed-pieces. Every Variety differs in Number and Potency of Eyes, and must be Cut and Planted Accordingly. ~ CHAPTER XIV Analysis of the Tubers and Vines. The Effects of Special or Single Fertilizers, and in Various Combinations. The Ef- fects of ‘‘Complete” Fertilizers. Stimuiants. ‘‘Complete” Fertilizers not Necessarily Effective. A Familiar Talk with Farmers. Erroneous Conclusions as to Fertilizers. Why Farmers Condemn them. Food in the Soil, previously Inert, Rendered Available by Salt, Plaster, Lime, Etc. Forcing Land. Lashing it into Temporary Productiveness. ‘‘Complete”’ Fertilizers which Analyze the Same may Give very Different Results. Their Agricultural Value. Irrational Conclusions. How Money is Thrown Away. Farmers Conjured to use High- grade Fertilizers Adapted to the Needs of their Land. The Potato’s Needs. The Difference. A Distinction without a Difference. Chemical Fertilizers arg simply Concentrated Manures. CHAPTER XV Seedling Potatoes. How to Gather the Seeds, Plant them and Treat the Seedlings. Every Gardener and Farmer should ~ Raise his Own Varieties. How to Select. Should we save Seed Potatoes from the most Productive Hills? Why the same Variety Varies. Millions of Dollars spent for New Varieties that might Just as Well have been Raised at Home. Seed Balls or Fruit. Selection of Seed. Glass Structures not Necessary. A Sunny Window will Do. Howto Transplant. After care. Avoid any Poisonous Application. Mosquito Netting. How we should Select the Seedling Potatces. Immature Seed will give a Degenerated Crop. Immature Cuttings will Produce Comparatively Feeble Plants. Bud Variation. Select Seed- ling Tubers of the Shape Desired. How Seedlings from the same Seed may Vary. 123 135 [2 The New Potato Culture. Page (SHAPTER > OV [oe 5, See a ee eee ee Se I44 Care of Seed. Exposing Sound Seed to Light and Sun Before Planting. How to Detect ‘‘ Blind’ Eyes. [imeasa Preserver. Handling. Poisoning. How a Perfect Staind may be Secured. The Views of Several Correspondents. Tie Importance of Shallow Cultivation and a Mellow Soil Emphasized: Paris , Green. Mixit with Plaster, not with Water. Why! Absur- dity of Picking off the Potato Beetles by Hand. CE APTRR COV re ot 2 Oe “149 Experiments During a Dry Season and in a Variable Soil. _ First Series. Comparison of Nitrate of Soda with Nitrate of - Potash. Vine Growth. Second Series. Comparison of Stock- bridge with Nitrate of Soda. Vine Growth. Third Series. Comparison of Sulphate of Potash with Bradley. Vine Growth. Fourth Series.- Comparison of Fertilized Trenches with Unfer- tiled. Vine Growth Fifth ~Series. Effectsof Snuff asa Fertilizer. The Effects of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potash, Used Separately and in Various Combinations. Vine Growth. Averages of Yield of the Several Nitrate of Soda Trenches. Caaprer XVI 2h ae NET SORE ae oe err! Another Talk About the Use and Effects of Chemical Fertil- izers. A Maximum Crop of Potatoes Means an Ample Supply of Potato Food. Diluted Bordeaux Gives Unmistakable Benefits. CGHAPTERUXT XG oe aie ol, Be 183 - Miscellaneous. The Objections to Hilling-up. Mr. Hersey’s Views as to Seed-end and Stem-end Seed: as to Shape, An- swered- Brevities. Difficulty in Crossing Potato Flowers. Seed Sold by Sezdmen as ‘‘Hybrid” Seed, not Hybrid. Hybrids Between the Alkekengi and Potato Sterile. Prof. Bailey’s Ex- periments in Grafting the Potato on the Tomato, and v7ce versa. An Explanation of the Effects and Non-effects of Plasters. Questions and Answers. Killing the Tops Lessens the Yield. Keeping Potatoes. Largest Yielders. How Much Seed to the Acre? Doesit Pay to Buy Fertilizer Constituents and Mix them at Home? Index, : GoneAcPAD B Riek Origin of the Trench Method. N THE back part of our home grounds is a garden-plot of about an acre. When we built upon the property (two acres in all), nearly twenty years ago, it was designed that this garden-plot should be given to small fruits—grapes, strawberries, raspber- ries, blackberries, currants, etc.—-around the borders, while upon the central area it was proposed to raise potatoes and other vegetables for family use. This was somewhat before I had thought of ‘‘experi- ment grounds” or had associated myself with the farm paper with which I soon after became and have since been connected. The soil was a mellow loam that might well be defined as ‘‘just right” or, in “more specific description, one that, while retentive of moisture, was yet well drained and neither too much inclined to an impervious clay nor, on the other hand, to a leachy sand. Of the fertility of this soil, nothing was known further than that it had been cropped for many years without manure—fertilizers were practically unknown. Our first season’s essay proved to be a decided failure, though, in so far as we knew, our instructions were well carried out by the gar- dener. The potato ‘‘seed”’ (Early Rose) was planted in hills two by three feet apart without manure. The plot was fairly well cultivated, and the plants hilled-up according to the then popular way of raising potatoes. It was our hope (a confident hope, too,) to beat our neigh- bors, between whom, in the matter of all early vegetables, a friendly rivalry existed. ihe tops grew vigorously enough, and anything like a failure of the tubers was not thought of. That this plot should have yielded not over seventy-five bushels to the acre is a fact that I have often pon- -dered over, while anything like a satisfactory explanation has never (13) 14 The New Potato Culture. occurred tome. Assuming, at any rate, that this land was not over- well adapted to potatoes, their cultivation was not attempted for sev- eral seasons thereafter. At length, having engaged in farm journalism, and desirous of test- ing the new varieties of potatoes then announced in unqualified terms of praise in the seedsmen’s catalogues of the day, I determined to ascertain what cow/d be done in this uncongenial soil, and the ‘‘ Zyench System’’ was among the first of the experiments which were suggested. From that time until now this plot has been given to raising, in small trial-lots ranging from three or four to a dozen ‘‘hills,”’ all the new varieties of which ‘‘seed *’ has been procurable. Probably the average number of trials during all these years would not be found to be iess than seventy-five kinds for each season. The yields of these little lots varied remarkably—all the way from 150 to over 1,800 bushels to the acre. All were treated essentially alike, and reports were duly printed as to size, shape, color, yield and quality. The reports of the new kinds which gave a low yield were rarely made use of by the seedsmen, or others originating or introducing them, while the stupen- dous yields were given the most conspicuous publicity, greatly to my mortification-in many cases. One of the most startling of these an- nouncements declared that 1,391} bushels per acre of the Green Mountain potato, had been raised by me. The truth was, that there were but ¢hree pieces (hills) planted, which yielded 17} lbs., or at the rate of 1,391.50 bushelstotheacre! So it transpired that the anoma- lous yields reported from season to season were doubted by many good people, and it was to prove what the trench method was really capable of doing that a ‘‘contest’” was announced, the results and every step of which were to be open to public investigation. Be it said here that I have never claimed that this method is preferable in all sorts of soils, for the excellent reason that I have not tried it in all sorts of soils. Reasoning from what is known of the potato during its period of growth, the trench system would wo¢ increase the yield in a sandy, leachy soil in which the level of the ground water is low, as nothing can be gained by rendering the soil less capable of securing the needed store of moisture through the osmotic action which the trench modification helps to assure in more retentive soils. We have repeatedly, side by side, with and without fertilizer, tried this method and the usual way of raising potatoes, with the invariable Origin of the Trench Method. 15 result that the trenches have given a decidedly larger yield. More than this, in our trials any decided increase of fertilizers, by the new method has given, as will be shown further on, a greater increase in yield than the same amount of fertilizer by the old way, which of zt- _se/f is an important consideration. It shows that in the one case the plant is able to appropriate the food supplied to a better advantage than in the other. Furthermore, as the results of liberal prizes offered in 1888 and again in 1889, it has been demonstrated that by far the heaviest yields -on record have been produced by this method, which, in theory at any rate, seems to secure to the potato all that it needs in so far as it is in the power of man to do so. HOW THE ‘‘CONTEST’’ CAME ABOUT. ‘During the winter of 1888 I made the statement in print that if I could not raise a¢ the rate of over 700 bushels of potatoes to the acre on a given plot in my experiment grounds by what is known as the Rural Trench System of cultivation, let the season be favorable or unfavorable, I would forfeit $50 if any one would pay the same “amount in case of my success—the money in either event to be donated for some charitable purpose. The challenge was accepted by Mr. Wilmer Atkinson, the editor of the Farm Journal, of Philadelphia, Pa. i] THE ‘* CONTEST” PLOT. Owing t: the lateness of the season, the ‘‘ Contest” plot was not planted until April zo. Theplanting was begun at 74.mM. At 8 A.M. a shower began which continued until the work was finished, causing the soil to become muddy on the surface. Previously (April 9th) the seed potatoes were spread out singly in a warm room. The eyes of the ‘‘seed end’’ soon pushed, forming short, warty shoots. The eyes of the other portions of the potatoes grew but slightly. The object in placing the seed potatoes in a warm, light room was to secure the most vigorous seed. All potatoes, the eyes of which seemed dormant or feeble—‘‘blind” as they are commonly called—were rejected. They were cut accord- ing to the number of strong eyes developed, the object being to have, atleast, three to a piece. On April 18th, the trenches were dug with 16 The New Potato Culture. a spade, about seven inches deep and a full foot in width. As we had not from experiments made determined whether it was better to strew the fertilizer wuzder or over the ‘‘seed,”’ it was sown both under and over. Eight hundred and eighty pounds were first evenly sown in the bottom of the trench, and incorporated with the soil by a Hexamer pronged hoe. On this, an inch or so of soil was raked, and the seed- ~ pieces were placed exactly one foot apart, the trenches being three feet apart, measuring from the middle of each. These (the seed- pieces) were covered with another inch of soil, and powdered sutphur was scattered upon it at the rate of 400 pounds to the acre. Then an additional spread of the fertilizer (Mapes’s Potato), at the rate of 880 pounds to the acre, was given, making in all 1,760 pounds to the acre. The trenches were then refilled wi. the soil taken out, which, being looser than the rest, left the soil of the trenches higher than that between them. We have always been careful not to compact the trench soil any more than can be helped. The ridge left soon settles to the general level, and is so preserved during the season, as all hilling up is care- fully avoided. The plot was planted to the following varieties—alJ seedlings of my own: i Pop Gee, ec tae ie 33. pieces—one trench, Noi ais saunas 66 ‘* -—two trenches. Notte d ae MeGNae ss TEP ee NOTES OF PROGRESS. May 15th.—Up to this time the rain-fall had been all that was needed. No. 3 was the first to appear above ground; No. 4 next, and No. 2 last. Frost occurred the 17th, and cold, constant rains followed up to May 30th. The soil was drenched. Lima beans and melon seeds rotted in the ground. There was a perfect stand of potatoes in the ‘contest’? plot. My note book of June ist says: ‘‘ Sifted Paris green and plaster—one pound of the poison to 200 pounds of the plaster. Soil compacted from incessant rains ; frost this morning.” June 3d: ‘‘The plot cannot be cultivated de/ween the plants because the tops meet and cover the soil.” June 8th: ‘‘No. 2 was the last to push its shoots above the soil, and Origin of the Trench Method. 17 the plants were for some tirme smaller than those of the 3 and 4. At this time they have outgrown No. 3. All are growing thriftily.”’ THE FIRST INTIMATION OF SOMETHING WRONG. June 17th: ‘‘The vines are now meeting, so that further cultivation between the trenches is impossible without injury to the vines. No. 3 vines are less thrifty than those of Nos. 2 or 4, and show signs of some weakness.” _ 3 june 25th: ‘‘The No. 3 vines seem to be dying, from some cause which we cannot even guess at. One says ‘it is a mole that has gone through the trenches ; ble heat which followed upon a long term of cold, wet weather !’ Another says ‘it is the sulphur. You have given them too much.’ The stems are weakly, the leaves yellowish. Some of the stems are turning black, and withering within an inch of the soil.” June 3d: ‘‘Gave another application of Paris-green and plaster.” After the above date all hope was lost of winning the contest. It was evident that No. 3 would be nearly a failure. The cause was discovered to be the ») another says ‘it isa scald, owing to the terri- FLEA BEETLE, known entomologically as HY/altica cucumeris. The first suggestion came from our foreman, who said his own potato tops were dying, and that they were alive with fleas that were eating the leaves. ‘¢ There are so many” said he, ‘‘that you can meee the noise they make when disturbed as I pass along the rows.’ The writer had noticed while sifting NE and Paris-green that these insects existed in unusual numbers, but it did not occur to him that they were the cause of the mischief. An examination of neighboring fields was made, and all were found to be injured more or less. Later, as the facts were published, accounts from many parts of the country were received showing that the pest was not con- fined to any limited section. Many who previously attributed the de- struction of their potatoes to ‘‘blight” found that the flea beetle was really the culprit. Soon after the No. 3 was hurt beyond recovery, the No. 4 was at- tacked, and finally the No. 2. We sprayed the vines with Buhach- P.—2 18 The New FPotato Culture. water, hellebore, Gishurst compound and Paris-green, but without the slightest helpful effect. PREVIOUS TREATMENT OF THE CONTEST PLOT. Potatoes had been raised on the piece of ground of which the ‘‘ con- test” plot was a part, for 12 consecutive years. It had never re- ceived much manure. The-applications of fertilizers each year have averaged, no doubt, at the rate of 1,200 pounds to the acre, for the most part Mapes’s Potato, with which, as with other brands, noted further on, I had been carrying on experiments of various kinds © during the entire period, upon considerable areas as well as upon small plots. Besides the potato fertilizer, the plot had received, at various times, small dressings of lime, wood ashes (leached and unleached), kainit and raw bone-flour. LHE RESULT. Friday, the 28th of September, every member of the committee ap- _pointed to determine the yield was present, together with some 4o others from various parts of the country. Previous to digging the crop, the ground was carefully measured,: to give accuracy to the computation. The No. 4 yielded at the rate of 644 bushels per acre.|. The Nosw yielded at the rate of 1,076 bushels to the acre. No. 3 was a com- parative failure, owing to the vines having been destroyed by the flea beetle. The yield was only at the rate of 276 bushels to the acre. As this potato occupied two-fifths of the entire plot, the yield was thus reduced to below 700 bushels to the acre. It will appear to the reader and was evident to the judges and others who were present that, had the whole of the plot been planted with No. 2, the yield would largely have exceeded 700 bushels to the acre, and the SEES: would consequently have been decided in our favor. REPORT OF THE JUDGES. \ ‘‘ We, the undersigned committee, having been appointed for the purpose of calculating the yield of potatoes grown upon the ‘con- Origin of the Trench Method. 19 test plot’ at River Edge, Bergen county, N. J., do hereby certify that we saw the potatoes dug and measured the yield thereof. We found it to be at the rate of 583 bushels per acre.” ee PETER COLLIER, . Any SELES, |. J. C. Havivanp, Li ©] BENEDICT, [ P. T. Quinn, Committee. Subscribed and sworn to this 28th of September, 1888, before me, Joun G. WEBB, Justice of the Peace. GrhvAsP alee atl Fatlures, but Instructive Failures. AD THE ‘‘ Contest plot” been inaugurated a year or so before it was, there could have been little fear of failure. It was not until the 7vs¢ contest season that either blight or the flea beetle injured the crop materially. These devastators were, before that time, practically unknown. A renewed effort was made the next year to produce at the rate of over 700 bushels to the acre. The wager of $200 was offered in our confidence that it could be done and, though the offer was widely pub- lished, there was not one to accept it, though, as in the first contest, the money was to have been given for some benevolent purpose. THE SECOND CONTEST PLOT. Trenches were dug April 6th, 10 inches deep and wide, 11 in num- ber, each 33 feet long and three feet apart. Twenty-five pounds of the same potato fertilizer as previously used (1,000 pounds to the acre) were then sown broadcast, walking through the trenches—not zz the trenches alone, but over the soil piled up between the trenches as well. The bottom of each trench was then loosened with a Hexamer pronged hoe, — Five inches of soil were then raked back into the trenches and on this the seed-pieces (half of medium-sized potatoes with the seed-end cut off) were placed exactly one foot apart, making 33 in each trench, or 363 in the entire plot. Such large seed-pieces were never used before. The trenches were never before dug quite so deep and never before placed upon so great a depth of meow soil. This work was done in a perfect manner, as the weather was fine and the soil in splendid con- dition to work. The trenches were filled, being careful to fill one at (20) Fatlures, but Instructive Failures. 2% a time and complete it so that the work could be done without walking on the completed trenches. Never was there a mellower seed-bed. NOTES OF PROGRESS. ‘May 7th.—To-day flea beetles were noticed in great numbers. Some of the plants were four inches high, others just breaking through. Sprayed all with tobacco soap dissolved in water, using two ounces to a pailful of water. Not effective. ‘¢ May 8th.—Sprayed the plants with water in which tobacco-stems had been boiled; also with whale-oil soap-water, one ounce to one gallon of water. ‘¢May gth.—Used Thymo-cresol and Paris-green and water. Corn cobs were dipped into crude carbolic acid and one placed between every two plants. Not effective in the least. “May 1oth.—A cyclone, attended with heavy rain. In the evening after the storm, as many flea beetles were noticed as before the storm. ‘¢May 12th.—One tablespoonful of hellebore, one heaping table- spoonful of buhach, 25 drops of sulphuric acid, one teaspoonful of Paris-green to a pailful of water were sprayed on the vines. No effect. ‘‘May 14th.._Two teaspoonsful of Thymo-cresol, a heaping tea- spoonful of Paris-green to a pailful of water sprayed on the plants. -‘*The leaves now began to show some injury from these applications. ‘May 17th.—Fleas thicker than ever. Applied Bordeaux Mixture on half the plot, and on the other aloes dissolved in hot water, four ounces to two gallons. The fleas seemed delighted with both. ‘¢May 22d.—It was plainly to be seen that the R. N.-Y. No. 3 plants (second trench) were dying. It was decided to dig them up and plant ‘Minister’ instead. A few days after, several rows were dusted with unleached wood-ashes. The fleas the next day were not so numerous upon the dusted plants. They preferred the plants not dusted. Later the plants of the entire plot were first sprayed with water and then a mixture of the following was sifted upon them: Paris-green, two pounds, extended with one barrel of plaster; sifted unleached ashes ; one-eighth pound of snuff, making in all a quarter of a barrel in the proportion of two-thirds ashes and one-third poisoned plaster. This was found to repel the fleas somewhat. ‘*June 16th.—Excessive rains up to this time. The vines have made a fine growth. 22 The New Potato Culture. ‘‘July 23d.—Excessive rains up tothistime. Soilsaturated. Every variety is more or less injured by the flea beetle. ‘¢July 30th.—Vines dying. 9? THE KINDS PLANTED. Mrench Nos ase. Seedling (NOs 12%, Wak esc mie 40's 33 pieces. a Ran 38 Dane Ala Oroty aeNORNS aerate $s eat es gene Bo) te a Seb NISMO ohare BEE INTO Devos eels eevee Ree een 33 ee us Cary 2 ie A Fer de INIOM Agu steele te ie enone 33 ot Fe PEGG Sremecter: HEY MINIO: potas erence teete amen 33.5 ies SO dnt Or ANIOIE Ae etcetera 337) te a aah oe Brownell’s Wanner ce) soa oe 300 os EBV an SIRE yada Monroe" County niZeea cee 33 Sale Be OS ecmi From J. H. Woodburn, Sterling, Lad. oe Ree Fave eee nee see II s of a ROR es cyances New: Queens ceyece eet ee 22) ae es Sh oars Seedling of Rose, from Thos. Lazell, Big Rapids, Mich.. : .22 ue ae Se eaten eae Tonhosks, from Theron Platt, INewitownen Connh ere eee iit us ee Siebel ats aie eX Brownellis Wane oi aes 33) ae Ase, WINS IID) No. 2 yielded 63 pounds, or at the rate of 454.66 bushels to the acre. They seemed to be about half grown. There were few rotten potatoes. % Minister yielded 32 pounds, or at the rate of 234.66 bushels to the acre. Many small; many rotten. . No, 4 (third row) yielded 53 pounds, or at the rate of 388.66 bush- els to the acre. Many rotten; half grown. No. 4 (fourth row) yielded the same as the preceding, 53 pounds. No. 4 (fifth row) yielded the same within a fraction. Brownell s Winner (seventh row) yielded 38 pounds, or at the rate of 278.66 bushels per acre. Many rotten; all small. Monroe County Prize yielded 63 pounds, or at the rate of 462 bush- els to the acre. Many rotten. Woodburn Seedling yielded five pounds. There were 11 hills. This was at the rate of 110 bushels per acre. | Se Failures, but Instructive Fatlures. 23 New Queen, 22 pieces, yielded 48 pounds, or at the rate of 469.33 bushels to the acre. The tubers were small but there were a great number. Seedling Rose yielded 71 pounds or at the rate of 520.66 bushels to the acre. Brownell’s Winner (duplicate row) yielded 71 pounds or at the rate of 520.66 bushels to the acre. This last row was planted with seed from Mr. Brownell, while the other row was planted with seed raised here last year, which did not fully mature owing, as stated under the first contest account, to blight and flea beetles. THE ENTIRE YIELD was 549 pounds, without making any allowance for decayed tubers, which is at the rate of 367 bushels to the acre. Taking the whole lot, probably over one-fourth were rotten, while the sound potatoes were not over one-half the usual size. To what extent the premature death of the vines was due to fleas, to excessive rain or to fungoid causes, we were unable to form any opinion. Coll ARE ental Another Failure on a Larger Scale, with its Teachings. * HERE is little doubt about it that thoughtful farmers may learn as well by failures as by successes. It is for this rea- son that we dwell upon the failure of our repeated endeav- ors to raise over 700 bushels to the acre, or at that rate. We have now to record a failure—the most disastrous, perhaps, of any attempted, though others have since demonstrated that by this very ‘‘trench method” the claims made for it are by no means chim: erical—the crops having been raised in localities not infested with the flea beetle and blight. The trial to be recorded was made upon a meas- ured half-acre of an impoverished soil. The yields of from 1,000 to 1,800 bushels of potatoes to the acre (at those rates) raised on specially prepared plots in my experiment grounds of rich, garden soil, have called out various comments from many editors of the press. That we have actually raised such yields need not have been doubted, since the potatoes (of the largest yield and several others nearly as great) were dug and weighed in the pres- ence of several well-known horticulturists or farmers, who were visit- ing here at the time. But all agree that such yields cannot be raised on large areas except at a cost exceeding their profitable production. It may be that neither 1,000 nor even 700 bushels of potatoes can be profitably raised upon an acre of land. But from our persistent tests with various methods of culture, the question is raised whether we may not at least double our potato crops without doubling the cost of raising them. The two great enemies of immense yields are, first, drought and, second, az znsufficient supply of available food. Now, this NEW METHOD Is TO SUPPLY THE FOOD in abundance, and to so conserve (24) Another Failure on a Larger Scale. 25 moisture as to carry the plants through the season without a check in their growth—for potatoes that are checked in their earlier growth never yield largely, no matter what the subsequent weather may be. In order to test this question, whether or not by our method we could raise a large, paying crop on an extended area, a half-acre of very poor land (not capable of yielding 100 bushels to the acre with- out manure) was given its preparatory fitting. The land was perfectly level and naturally well-drained, consisting of a sandy loam quite im- poverished by constant cropping, having received but at the rate of 15 tons of farm manure to the acre in many years, and that in one ap- plication four years prior to this trial. Anexact half-acre was measured off and plowed eight inches deep, on the 26th of November. The next day it was harrowed, and on the 28th the following fertilizers were spread broadcast, no farm manure whatever being used: 600 pounds of bone-black superphosphate, furnishing 25 per cent. of soluble and available phosphoric acid. _ 400 pounds of sulphate of potash, furnishing 50 per cent. of sulphate of potash, and 4o per cent. of sulphate of magnesia. 400 pounds of kainit, furnishing 40 per cent. of sulphate of potash, and common salt. The cost of the above fertilizers was $44 fer acre, or $22 for the half acre. On the afternoon of the same day the land was again harrowed, so as to incorporate the fertilizer with the surface soil and prevent its being blown off in case of high winds. It will be seen that in the above fertilizers there is no ammonia or nitrogen. Either of these would have been washed through the soil ere planting time the next Spring, while it was assumed that the potash and phosphoric acid would be retained. In the Spring it was proposed to sow more of both potash and phosphoric ee and alsoa liberal quantity of nitrate of soda. The object of the trench system of potato raising is two-fold : first, to give a mellow, porous soil for the growing tubers. It is claimed that any considerable pressure upon them must have some effect to mar their shape and dwarf their size. Thetuber takes no part in the nourishment of the plant, but must itself be nourished dy the plant and its roots. If, therefore, when and after the tubers begin to form, the plants do not receive an abundance of food, their further growth 26 The New Potato Culture. must cease, or at least be checked. But without moisture the food in the soil is unavailable, no matter how great soever may be the supply. Hence,-therefore, second, the trench system, it is maintained, retains moisture during periods of dry weather, when the soil as ordi- narily treated would dry out. The trenches must be plowed (or in small plots, spaded) at least 12 inches wide and six deep. The land should always be plowed in the Fall so that it may be friable and lightin the Spring. Choose large tubers, cut them in larger or smaller pieces according to the variety, giving them all the flesh possible, and place them about one foot apart and at least four inches deep in the trenches, which should be about three feet apart. Cover them with an inch or so of soil, throwing it on with as little compaction as possible. Now, if it is desired to guard against the effects of severe drought, a spread of coarse marsh hay, or something of the kind, after being run through a cutter, may be spread over this soil in the trenches two inches deep. The fertilizers should then be strewn evenly over the hay, and the trenches filled, always as lightly as possible, and ridged up with the soil taken out of them. A rain or so will settle this ridge nearly to a level with the rest. If the land is not liable to be affected by dry weather, the hay mulch, should of course, be omitted. It will be found that the mellow soil of the trench, which readily admits even the lightest rains which fall, and, indeed, heavy dews, will ma- terially help to resist the effects of moderately dry periods. Perhaps, too, the moisture condensed from the. air which the porous soil ad- mits, should be taken into the account. Hilling-up under this system is not only unnecessary but decidedly injurious. The potatoes are planted as deep in the soil as they ever need to be. They receive at once the benefit of rain, which, under the hilling method, is in great part carried off betweenthe hills. The growth of the vines will be found so rapid that few weeds ever start between the plants; while between the rows, shallow cultivation, (never deep) may be given as needed to free the land from weeds and preserve a mellow surface. As with our system of corn culture, I hold that plowing destroys many of the roots, all of which are needed to feed the plants. THE YIELD OF THE YPOOR-SOIL HALE-ACRE OF) PORAMO@HS= The lay of the half acre is perfectly level, as just stated, save that Another Failure on a Larger Scale. 27 it dishes a little near the middle where it needs draining. Up to date the expense for work and fertilizer was $26.20. The spring opened so late that it was April 16th before work could be continued, and even then it was questioned whether it would not be wiser to wait awhile and take the chances of planting too late rather than attempt to prepare a soil which was still cold and wet. But the latter course was injudiciously decided upon. Two bags (400 pounds) of Mapes’s Potato fertilizer were sown and the land harrowed east and west. The land was then marked north and south, the marks three feet apart. The trenches were made four inches deep (they should have been deeper) with a Syracuse shovel plow, which did not serve the purpose as well as was desired. THE SEED: PIECES. It was intended to plant only Hodgman Seedling and Green Mountain potatoes, as these in our rich-soil plots had given the great- est yields of any up to that time. Ascertaining at the last moment, however, that but one barrel of seed of the Green Mountain could be procured, it was determined to make the Hodgman seed go as far as possible and to fill out with otherkinds. The Hodgman seedling pota- - toes were found to have been frost-bitten in their passage from New Hampshire. They were cut to one eye generally, though two would have been preferred. The two barrels of seed contained 1,346 pota- toes, which, placing one piece every foot in the trench, planted 21 of the 37 trenches of the plot. In the next nine rows, Green Mountain seed was planted. Then followed other kinds, which will be noted further on. The pieces were covered with a hoe with an inch of soil, and upon this soil a further application of potato fertilizer was given at the rate of 800 pounds to the acre. THE MULCH consisting of course swamp hay, was run through a cutter and cut in about two-inch lengths. This was strewn over the fertilizer two inches thick from wall to wall of the trench. The soil was then hoed over the mulch, forming ridges two inches above the surface, which soon settled nearly to a level with the adjacent soil after a few rains. The cost of the coarse meadow hay used was about $3 a ton. It _ was estimated that one ton would mulch an acre, the trenches being 28 The New Potato Culture. 15 inches wide and three feet apart, measuring from the middle of each. The entire cost of the hay, cutting and distributing it in an economical way when entire accuracy, regardless of cost, is not aimed at, was estimated at $12 per acre. NITROGEN was applied in the three forms (mixed together) of blood, nitrate of soda, and sulphate of ammonia, at the rate of 400 pounds to the acre, as soon as most of the sprouts showed above the ground. This was broadcasted, the land receiving immediately afterwards a shallow cultivation. THE WEATHER continued cold, with frequent showers. Most of the pieces, however, had sprouted by June 10, except the Hodgman Seedling. It was thus early evident that this portion of the plot—21~-37ths of the half acre—would prove a failure. Only here and there could a sprout be seen, while the pieces not sprouted were either quite hard or else were rotting in the ground. Probably not over two-thirds of the seed pieces ever sprouted, and one-third of these were so late in sprouting that no tubers formed—not even small ones. The weather suddenly changed to excessive heat—the hottest of the season—and drought set in. The stems were very large, the foliage so ample that all the land was entirely covered, except that occupied by the Hodgman Seedling. All who saw the plants at this time, with their luxuriant, dark-green leaves, predicted a fine success for the trench method—a prediction, which I grieve to say, was not fulfilled. The yield is presented below which will scarcely need verification as ‘‘doubting Thomases ’’ rarely doubt the results of experiments which turn out agreeably to their views. To have admitted, however, that we ourselves by this failure were convinced that the principles of this system of potato culture were in fault, would have been premature. While it certainly did fail that season and under the unfavorable conditions as stated, it has suc- ceeded since far beyond the extra cost of its practice, as will be. shown directly. DEVE AVL ED: Beyond the half acre, a trench was plowed in order to test the natural fertility of the soil as well as the effects of a comparatively * Another Failure on a Larger Scale. 29 small quantity of fertilizer, both without mulch. Hodgman Seed- ling from our own seed (not frost-bitten) was planted. The seed zo/ fertilized, yielded 163 bushels per acre. The seed fertilized (at the rate of 400 lbs. Mapes’s Potato fertilizer per acre), yielded 185 bush- els per acre, showing an increase of 24 bushels for the fertilizer. The State of Maine, the first row of the plot proper (east) yielded at the rate of 240 bushels to the acre, the weight of potatoes dug from this row being 180 pounds. This row, as well as eight others, was 13 feet shorter than the rest, on account of the interference of an apple tree. Seedling No. 1. There were two rows (Nos. 2 and 3) of this, which together yielded but 195 pounds. This was at the rate of 130.25 bushels to the acre. The Corliss Matchless (row No. 4 and a part of row No. 5) yielded 150 pounds, or at the rate of 184 bushels to the acre. The Underwood (116 pieces, row 5) yielded 115 pounds, or at the rate of 238 bushels to the acre. The Greenleaf (98 pieces, parts of rows 5 and 6) yielded 75 pounds, or at the rate of 184 bushels to the acre. The Bonanza (78 pieces, row 6) yielded 65 pounds, or at the rate of 200.40 bushels to the acre. The Montreal (85 pieces, parts of rows 6 and 7) yielded 86 pounds, or at the rate of 243.26 bushels to the acre. The rest of the row No. 7 was an experiment to ascertain whether anything is gained by rolling the cut surface in plaster and keeping the pieces one week before planting, over planting freshly-cut seed without plaster. The 60 pieces (Green Mountain) plastered and kept a week before planting, yielded 248 tubers (204 marketable) which weighed 594 pounds. This is at the rate of 238 bushels to the acre. The 90 pieces (Green Mountain) planted as soon as cut without plaster, yielded 493 tubers (347 marketable), which weighed 105 pounds. This is at the rate of 280.58 bushels to the acre—the larg- est yield of all. . We come now to the nine full rows of Green Mountain. The yield was 27+ bushels of 60 pounds, which is at the rate of 224.05 to the acre. 30 The New Potato Culture. Finally, we have 21 rows of the Hodgman Seedling from the frosted seed. The yield was but 244 bushels, which is at the rate of but 86 (85.74) bushels to the acre. Mshs | COSA, Not counting the cost of harvesting the crop or of the rent of the land, or of the writer’s time and labor, we estimated the cost of rais- ing this half acre of potatoes at not less than $60. The entire crop would not that year have sold for more than $40. GHA PIER IV. Mr. Terry’s views. Small plot trials condemned. Mr. Minch criticized. Ineffectiveness of fertilizers on Mr. Terry s land. Reply. How the yield of acres may be made to equal those of small plots. Mr. Minch’s reply to Mr. Terry. R. T. B. TERRY, of Hudson, Ohio, is well-known to many of the farmers of the country as a very successful potata grower. It may interest and instruct my readers if I here reproduce a correspondence which occurred between him and the writer regarding large yields in general, and the trench method in particular. MR. TERRY’S REMARKS. ‘«« Will you allow me to say that I am not quite ‘satisfied with your potato wager as it now stands ? ‘ potashies 2... 42-25-35. 120 J No. 23. Ground fish Mom24ce Mapes’ potato manure... 2.0.2... .% 1,200 8 323 The seed pieces mulched with old straw, Rural trench mulch system. No. 25. Natural soil BS oiler ee ea ea 2 59 a a PPO eM MAME |. ac. e. clos e+ + boys Be 2,880 Fi 147 - TT TE NCOVG| aa See tpl mea a or tr es BA Ak rea ahaa Noi, 27: INiineitenOl: S@Giain = site <). oLee t peee A TOO 8 183 Sulphate of ammonia (442.2. 2 (ERE ST a No. 28. - Mapes’ potato manure, 1,200 lbs., with the following nitrogen mixture added : tolaGle panei sears tahe e ayetae. clavetio sieges’ ae | % IN Tienes OlesoeleR Ie Gn oee cee boo : ( 600 10 235 Sulphate ol ammonia... -.-:--- J Mulch was used same as 24. CR No. 29. Same as 28, except that a mulch of ] old straw was spread over seed 224 PLCS Serge cosine enema rayst otane sod J 8 a SE Th EE LE COMPARATIVE AVERAGE YIELDS. , Average yield of the trenches with neither manure nor fertilizer: 74 bushels per acre. GES 56 The New Potato Culture. Average yield of the trenches with incomplete fertilizers : 112 bushels per acre. Average yield of the trenches with hen manure: 114 bushels per acre Average yield of the trenches with ground fish : 124 bushels per acre. Average yield of the trenches with farm manure: 139 bushels per acre. Average yield of the trenches with complete potato fertilizer : 221 bushels per acre. Pr SS ARs The largest yield was given by trench No. 24, which received the complete fertilizer and a mulch of old straw which had been exposed to the weather during the entire winter. This was spread two inches deep in the trench directly on the potato pieces after they had been covered with an inch of soil and the fertilizer used for that trench. The yield was at the rate of 323 bushels to the acre, or 50 bushels more than where the same quantity of the same fertilizer was used without mulch in trench No. 18. When, however, the trenches Nos. 28 and No. 29 are compared, it appears that the mulch did not in- crease the yield. While in trench No. 27 an excessive dressing of ni- trogen alone (in three forms) seems to have raised the yield 109 lhushels per acre over the natural soil yield, it seems to have lessened the yield when added to the complete fertilizer 44 bushels, as com- pared with trench 19. While, therefore, an excessive application of nitrogenous fertilizers alone may be supposed to increase the yield by acting upon the latent potash and phosphate of the soil, an over-dose in addition to an ample supply of complete fertilizer seems to be in- jurious. While it is plafn that this series of experiments, as do the first series, show that a complete fertilizer alone will produce a maximum crop in this soil, the action of partial fertilizers is in some cases con- tradictory and in many cases uesatisfactory. Lixperiments with Different Fertilizers, 57 In row No. 1 nitrate of soda gives 141 bushels to the acre, and yet in No. 8 the same quantity (200 pounds per acre) of nitrate of soda, together with 400 pounds of dissolved bone-black, gives only 110 bush- els; 31 bushels less than pure nitrate of soda alone. Again, in No. 10 nitrate of soda and sulphate of potash give only 90 bushels, while in plot No. 5 sulphate of potash alone gives at the rate of 95 bushels. Similar contradictory results seem to rule in the majority of experi- ments reported of this class of fertilizers. Their action is so largely an indirect one on the other ingredients already in the soil, and in so many ways they act and re-act on the soil and themselves that it seems to be impossible to trace their plant-feeding powers. The results from their use in an experiment in 1884 were more contradictory than during the past year. Nitrate of soda gave promise in the vine growth of a good crop, equal to that of the best complete manure, instead of which it failed to hold out through the season and yielded little more than the natural soil. The results from sulphate of am- monia were little if any better than from nitrate of soda—fair prom- ises and poor results. Complete manures, especially the complete potato manure, prove themselves to have adequate feeding resources of their own. They seem to feed the crop from their own resources, not only producing healthy vine growth, but bringing large yields. THIRD YEAR’S TRIAL ON DIFFERENT LAND WITH ESSENTIALLY THE SAME FERTILIZERS AND FERTILIZER CONSTITUENTS. As to the preparation of the plots, it is hardly necessary to repeat what has been said on preceding pages. The seed, Rural Blush, a late variety, was cut the day previous to planting. Potatoes of nearly the same size were cut in halves lengthwise, the seed ends of which had been cut off and rejected. The seed conditions, as be- fore, were made still more equal by using the same weight of seed pieces to each plot. Trenches had been dug several days previously, fifteen inches wide and six inches deep, the trenches three feet apart. Later, two inches of soil were raked into the trenches, and upon this the pieces (cut surface down) were placed one foot apart. Two inches of soil were raked over them, and the fertilizer applied as described. The season, for this land, was considered favorable. The work of planting and fertilizing was completed by three men in one day. The New Potato Culture. V4] Pounds fertilizer Yield bushels per acre. per acre. Tee Nt PALS SOU. Aa aia ite oe ee 200 235 TAO AMUNE to, 4c)) trio alae soc OO) eR 250 . 2.< Sulphate Of AMMONIA. + 4,5. 16 io) 30] 3.) Dissolved ‘bone-black: 9.2.4.2 a: 400 266 A eNOrTAnUGE 0 t i25 Pee Ae 00 242 be A OUlphate potash << yaeeran 2282 300 272 Gtarilaster ss: fie 22. ka eee 400 225 (eNOMMATIIVE hao tae is berks 6 mee oo 200 SerNigkAte sodas cn ee eee 200 ) Dissolyed bone-black: -l..2.. 222 400 § "ae Opp New Mork manure ee) L's wor ate to tons 433 LOS MUNTth ALE: SOG. .18 tec Na eet Bicat 200 lbs. ) Sulphate jaotasia Poe ek eels B00 a) ae mie. a Dissolved. bone-plack.j....0 4.2 4001 =) Sulphate potash ?..2 220026: Flee ee) ae tA MwrNGERAte SOA. r yess cw cy ara eee: 200"! | Dissolved bone-black.......... Ao" P 348 Sulphate potas .2 wo... eee ZOO Rete 13. |Raw-bone..:... ofan ere lata TeOOOs wee 290 14. N. Y. manure forked in the bot-* tom of the trench and the seed- preces placed on topo: to tons 280 5: Or INOS MMDIMEL DE) yc ML. te ee en ane oo lbs, 272 OWN El CTaMe ankelah Vogt eWetersoh ee getty mate A tpe ZiIGLO wa 323 17. Mapes’s potato manure........ SOOR L 332 18. N. Y. manure spread on the top of the covered seed-pieces. (Miulchisy stem) i032. 22k os ro tons 348 19. Mapes’s potato manure (ammonia 4.50; phosphoric acid, 8.00; Potash #6: 00), A see eae atta 2 1,200 lbs. 511 20... Acid (S. Cy rock) sphesphate..... 700) /£97) Nitrate soda) eo aa eerc ete aa ZOO r 381 Muriate*potash 263 Two cu hed Ne aaa ecieae Sass bh BA Aca EA ean ce Ee 324 Three Fe CNet MARES NS bed hata Wade Paget iis ad oe 364 PeAEOMPCTELIIZEH? pine ae eo ein ae Clie 8S oye same ase ees 421 Sf YSN i a(S an ah a a ie Ss Pe PE eee 354 Pees IMM TERT SV ULE Ciel ts Mlaneste Sepia aes otek S15 Be ketaa we shee ey sual Sess ve 343 same a Veh ee sera BA Me ey ats pS enrciiare, S15 da say S¥ey Zea, hae 323 THE PROMISE OF YIELD AS INDICATED BY THE VINES JUNE 27TH. As in preceding years, we rated the growth and general appearance of the vines, with the view to ascertaining in what degree the yield of potatoes would correspond with the promise thus indicated. Ten (10) is the highest Aosszbée rating. , 60 The New FPotato Culture. Ploeg oe ee Rated 2 Ploterss ements dae Rated 3 e Tivo ) ois ated eee ge ‘Sa S puna iee access Cotsics ni ee) - DO ot ae te ee eamiat, 5 EEE Regt Sele tesa sa ame 0) i BP ohare aN ne ee Pad, 63 OD OS STAG a aaavreria Sse fone meas ea 5 A’, fe Ageec gens he ade 2 of ARORA eae eee NG ef Ba Eh esiedtueee eke Soe ee AONE ct on Sea Bethy ric = OF tree meer aL ED GND Tes & Seapage ger en ao his a Td SOO BO ries Wed SiR 222 NO Sorand B86 ee Bal Ricteee sic fe ae tate +: Mle Pen Sr ara eae eS on O Perron ater i i BSE! DUP. tenn. SeNneea eee elite SpE Oy rededencreue teeta e at one: ba! BQ. doeogs 00+ “Se? Sara Eo Ee bey eaten ona en OS ae eG ol ede: aes ph ieee, crea ey Oe aasr ital Py SUT SA ora, Nena s eee pares} mabe PLAS Nite Stee sertere se cess ins Mg Se DOF uage eich te aoe pa Mmm TPA Neceys ctega tows sate a 7! Sop e2OG Ae on. erence ee ee One often hears of immense tops, and yet a very small yield. This has occurred in my experience, though in more fertile soil; first, when large quantities of unleached ashes were used, and, second, when farm manure alone was used, plowed under the preceding fall. With well balanced chemical fertilizers alone it has never occurred; indeed we believe, though we do not know, that with well balanced complete fertilizers a heavy growth of tops is an almost unfailing indication of a large crop of tubers, even though as high as two tons of fertilizer to the acre be used. THE LAND. The land of the plots was, as is plainly shown by the good yields without manure, much more fertile than that of the plots experimented with in previous years. The change was made because there seemed no longer any reason for continuing the poorer land trials, since the result of two seasons of trial proved beyond a doubt that the soil needed all kinds of plant food, and that a decidedly increased yield could not be secured without them. They were therefore given up in favor of richer land, though of the same character, a loam inclining a trifle to sand rather than to clay. It will be seen that the results are variable, though complete ferti- a Experiments with Different Fertilizers. 61 lizers still give largely increased yields over special constituents, and the valuable lesson taught in this case, as in the previous trials, is that for potatoes, it pays well on this land to use them in preference to partial fertilizers or even to hen, fish or stable manure. The manure was from New York stables, well decomposed, and of apparently ex- cellent quality. The Peruvian guano contained an undue weight of stones and we do not regard the trialasafairone. The variableness of the yields is probably due in a measure to two causes, viz: (1) po- tatoes were raised upon the same land the year before, fertilized in the drill, and (2) corn was raised two years before, manured in the hill. A LETTER FROM SIR J. B. LAWES RESPECTING THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS. Having presented the results of our own experiments touching this very important question in regard to the effects of fertilizers (complete and special or partial) on the growth of potatoes, I may conclude the subject with the following valuable communication which I have re- ceived from Sir J. B. Lawes, of Rothamsted, England : ‘¢ Although I consider that the use of complete artificial manures involves 100 great a cost for their employment in the growth of ordi- ‘nary farm crops, perhaps an exception may be made in regard to potatoes, a crop which requires a large supply of both potash and nitrogen. ‘© At Rothamsted, we have grown nine crops of potatoes in suc- cession upon land which for 16 years previously had received no yard manure, and the average yield of the last three crops has been 400 bushels per acre, calculating the bushel to weigh 50 pounds. The manure used each year has been 300 pounds of sulphate of potash, 350 pounds of superphosphate of lime, and 400 pounds of salts of am- monia, while in another experiment, instead of the salts of ammonia, 540 pounds of nitrate of soda were applied. The produce from both manures has been almost identical. ‘¢The sulphate oz potash supplies about 130 pounds of potash—and we find very nearly the same amount in the crop. The phosphoric acid, on the other hand, is much in excess of the requirements of the crop, and it might be reduced one-half. The salts of ammonia and the nitrate each supply about the same amount of nitrogen—87 pounds 62 The New Potato Culture. and of this the crop does not take up more than 50 pounds; there is, apparently, therefore, a considerable loss of this substance; but, at the same time, any reduction in the amount of these manures would be followed by a reduction in the crop. The loss of this costly manure ingredient is a most serious matter, as unfortunately there is but little prospect of recovering, in succeeding crops, any appreciable amount of the 37 pounds not taken up by the first. By means of the same mineral manures a/one, we have grown—over the same period— one half the crop we obtained by the application of minerals with nitrogen, the soil having supplied a sufficient amount of that substance | to give a product of 200 bushels; but one-half of the minerals applied remained inactive in the soil ; ‘these, however, might be made available to the crop by an application of nitrogen. ‘The quantity of potash removed in potatoes is very large. Inthe 400 bushels it amounts to about 130 pounds. Compare this with the amount removed by animals. An ox, weighing-1,400 pounds, which was killed for the purpose of analysis, contained only two and one-half pounds, in the whole carcass and offal. Hay is another crop which takes a good deal of potash from the soil, and farmers in England rarely grow either hay or potatoes for sale, unless there are facilities for the purchase of town dung. Artificial manures are certainly not used alone, by practical farmers, in the growth of their crops. ‘¢In our experiment field, the character of the manures is always represented in the stems and leaves of the plant. Ammonia and ni- trate, without minerals, give'a low stem and greenish-brown leaves, which in the evening appear almost black. Minerals without nitro- gen, give a thin, low stem and yellowish-green leaves, while miner- als and nitrogen together give a luxuriant, and sometimes an over- luxuriant, stem with leaves of a bright green. There is no difficulty in accounting for these peculiarities. A plant takes up whatever food is most abundant in the soil, with the hope, as I sometimes put it, that sooner or later it may find the food which suits it best. In the dark green leaves the nitrogen is in excess, but starch cannot be formed without potash, and the supplies of potash are not sufficient to use up the nitrogen. It is far more easy to change yellowish- green of the mineral-manured potatoes into a dark green, than it is to lighten the color of potatoes which receive nitrogen; a solution of nitr>+e of soda will effect the one in a very few days, but as both Experiments with Different Fertilizers. 63 potash and phosphoric acid form insoluble compounds with the soil, they are much more slowly taken up by plants. ‘We aiways, however, obtain a larger crop of potatoes where we apply the mineral manures alone, than where we apply the nitrogen without the minerals, though in the next field, salts of ammonia, ap- plied without minerals for 39 years in succession, have grown larger crops of wheat over the whole period than mineral manures with- out ammonia. To explain this apparent inconsistency we must con- sider the great difference in character of the two crops. ‘‘Wheat in England is sown in the autumn, and being a deep- rooted plant, it has a greater range of soil to obtain a supply of min- eral food than the spring-sown potato. The relation between the potash and the phosphoric acid and nitrogen in the two crops is also very different. In the wheat crops grown by salts of ammonia alone, mixed samples, taken over a period of 10 years, give the products per acre of the total crop-—straw and grain—as follows: ‘nitrogen, 36 pounds ; potash, 23 pounds; phosphoric acid, 13 pounds. Therela- tion, therefore, between these two important minerals and nitrogen is ASI aaLOr 1: ‘‘TIn the potato crop, on the other hand, the proportion of nitrogen to the minerals is nearly 1 of nitrogen to 3 of minerals, the demand upon the soil for potash being much greater in the case of potatoes than where wheat or barley is grown. It must be a very large wheat crop indeed which removes 50 pounds of nitrogen from the soil, but in some of our potato crops we carry off more than roo pounds of that substance per acre. ‘¢ As very few soils could furnish so large an amount as this from their own resources, when potatoes are continuously grown, it becomes necessary to furnish-a supply of potash either in dung or chemical salts. The following table gives the products of the crop grown in 1883, being the ninth in succession without any change in the manures TABLE. Potatoes per acre in long ton. Cwt. HE OR LOUIS, Ole CUM Git ds, Aictou oc ctal<\s 2 + syst tla ey Ys 6 2 vinneEalsewithout HMFOSEN, .... ss.) + ee: 5 Pee NG eEOcen WiLHOUe MmINeLAlS. Je... s.p en eee 3 3 Aue Withers anGyAmMOnia: sa. 22... = eae 58 19 Ep Viimerals and mitrates . 4)... 's 6 eles a2 ees 8 2 64 The New Potato Culture. Amount of mineral matter and nitrogen per ceut. in dry tubers. Mineral matter. Nitrogen. aD a se aoe Sat otha te ew eaeatton A Pee yet od 3.5 I.09 DS Verailonsthe oP avewee TNS END eee eee 3.86 0.73 BES ere ot GEAR CESS SUE reg ae ae 2.64 EeAg, ARS Sas Ore tai EE ER OREY s eSene eayer see 3.67 1.08 ees eruad Ab Ores Nios sea RnR Gi sence 3.86 Tey ‘¢ The character of the manure is most clearly shown in the compo- sition of the crop. In No. 2, manured with minerals, the minerals are more than five times as high as the nitrogen; while in No. 3, where ammonia or nitrates are used, the minerals are considerably less than double the amount of nitrogen. In both cases there is a waste of power, shown by small crops, and unused manures. The loss, however, is not equal in both cases, as the minerals remain in the soil, to be taken up at some future time, while the nitrogen is probably lost.” RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS AT ROTHAMSTED (ENGLAND) ON THE GROWTH OF POTATOES FOR TWELVE YEARS IN SUCCESSION ON THE SAME LAND. Dr. J. H. Gilbert, Dr. Lawes’s associate, in a lecture before the Royal Agricultural College speaks at considerable length on the above subject. His special object was to show the general requirements of the crop, both actually and as compared with other crops, and the actual and comparative characters and composition of the product obtained. He draws his illustrations mainly from the resuits of field experi- ments on the growth of the potato by different manures, for a num- ber of years in succession on the same land, at Rothamsted, and from those of collateral investigations into the composition of the produce, made in the Rothamsted laboratory. The average produce over twelve years without manure is not quice two tons per acre ; and there was considerable decline from period to period under this exhausting treatment. Nevertheless this low yield without manure for twelve years in succession on the same land, is about as much as the average produce under ordinary cultivation ” Experiments with Different Fertilizers, 65 in the United States, and nearly two-thirds as much as in some im- _ portant European countries. By superphosphate of lime alone, the produce is raised from an average of scarcely two, to nearly 33 tons; that is, to very little more than by the superphosphates alone. It is evident, therefore, that up to this amount of production, the character of the exhaustion induced by the growth of the crop on - this land, which was, agriculturally speaking, in a somewhat exhausted condition, was much more that of available phosphoric acid than of potash, or the other bases. It is remarkable that there is much less increase of produce of potatoes by nitrogenous manures than by mineral manures alone. Thus, by ammonium salts alone there is an average produce of scarcely two tons six cwts., or only about six cwts. more than with- out manure ; and with nitrate of soda alone there is an average of only two tons 12% cwt. per acre. The better result by nitrate of soda than by ammonium salts is doubtless due to the nitrogenous supply being more immediately available, and more rapidly dis- tributed within the soil, and so inducing a more extended develop- ment of the feeding root. These negative results by the nitrogenous manures alone, confirm the conclusion that by the continuous growth of the crop on this land it was the valuable supply of mineral constituents within the root range of the plants, more than that of nitrogen, that became deficient. The last two lines of the table show that, with-the mixed mineral manure and ammonium salts together, there was an average of about six tons 14% cwts., and with the mixed mineral manure and the same amount of nitrogen as nitrate of soda, an average of six tons 13 cwt.; that is, nearly twice as much as with the mineral manure alone, and much more than twice as much as with the nitrogenous manure alone. The fact is, that it is only the comparatively small proportion of the nitrogen of farm-yard manure, which is due to the liquid dejec- tions of the animals, that is in a readily and rapidly available condi- tion; whilst that due to more or less digested matter passing in the feces, is more slowly available, and that in the latter remains a long time inactive. Hence, the addition of nitrogen as nitrate of soda to the farm yard manure had a very marked effect. P.—5 66 The New Potato Culture. The summary shows that the proportion of diseased tubers was the greater, the greater the amount of nitrogen supplied. Upon the whole, it is obvious that in the case of this somewhat agriculturally exhausted arable land, mineral manures alone had more effect than nitrogenous manures alone ; but that, mineral con- stituents being adequately supplied, the further addition of nitroge- nous Manures was essential to obtain anything like full crops. It is of interest to observe that the amount of disease was not en- hanced by the continuous growth of the crop on the same land, as is frequently assumed to be the case. But little is definitely known of the special function of individual mineral constituents in vegetation. It is, however, pretty clearly es- tablished that the presence of potash is essential for the formation of the chief non-nitrogenous matters—starch and sugar. The pub- lished results of experiments at Rothamsted have shown that the proportion of potash in the ash of wheat was the greater, the better matured the grain—that is, the larger proportion of starch it cou- tained; and here in the potato we find a greatly increased amount of potash in the heaviest crops, that is to say, in those in which the largest amounts of starch have been formed. The accumulation of phosphoric acid, on the other hand, is more directly connected with the assimilation of nitrogen and the forma- tion of the nitrogenous compound. It will be remembered that the quantity of farm-yard manure an- nually applied per acre was estimated to contain about 200 pounds of nitrogen, besides a very large amount of mineral constituents. Yet, in no case was the increased yield of solid substance in the crop so great as was obtained by an artificial mixture of mineral and nitro-— genous manure, supplying only 86 pounds of nitrogen, but in a more readily available condition. Nor was the increased assimilation of any of the individual constituents so great under the influence of the farm- yard manure, as when they were applied in the rapidly available condi- tion, as in the artificial mixtures. . In the case of other crops it has been found that only a small por- tion of the nitrogen of farm-yard manure was taken up in the year ef application. But these results seem to indicate that the potato zs able to avail ttself of a less proportion of the nitrogen of the manure than any other farm crop. Yet,in ordinary practice, farm-yard manureis Experiments with Different fertilizers. 67 not only largely relied upon for potatoes, but is often applied in larger quantities for them than for any other crop. It is probable, that independent of its liberal supply of all necessary constituents, its beneficial effects are in a considerable degree due to its influence on the mechanical condition of the soil, rendering it more porous and easily permeable to the surface roots, upon the development of which the success of the crop so much depends. Then, again, something - may be due to an increased temperature of the surface soil, en- gendered by the decomposition of so large an amount of organic matter within it ; while the carbonic acid evolved in the decomposi- tion will, with the aid of moisture, serve to render the mineral re- sources of the soil more soluble. In countries where the potato is largely grown for the manufacture of starch, the specific gravity serves as an important indication of quality. The higher the specific gravity, the greater, as arule, is the proportion of dry matter, and the greater the proportion of starch. Indeed, tables are constructed for the calculations of the percentage of dry matter, and of starch from the specific gravity of the tubers. The general conclusion to which these calculations as to the dis- tribution of the various constituents of potato tubers leads is, that from 80 to 85 per cent., or even more, of the total nitrogen of the tu- bers may be in the juice, and that about the same proportion of the total mineral matter also may be in the juice. Further, that about the same proportion—8o to 85 per cent.—of the total potash, and about two-thirds of the total phosphoric acid, are in the juice. And when it is borne in mind that two-thirds, or more, of the nitrogen ex- isting as albuminoids is in the juice, it is obvious that if the mode of cooking the potato is such as to exclude the constituents of the juice from the final food product, there is considerable waste of nutritive matter; and that, indeed, the proportion of albuminoid matter in the food is exceedingly small. When potatoes are used as a mere ad- junct to an otherwise liberal diet, the general practice is to cut off the rind, and to put the peeled potatoes into cold water, by which a ‘large proportion of the soluble albuminoid matters must be washed out, before the temperature of the water becomes sufficiently high to coagulate and fix them. A very large proportion of the potash must also be washed out under such circumstances. When, how- ever, potatoes constitute an important item in the diet, as in the ru 68 The New Potato Culture. ral districts of Ireland, for example, it is usual to boil them in their skins, or, as it is said, in their jackets. Under such circumstences, certainly a much larger proportion of the albuminoid matter will reach the stomachs of the consumers ; and doubtless much more of the potash and phosphoric acid also. Still, it is obvious that a potato diet must be very deficient in the proportion of nutritive nitrogenous compounds. The produce of dry substance of tubers was, without manure, 1,353 pounds per acre ; with purely mineral manure, 2,384 pounds ; and with the mixture of the mineral and nitrogenous manures (‘‘complete”’) more than 4,000 pounds per acre. Potatoes are reckoned to contain on an average more than 21 per cent. of starch. The produce of starch per acre is 1,120 pounds without manure, and 1,988 or nearly 2,000 pounds with purely mineral manure—that is without nitrogen. The amount witb purely nitrogenous manure is not so great as that with purely mineral manure. But with both nitrogenous and mineral manure (‘‘ complete”) the quantity of starch is raised to an average of about 3,400 pounds, or about 1% ton per acre. ae ,* Clee Rework, The Effects of Different Quantities of Fertilizers and Manures. ' FERTILIZERS VERSUS MANURES. N NO other crop have we had such telling results from the use of chemical fertilizers, as compared with tarm manure, as upon potatoes, and this has been the case during the past twelve years without any exception that is now recalled. This seems to have been the experience of many other farmers. Upon oats and corn, and vegetables of various kinds, fertilizers have occasionally failed to increase the crop, while farm manuresin contigu- ous plots have produced marked effects. The experiments which we now have to record are no exceptions, though all the conditions seemed favorable to a decided and impartial test. The land (a sandy loam) had never received any chemical fertili- zers, and, for 15 years at least, no manure of any kind. Two plots were measured off, one-tenth of an acre each, that is 132x33 feet. The first received three tons of stable manure, or at the rate of 30 tons to the acre in October. The seed potatoes (Great Eastern) were cut to two eyes each and planted April 22,in drills 2% feet apart, and 14 inches apart in the drills. Both plots were cultivated once and hoed twice, the soil being kept level without any hilling up about the plants. The yield was 24 bushels and 3 pecks, or at the rate of 247.50 bushels to the acre, of which 80 per cent. were market- able. The second plot received instead of the stable manure 200 pounds of potato fertilizer, or at the rate of one ton to the acre, the seed pieces, distance of planting and treatment being ‘ust the same as (69) 70 The New Potato Culture. with the first plot. The yield was 27% bushels, or at the rate of 275 bushels to the acre, of which go per cent. were marketable. The po- tatoes were smoother. and brighter and less injured by wire worms than those of the manure plot. The cost of the manure delivered was three dollars per ton, or nine dollars for the plot. The cost of the potato fertilizer was $48 per ton, or $4.80 for the plot. The guaranteed analysis of the latter was, © ammonia, 4.50 to 5 per cent; phosphoric acid, 8 to to per cent; potash, 6 to 8 per cent., magnesia, lime, soda, etc., forming the rest. The season was unfavorable throughout. : If potatoes had been raised on the same plots the neat year with- out fertilizer or manure, possibly or even probably the manured plot would have outyielded the fertilized plot, because if for no other reason, the nitrogen of the latter, being soluble, would have passed tbrough the soil, while the farm manure would have yielded nitrogen for that and subsequent seasons. THE EFFECTS OF INCREASING QUANTITIES OF FERTILIZERS ON LAND MORE OR LESS IMPOVERISHED. What amount of potato fertilizer can I use profitably on my land for this crop? By potato fertilizer is meant that which is sold as such by leading fertilizer manufacturers, costing from $40 to $45 per ton, and analyzing about four per cent. of nitrogen, ten per cent. of phosphoric acid, and seven per cent. of potash. It is a question which a farmer must answer for himself, and that the question may be answered it is the object of these experiments to show. My experi- ment land, as has been shown, needs all kinds of plant food. Noth- ing less than a ‘‘complete”’ potato fertilizer will materially increase the crop. For example, if the above fertilizer be deprived of either potash, nitrogen or phosphoric acid, no matter in how great quantities the remainder is applied, no material increase in the crop will be given. This is true of this particular land. Upon other farms, any one or two might increase the yield as much as if all were used, in which case the cost of the omitted ingredients would be saved. Whether special or complete fertilizers will prove more profitable depends entirely upon what the land needs, and this vital question is what each farmer must find out for himself. Effects of Different Quantities of Fertilizers. 71 The trenches were dug about a foot wide and four inches deep, as in most of the potato experiments herein recorded. The seed pieces were placed in the bottom, exactly a foot apart, and lightly covered with soil, and the various quantities of fertilizers as stated in the fol- lowing tables were evenly strewn in the trenches. The fertilizer used in this series of experiments was the ‘‘ Stockbridge Potato Manure, ’ the.analysis and cost of which are approximately given above. The variety planted was the Rural Blush. FIRST SERIES. No. 1. 220 pounds to the acre. The yield was at the rate of 276.83 bushels to the acre. No. 2. 440 pounds of fertilizer to the acre. Yield, 330 busheis to the acre. No. 3. 880 pounds of fertilizer. Yield, 397.83 bushels to the acre. No. 4. Natural soil. The yield was at the rate of 163.16 bushels to the acre. No. 5. 220 pounds of fertilizer to the acre (duplicate of No. 1). The yield was at the rate of 245.66 bushels to the acre. No. 6. 440 pounds of fertilizer to the acre (duplicate of No. 2). The yield was 370.33 bushels to the acre. No. 7. 880 pounds of fertilizer to the acre (duplicate of No. 3). The yield was at the rate of 476.66 bushels to the acre. ~ Averaging the two separate trials, we have: 220 pounds fertilizer. Yield 261.24 bushels. 440 ce 6 ce 350.16 ce 880 (a 6 ‘é 437.24 sé Natural soil. by 162 16 me It appears, then, that 220 pounds of this fertilizer strewn in the trenches, as above explained, increased the yield over the unfertil- ized soil at the rate of 98 bushels to the acre: 440 pounds, 187 -pushels ; 880 pounds, 274 bushels. The above experiments show that thus far 880 pounds of the fer- tilizer may profitably be used to the acre. How much more than that amount can be profitably used will be shown in the next trials in which the comparative results of stable manure are also given. The prom- ise of the yields, as judged by the growth and appearance of the 72 The New Potato Culture. vines, is shown by ratings made by two persons, June 27. Ten (10), as in trials-:previously reported, was fixed as the highest rating. Plot 1, rated June 27 (220 pounds fertilizer), «. ce 2, ce «6 440 ce ec 6. (ag Bu ce oe 880 ¢ 6 8. a 4. a 66 refeye) a 66 2. DUPLICATES. Plot 5, rated June 27 (220 pounds fertilizer), 5. ce 6, oe ce 440 ee ce Wr ce Fs ae ce 880 ec ec Q. SULPHATE. OF IRON HARMFUL. In this experiment Williams, Clark & Co.’s potato fertilizer was used, the minimum guaranteed analysis being ammonia four per cent., soluble phosphoric acid five per cent., potash eight per cent. No. 1 received at the rate of 19,800 pounds of New York stable manure per acre. The yield was at the rate of 328.16 bushels to thenaete: No. 2 received neither manure nor fertilizer. The yield was 212.66 bushels to the acre. No. 3 received 440 pounds of the fertilizer. The yield was 245.66. No. 4 received 880 pounds. The yield was 330 bushels. No. 5 received 880 pounds of the fertilizer and at the rate of 440 pounds to the acre of sulphate of iron. The yield was 309.83 bushels to the acre. No. 6 received 1,320 pounds of the potato fertilizer. The yield was at the rate of 388.66 bushels to the acre. No. 7 received 1,320 pounds of the potato fertilizer with 440 pounds of the sudphate of iron. The yield was 379.50 bushels. No. 8 nothing. Yield 264.00—the highest yield ever made in this particular soil without manure or fertilizer. No. 9 received 1,760 pounds of the potato fertilizer. Yield, 443.66. No. 10 received 2,200 pounds to the acre of the potato fertilizer. The yield was nearly the same as No. 9g, viz., 443 bushels. No. 11 received 2,640 pounds. The yield was 480.33. No. 12 received at the rate of 880 pounds of the potato fertilizer and also 200 pounds of ground fish, 660 pounds of kainit, 440 of bone ee ee ey Effects of Different Quantites of Fertilizers. 915 flour, and 440 pounds of nitrate of soda—z,640 pounds to the acre in all. With this excessive application of all kinds of plant food, but especially of nitrogen, the yield was 361.16 bushels to the acre. In this experiment the yield is profitably increased by this fertilizer up to 1,760 pounds to the acre. The tabulated figures are: , 440 POMC SRST UTI ZETA der ach eee eek ece a ate ide 245.66 bushels. Soon is Set tees pele ene pa oa 8 coy BECO & MON Ang SEDO S (UL) Remedi cnet dey ta ee 388.66 fe Te 7OO) por” Dini. Ra obeheVRN Sr Pearse orate tenia > AABZOO.s fa? 200% BM Se BA ige AFR EME RENE NE 443.00 e 2 OA. ge \ pee Rete Near eR ae Ae at 480. 33 That No. 8 without any fertilizer should haye yielded more than No. 3, which received 440 pounds to the acre, cannot be accounted for. That 2,200 pounds gave no greater yield than 1,760 pounds, while 2 640 pounds largely increased the yield over either, is also in- explicable. The copperas decreased the yield in both trials. As in previous trials of the several plots, as judged by the growth and appearance of the vines, the promise of yield is shown by ratings made by two persons June 27, ten (10) being the highest. IN| Oi5p, Sit yaa eaeaeraeee Rate dise Suche nes eee 1,980 lbs. stable manure. 2 sec. cris. S GY ua RUG ee Nothing. (0) 32) Soe eee ‘ ON a ga 440 fertilizer. ie Nimans anaes FRIELING CED EL Ti 10 6! Bbole a 10 EOS ean a ‘: Op ges eaters a 880 a (0) S16 a Ea ae ee Sense. ar. TaZOn. aa , . 1,320 fertilizer. Now 7 prtteseeee WA EO CeO act. ces se ees 440 sulphate of iron. Ree 2. a Sic ie oe espe ee ae . Nothing. TO ae aga a SET On aa ast ha arteon 1;700 fertilizer: aD). creates casa 336 ee LOneca rece ote 2 2 ZOO ge : RMON Tass Sz osre ee cree a TOME oe ore tee aes 2,640 ws OY Se ae een a a Shae aie 5 har ama 2,640 mixed fertilizer. HOW MUCH FERTILIZER MAY BE PROFITABLY USED FOR POTATOES ON AN IMPOVERISHED SOIL THAT NEEIIS ‘©COMPLETE’’ FERTILIZER? The soil on which these experiments have been carried on for the past /wo years is so impoverished that the yield by the most careful trench culture without fertilizer is less than 150 bushels of potatoes 74 The New Potato Culture. to the acre, while paying crops of corn or vegetables of an, kind are out of the question. Fertilizer has been used from 40v to 2,200 pounds to the acre for two seasons on this particular plot, and for four other seasons on two other fields, and the results have been essentially the same, whether the weather has been wet or dry. The variety was the Rural Blush. The season was the wettest ever known. FIRST SERIES. Biot tig Natural soln. eee eee 161.33 bushels per acre me. 440 pounds fertilizer: wets EQOLOO 24 5s He 3 880 % echt 4 fie SLT LEOO ws ee A. At, 320 bc BUSS SME: We ofa es ape SA ktY, 27S. 00 eee “ 5a al 7OO SONY RORY etme Sat Pec yt 330.00 a 6. 2.200 Sel eee ie Comers Sak 308.00 ie - SECOND SERIES ret g7-- sNatural sollte 2 \. s eee 154.00 bushels per acre. iy 1S. a foOmpoundsmenrtilizers a eee eee LO7AOO 5 ee a g. 880 Bike eset eer muieanes 216.33 ve a ee lONeAs 20 eB es hatireet car: ote 2a Ong: a cnet e700 car eae Fae wee eee 297.00 ss : 2 e 25200: he) PA Se Sete Aa eS 330.00 a Zo THIRD SERIES. Plot 13 Ne tuital soil. eke eee ee eo a eee 117.33 bushels per acre. Sd 740 pounds fertilizers ee Coe 073m a 7S Tuo <> Ketel) Re aaah SN ae ae TMOKIACIO, ne ETO! IA Q2O Oh) ay al Se ee 282.33 Me ae Fe SCI hb OO PTS Fag RS eee eee gaa 300,00 ©" tee Belo. 2.200 Bea are een eee BAd OOmems fe FOURTH SERIES. ie: Plot, 16.4 Naturalisoillearte once tes ee 146.66 bushels per’ acre. * 20; . 440-pounds fertilizer ie) ee 165. : i ¢ Seo 880 Oe eaten te eet at ota ier 238.33 "2 By 522, aan SS Ie eh hae aS ee 304.33 Bu re e236 6.700 ORL SAP Bs eee eR es 249.33 a om 2 24. 2;200 Dt age ea Wedsse ob acck ite wrote 36300 m, - Liffect of Different Quantities of Fertilizers. 75 AVERAGES. IN Gare byez Son Rea ae Cae MR ae 144 bushels per acre. “z4o pounds fertilizer. . ..s. 3: nOgt ao ms 880 NG Res PAU ns LA on 1s os I,320 ea BB Nextel auc eke te tans 278 =e rt 1,760 ay bat Maycas 300 tae Lay Bie 294 a i 2,200 ny Re dhl Are i 336 a ae \ Rot prevailed more than ever before. The rotten potatoes were not estimated. The vines were injured by the flea-beetle and died nearly one month earlier than usual. The tubers seemed to be about three-quarters of the normal size. It would seem that farmers cultivating impoverished land should learn a valuable lesson from these experiments, which have been con- ducted long enough to prove that there is a reasonable chance of raising profitable crops of potatoes by the liberal use of high-grade fertilizers. The guaranteed analysis of the fertilizer used is as follows : PANTO OWN A pat awe cho -a8e ae etnies Suan hes 4% per cent. IBhosphonic acids, e251. 8 to 10 7. OPASIL ass aidkay Petetelske ene. shay oe 6to 8 yi EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT QUANTITIES OF FERTILIZERS ON POTA- : TOES GROWN IN A VARIABLE SOIL. Plot 30— 220 pounds, yielded at the rate per acre of...... 258.50 bushels. ‘* 36— -220 ae ee se et? TB Sonic aes ol EM eee On OREM Elia 205.33 os “i NOR SAP) et De aR ote Oe et Pal Ga eel a6 fa Caney, eae 172.33 Se ‘* 3I— 440 D1 OT acl ie aed Tea ee Oe Sime cr Nie a Ae 298.83 4 ees 440 Ruel ens Behe Wien oh AeA eben. eenlaivel a. soa ay a che Sere's.« 253- st eA O Peon SBE? 5 ye Pe PG SEs Ppaclap co eitetale everest oe 253- Ps ‘« 32— 880 MME oR og OPM | Mh tarta Sher Joe ess, 6" e 6 282.33 es OSGeo it i. die ep med e ees Se 227 s ‘© 42— 880 idle pate RARE COE GB oe Oar a 231. “ ‘f 33—I,320 RR ee ONT Mee A LS One eit Ss) eek a fea sm 228.16 ‘. 41.320 ae iN otal chal cosa TATK Somos se was ees 8 ae = s2A2 a 45,700 Mara eel ge War ee Gk icy «ann ho ences ethan olka’ 280. _ ‘* 39—1,760 SR Mme ear eee UN SN ata" alin lai7ei tue, re opie ge eaten 242. =a eto OOO STL, Soy ie a gee ee eee aD Se St CY a 161. 33 i ys Sonu 000 AOS A ee Sieveres en ky by 8) BTCVer eT ere. 6 Wes SS Se Se © eo snk FB : ‘ 76 The New Potato Culture. SUMMARY. The average crop of the plots that did not receive any fer- iilizer was tattthe rates pera@enre Of... «eee ee 146.66 bushels. 220 POUNGS, SAVEl Booms, ey Mate: kore” See een eee 212.05 ie AAO ec dara a Ce Ge a enna See er EN MEE DVI cc AEA a 268.28 io SS Om meas ES oN iean as cee ste aig cick s 0G ee ee eae eae 246.78 ss Ts S20 hl ig Wa cue Teatnats 2s bos Rae ME AREA) «> A eee. ee 285.08 ue 1,760 fe ste he OE ea Se ie eee ee RS ae 261. A The variety planted was the Rural Blush. Some of the vines were greatly, some lightly, and a few not at all, injured by the flea-beetle. The fertilizer used was the Stockbridge potato manure. ON AN ADJACENT PLOT. These trials as to the effects of increasing amounts of fertilizers were again carried on during the past season—18g90. The season was remarkable for the amount and frequency of rainfall and for comparatively few potato beetles. Flea-beetles were less numerous and blight less destructive than during the two preceding seasons. The plots have never (so far as the writer can ascertain) received any manure or fertilizer of any kind prior to the last three years, when these potato experiments were begun on this particular land. The soil is variable, being in parts a stiff clay while in other portions it is more of a loamy character. Mapes’ potato fertilizer, the analysis of which has been given, was used in quantities at the rate of from 220 to 1,760 pounds to the acre. The trenches and culture given were the same as in preceding trials, the variety Rural Blush. Plot =— a220upoundsito the acre. = ..a ae eee yield 156 __ bushels. ys = 8220 os red eat ira Bae eer Oru ent pate 2G) oy ‘* 2— 440 ro gle TA Sorat nee, net vara thes Log, 2 if MO i Ra Seite as Sakceg se Spee Fue Ne eo sf" E76 re ‘“ 3— 880 eS pene Mee SE ae ea ol ae Eee ae ns Soe 226.10 of ‘* 8— 880 : Piet Ph Ga Ae ME ie SERS (“2TOtSs A ‘“-4a—i1,760 ' = SA RON, SM Or eI Seon eo ome - ‘« g—1,760 # tS gp tia tei a ede gare PS at KR re tt. 2098, 0 Ommumas e 5—Nothing (0004 oc. Pee Pee gine k oo is ee 2 cua ie aeons Liffect of Different Quantities of Fertilizers. a3 AVERAGES. Pee MIIGer SAVE PEL ACUC, vise ete ci eee ee ee ee nae 196.16 bushels. Eeaepounds £ertilizer gave per Ces eh coseer are weiteaatet ae 419.83 aS OCA Weg. Rec Arne ete er mg mE Rees Fong ew I aha 322.66 Pe BER SGA he Wau uate MER Res Pattee i tanee bat tak ices yee, 311.66 s SPIO) CaN bite oh orcad? ame Se aes ose neta ens Pe cue 2 BO5nO0 Ao BES SEO A ae eR eh te earth gerne iss He ogee ee a a ee 354.50 a 3,133.96 bushels. Or at the average rate of 348.21 bushels of potatoes to the acre. We have thus fara difference of over 15 bushels in favor of placing the fertilizer above the seed pieces. UNDER AND OVER EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED FOR THE SECOND YEAR. The trenches were dug the same depth, viz., five inches. In the ‘fertilizer zzder” trials, the fertilizer was strewn in the bottom of the trenches and the seed pieces (Blush) placed on or in contact with the fertilizer. In the ‘‘ fertilizer over”’ trials, the pieces were placed in the bottom of the trenches, and the trenches filled to within one inch. The fertilizer (the same as that used in the experiments recorded above) was then strewn on this soil in the trenches, at the rate of 1,300 pounds to the acre, and the remaining inch of the trench filled in and the soil leveled. Fractions are omitted in the results. The season was wet. ae fertilizer Under or Over the Seed Pieces. Sr Piper stertuizer UNCEL . it 6 coos caes eae 293 bushels per acre. a2) bl Guy ei re hat tL tae Se i 293 sie ag ee) Si Peele tS - nih. ate Tec) ae 6 3 205 eee oie 4 (ENTS fete hy Meee ea ohana Fhgh aes peri» ITIGT eek st OC cyst ayo Zia ea! Phat Ae 10) PONE Leo eh sy. cig Soe be, 3 os Dye 1h aehs aaa i (Eva Glave se ee ie kan TIO" Pty ms Bie Os i OWE OR ae iC sjogt m0 wo Cer ie Ake ae, Pe [Hin | Sql ean em 279 ‘ ie as tO a ORCS? SAN a oO Sea aa Z60. Gee es he F His GlEe es eae Baas «ct pile 6 ieee x CUES AS a nome B0Sum. fF LSI AVERAGE. CNBC ESOS ee Sealer a 235 bushels per acre. PEE ooo tls ion ag eee 268 bushels per acre. ' SHALL THE FERTILIZER BE PLACED UNDER OR OVER THE SEED PIECES ? THIRD YEAR (1890). The trenches were dug this times six inches deep. In the ‘ferti- lizer under” trials, the fertilizer was strewn in the bottom of the trenches, and the seed pieces (Rural Blush) placed on (in contact with) the fertilizer. Inthe ‘‘fertilizer over” trials, the pieces were placed in the bottom, as with the others, and five inches of soil were returned. Then the fertilizer was sown on this soil, the remaining soil (one inch) being replaced to fill the trench. imei tetiilizer under - yield pep acres: ....6..5+----45-- 232.83 Scape} as ‘s OS 5 CS a aa aa SH 253 Sen x 3 = DOM ge Oo ghar kht Pate a cameo 269.50 Os Fs a ‘ ef MRED ES My sae haus SRK 255.65 ano a “s a aly PER ie cick sven esate tale 254.83 INMEEATEC Vil) PEL ACTE . ik... c eset eee reece sta teee 253.16 No. 2, fertilizer over; yield per acre .....-..--+-++++>- 214.50 a 74; 4 ut gs BEE cokes 3 ata te eee 225.50 2.6; se us e Bat Pa Salada gS aA hae ae 218.16 TORRES ee “ a Ss Mee tebe g Soar ye Na 245.66 ss) ei ee cf TNT or Gene ike MRE Ae a et 265.83 82 The New Potate Culture. A difference in favor of placing the fertilizer wzder, of 19.23 bushels per acre. The fertilizer used in this and the preceding trial was the Mapes’ potato, at the rate of 1,000 pounds to the acre. The season was wet throughout, one of the wettest remembered. IN THE SEASON OF 1889, which was also a wet season, and when the crop was thought to be lessened by the flea-beetle and blight, the average results were as fol- lows, as above recorded. Under yielded an average per acre of.... 235 bushels. Over ig S e et 208 as A difference of 33 bushels per acre in favor of placing the ferti- lizer over. DURING THE SEASON OF 1888, Stockbridge potatc fertilizer was used at the rate of 800 pounds to the acre, as also stated. The season was favorable as to rain-fall, it being neither too much nor too little, while the tops were not harmed by flea-beetles or blight : Under yielded an average per acre of.... 332.95 bushels. Over sf a oe Son, 34032 We have a difference of 15.26 bushels per acre in favor of placing the fertilizer over. 3 A GENERAL SUMMARY of the averages for the three years shows as follows : Fertilizer over, per acre 6 ni atone cairn eee 283.38 bushels. wince series mallee tae 27357 Ona Difference in favor of fertilizer over.. 9.68 “ : Geel EKA, Results of Planting Potatoes in Trenches of Different “Depths. FIRS® TRIALS. HE soil of these’ plots, naturally variable, was made exceed- ingly so by grading, the soil from the higher parts having been carted to the lower places. Itis in some parts a sandy loam, in others a clay loam, and in still other parts a stiff brick-clay, all impoverished by years of cropping without any manure of any kind. These potato experiments were in previous years made on plots of notably uniform soil, so impoverished that anything short of a ‘‘*complete” fertilizer failed to materially increase the crops. This was proven so conclusively that there seemed to be no reason why the trials should be continued upon them. The following exhibit, as might well have been anticipated from the variability of the soil, seems to show that the depth of planting should be governed by the character of the soil. At the rate of 800 pounds of Stockbridge potato fertilizer was sown in the trenches after the seed pieces were lightly covered. The trenches were three feet apart, measuring in this trial, as in every other, from the middle of each. Plot 21, 4 inches deep yielded........ 403.33 bushels per acre. ee 23% rs ms i eee oor 348.33 oe 4 ee ms a SE ie SE eae 263 00) «2 a This gives an average, for four-inch deep planting, of 371.55 bushels to the acre. Plot 20, 8 inches deep yielded........ 385.00 bushels per acre. Pia, ue oe HLS ah ili ore Fe 300/062 a “26, Be idan. Begs Ge 2 oe 355.66 “ z ‘* 29 e cE fe ise, tad JIE. 00:\e 85 “ 84 The New Potato Culture. This gives an average per acre, for eight inches deep planting, of 338.24. Plot 24, roinchesideep yielded==5 267.66 bushels per acre. 9 25, cé Ce a eS nn aoe 381.33 cs ce te 28, a: 6 ce, Chee 384.16 a ce This gives an average per acre, for ten-inch deep planting, of 311.05 bushels. SUMMARY. A en-inchaplam tits nee ee ay ee 311.05 bushels Hightane bs plamtider 2 eres see te 333,24 one Houreinehy plamtingecr:: srr reer 371.55 as The variety planted was the Rural Blush. Some of the vines were greatly, some slightly, and a few not at all injured by the flea-beetle. IN 1889, one of the wettest seasons known, the average results, much reduced by blight and the flea-beetle, were as follows : Twoinches; per acre - . 2. 62.0). 80s, 02. bc8 oes 22 2 Ome Four 66 ot 6c ; 220 6c Six 6c a a 185 cc Totes BE EEN Sar eral ceed na cetege sede et ey a eae eae 197 See Ten s Se cme aera arar Prats. Cen oem ee Ra, 2 EAS: = tome TRIALS OF 1890. The trenches were dug two, four, six, eight and ten inches deep, and the fertilizer was sown at the rate of 1,000 pounds to the acrein the trenches after the seed pieces had received an inch covering of soil. The fertilizer used was the Mapes potato, analyzing as follows : Ammonia, 4.50 per cent.; phosphoric acid, eight; potash, six; the minimum quantities guaranteed. The soil of these plots is naturally poor and thin—a loam inclining rather to clay than to sand. It has never received any manure in so far as the writer has been able to learn—certainly not within the past 19 years. The season was wet throughout. There were so few potato-beetles that it was necessary to apply Paris-green but once. Then it was sifted upon the vines— 1% pound to 200 pounds of plaster, thoroughly mixed together on a Results of Planting at Various Depths. 85 ight board floor. The mass of plaster was first spread over the floor about two inches in thickness. The poison was then as evenly as possible sifted over this. It was then mixed by the use of a steel rake, shoveled into a heap, spread out again and raked, etc., until the distribution of the poison seemed to be perfect. There were few flea- beetles and no blight, though last year on this same land, flea-beetles destroyed the vines several weeks before their time of maturity. The variety, as in all previous trials, was the Rural Blush. ; Bushels LVo. Inches. per acre. ae DM MR TCL Rete esos SNare tet «haters “eye « Miele ti. e ia te coy hata awa o Nels 308. 2 Bi oS Crd CO EMC CCR ae eer RO ee Peri a 297. Be eee, SO Gray See weed. + Maea phe mse mee 304.33 4. Sg Chin OE ORY er Penne Seen ea ee Oe 247.50 ae OME Ment eke Soo 8) esis) ests aie se © eejent es «ie aoe «6 276.83 6. Bo 0 0 B15 TOUR Neen eer ee a ier a 249. 7 UME ee Se fea 8 Pen od Gr yar Sire. ae coieWotoh are oie! 62") ole as 287.83 8. So ci do GRE ae eee en ie tees ear te eae ga 302.50 Q. MEN a eather iene tyeyrvoks wimia a bee 265,83 Io i PN Re Recher scar! sis ti SR Aes Rosie Ge cie eS oe ee a 287.83 II Bo hg Sees 6a nna ane eater aa eee Rr oc aera rae 260. 12 Gig 5 6 Oe AA Re eRe a a ee ee ee Or 238.33 13 Ree cons rch er eave ed» ce des, Cote. ows Kani 278.66 14 EINE ater crete eae os artic sels s cate eee et aie 223.66 a5 TG 2:3 2S OAR aR ee ee ree 269.50 i MOT Ne SR ceasing (sieeve ois We ele oe Aes Sew es 260 17] Te Fai eS Te 6 caitdy aang 2 wis o's 6 apse ea Se ae © 261 .83 18 CEST PIAS, oepias xe chile ole als ote beak eas oe 267.66 sme) MER eet eres ots NaS. SF Aeied eh ewte and Brow Sa ee 227.33 20 OMB EM Pee cies = chiens 3.5 .di.sse se sreaepe pois ovale a Pigan operehs 236.50 21 Mee eaceila. oho Sacra seer ei Wiehel es Meyayal vim, eee pe o's 280.50 22 hl, an) bE eile Bac eon Ey Seer eae RE a ROR . 278.66 23 SMe et US tan a wn gee we we ae ST 539 24 Seca ee a ern es ea 300 25; COMME Reuse APLAR ico onc idie ois eg etein Ss wale Seascale, om ge 240.16 26. EE Ra oe Sy fs ke Mae SS harness hare Wales S 242 27 2 cag Cape ace Ce a CR OE SSR RRL A GM ll Sela 293; 28 Eo oy pe Se NS Ola Ne a eee eee Ce ers at te 254.83 29 Bk i ee eg Ree a tra 293 30 Ria as CN hn Greie a cis, cowie sao een s)¥e a wea eS 269.50 86 The New Potato Culture. Bushels LVo. Inches. per acre. Bile Be SNS SEA ridge a ROOT OR oo SES, ONS Shee Mae MED RRS Spree 258.33 22. CNS PORE EE nee tts i, Ses ae ee a a Bing tre IR os SP See lc ZOoA Mey, 23. OUTS 2A eee eens hs a) en Rear: CORE 247.50 34. St Seah city Seat ees ees Si fet ee AER ain 251.16 AVERAGES. two imches depthiyielded, peracne: 2.454.250" 265 40 bushels. IBOUTae Pe S nay ee eh ete ae Ao) 297226 s Six - af at Sf SUB Le ee, cece eae 281.56 of Bieht) ¢ Of us Td aaa = Say she Sond BSE s iene ms Fe gee Wind on et ee 263.38 x The difference between the greatest yield—six inches depth—and the smallest yield—eight inches depth—is 23.19 bushels to the acre. The difference between the eight inches depth and the ten inches depth is but five bushels to the acre. Had the season been dry we should naturally have looked for a larger yield from the deeper trenches. As it was, the difference does not at all pay for the extra cost of a depth of planting beyond six inches. AVERAGE OF TOTAL RESULTS. Twoumches) per -aACreh scwaecas We ee ee ee '. 245.70 bushels. EVO UG abies hae Peery ies Be RB Ps ae SP 7. §280:00 of Six sf ace Ae JRE A iat te (ee 22B027, a Bishi OF eile Sage Fd cx tag Se te Sel DETR OO sae shenees Sty lth, oes Lt oe 2 aed an 240.81 Ss It will be seen that the four-inch trenches give the largest yield as the average of three years during which these experiments have been conducted. When it is considered that the eight-inch trenches give the next largest yield, we have evidence that the experiments have not been carried on long enough to warrant any positive generaliza- tions. Srna ER XI. ee especially nitrate nitrogen as in nitrate of scda. Its effects when applied alone. May farmers derive a profit from its use when applied to land indiscriminately or as farm manure 1s applied ? Joseph Harris’s views and the author’s answer. Experiments. HAVE always taken the view; with or without sufficient data for intelligent guidance, that unless the farmer or gardener by actual test, has found out that his land is poor in nitrogen and fairly sup- plied with potash and phosphoric acid, conditions which are F known rarely to exist, he cannot afford to use the nitrate of soda alone . except in asmall, experimental way. The same may be said of sul- phate of ammonia. This view I have taken pains to emphasize from time to time in several of the leading farm papers of the day. Ina prominent horticultural magazine Mr. Joseph Harris, of Moreton Farm—the author of several interesting and very instructive books on farm topics—has criticised these opinions, as may be seen by the following remarks : MR. HARRIS’S CRITICISMS. ‘‘Mr. Carman says: ‘It is much to be regretted that certain writers are advocating the use of nitrate of soda. Unless the land is well supplied with potash and phosphoric acid and needs nitrogen alone, nitrogen will not materially increase the crop.’ *‘ This is a self-evident proposition. And the same thing might be said of soda, lime, magnesia, sulphuric acid andiron. All these ingre- dients of plants are absolutely essential to healthy plant growth. ‘¢ There are people who contend that to maintain the productive- (87) 88 The New Fotato Culture. ness of our land it is necessary to return to the soil the amount of plant food that the crops remove. They overlook the fact that a cer- tain amount of plant food is rendered available each year from the store of plant food lying dormant in the soil. If this is sufficient we need use nomanure. If any one element is deficient, we must supply the deficiency or be satisfied with a deficient yield. The weakest link in-a chain determines the strength of the whole chain. If we find out the weakest link and strengthen it, then some other link would be the weakest. Asa rule, for most garden crops our soils are deficient, rst, in nitrogen; and when this is supplied, they are deficient, 2nd, in phosphoric acid ; and when this is supplied they are deficient, 3rd, in potash, and so on through every link in the chain. ‘For forty years or more, efforts have been made to find out what ingredients of plant food are most likely to be deficient. It was pro- posed to analyze the soils. . This was found to be practically uscless. The idea was then advanced that the amount of plant food in the crops would tell us the amount necessary to apply in manure. Lawes and Gilbert’s experiments, over forty years ago, demonstrated the fallacy of this idea, but every now and then it shoots up again and grows as vigorously and perniciously as ever. ‘What we need, especially in garden crops, is not ‘soil tests,’ but experiments that will show what plants require a ‘sap of the soil’ — specially rich in nitrogen or in phosphoric acid or potash. In other words, we want to ascertain the weakest link in the supply of food for different plants; and there is no way of getting at the facts ex- cept by actual experiments. 2 ‘¢When Mr. Carman says it is much to be regretted that we are advocating the use of nitrate of soda, he overlooks the fact that we advocate the use of superphosphate with equal earnestness, and, in some cases, of potash also. The object of these articles was to show that when gardeners use the ordinary commercial fertilizers, they spend a great deal of money for plant food that their crops do not need. For instance, if they want to apply 100 pounds of nitrogen on an acre of land, and 50 pounds of phosphoric acid, and buy a fertilizer guaranteed to contain 2 per cent. of nitrogen and 12 per cent. of phos- phoric acid, they will have to sow 5,000 pounds to the acre, and this will furnish ¢welve times as much phosphoric acid as is required. What we contend for is that they should buy the necessary phos- — : The Use of Nitrogen. 89 phoric acid in the cheapest and best form 4nd be sure to use enough _of it, but not too much. To put on twelve times as much soluble phosphoric acid as is needed, in order to get the necessary nitrogen, is folly. If you want nitrogen as well as phosphoric acid, buy the nitrogen in the cheapest and best form. If we recommend nitrate of soda to those who wish to buy nitrogen, it is because the nitrogen is in the best and most available form, and because, at the present timc, it is the cheapest source of nitrogen. ‘There are enormous beds of it in South America, and its use in Europe is rapidly increasing, while with us it is almost unknown. It certainly is well worth our while to see if, especially in our dry and sunny climate, we cannot use it to great advantage. ‘‘Mr. Carman further says: ‘In experiments made at the Rural Grounds during two seasons, to ascertain the effect of nitrogen on potatoes, it was found that additional quantities of nitrate of soda, or -sulphate of ammonia, or blood, or all three, beyond what was supplied by the ‘complete’ fertilizer, did not increase the -yield in any case. aoe rom 1200 to 2,000 pounds-of the fertilizer was used, - guaranteed to contain 33 per cent. of nitrogen, 12 per cent. of phos- phoric acid and 6 per cent. of potash. It appears, therefore, that the amount of nitrogen supplied by the fertilizer was amply sufficient for the crop’s needs, and that the added nitrogen was so much money thrown away.’ . ‘Mr, Carman made better experiments than his allusion to them above would indicate. Our own personal objection to them is that they were on too small a scale to carry conviction to an old farmer and gardener. The plots were only 7}, part of an acre each. One good feature, however, was that four plots were left without manure. These plots produced at the rate of 88, 97, 68 and 59 bushels per acre each. The variation in the land, therefore, was 38 bushels per acre. Bearing this fact in mind, let us look at some of the more im- portant results bearing on the subject we are discussing. - $* RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS ON POTATOES BY E. S. CARMAN. Bushels ; per acre. fr Nomanuxe (averages plots)... 2s....).s.N a wee sede ae 74 2—avo pounds sulphate of potash... <1... 2). -s- see as oe 95 5-400 pounds superphosphate .- 0... ees Sarees to eee 103 gO The New Fotato Culture. cy Bushels per acre. ‘A-—200 pounds mitrate Ol iso dann. ssc: | eee ee T41 5—1,I00 pounds blood, nitrate of soda and sulphate of am- malo ntar 25.) Heke Sets Rated ae eit: ean a 183 6—ro tons two-year-old farm manures.) sees... ae eee 139 7—200 pounds nitrate of soda ) bane etn eee. ee 139 120 pounds nitrate of potash $ 8—200 pounds nitrate of soda I2Z0 pounds mutniate ok pPOtashy ysis oer ks ooo eae 156 700 pounds superphosphate ‘¢ There is certainly nothing in these results contradictory to the principles we have advocated. Mr. Carman states that the scil had been cropped for many years without manure of any kind, and that it ‘would not grow beans, or even a good crop of weeds without manure.’ And yet it will be seen that nitrogen a/one, on plot 5, pro- duced 183 bushels of potatoes per acre, while on plot 8, 1,020 pounds of a ‘complete manure’ produced only 156 bushels, or 27 bushels less than nitrogen alone. Why is this? Did the phosphoric acid and potash do harm? No; there was not nitrogen enough. The phosphoric acid and potash could not increase the crop for lack of nitrogen. ‘¢ Mr. Carman tells us that he used from 1,200 to 2,000 pounds of a complete fertilizer, guaranteed to contain 34 per cent. of nitrogen, 12 per cent. phosphoric acid and 6 per cent. of potash, and that when he added more nitrogen, it did no good. Why shouldit! Oats are good for horses, but when a horse has all the oats he will cat, throwing more oats in the manger will not increase his strength or improve his appearance. If the ton of complete fertilizer furnished all the nitrogen the plants wanted, more could do no good. But for the sake of getting 70 pounds of nitrogen, what folly it is to use aton of fertilizer that contains a greal deal more phosphoric acid, costing 8 cents per lb., than the crop can possibly want? This is the point we wish to impress on our readers. And it is a matter of surprise that so clear-headed and able a man as Mr. Carman does not see that his own experiments demonstrate, if they demonstrate anything, that, so far as the production of potatoes is concerned, this worn out soil, that was so poor that it would not grow a good crop of weeds, was more deficient in available nitrogen than in any other constituent The Use of Nitrogen. gi of plant-food. Superphosphate and potash, without nitrogen, did no good. They could produce no effect from lack of nitrogen. Thirty- two pounds of nitrogen per acre, in the form of nitrate of soda, raised the crop from 74 bushels per acre (or possibly 59 bushels) to 141 bushels per acre. The same amount of nitrogen on plot 8, in 1,020 lbs. of ‘ complete manure’ produced 156 bushels, the 820 lbs. of superphosphate and potash only increasing the yield 15 bushels per acre—not as much as the difference in yield of the unmanured plots. Nitrogen alone, on plot 5, produced 183 bushels per acre. It is clear, therefore, that a complete manure, like that used on plot 8, containing about 3% per cent. of nitrogen, is a very costly and ‘badly balanced ration’ for potatoes.. It does not, for Mr. Car- man’s poor, worn-out soil, contain half nitrogen enough. It is true that by using enough of it you could grow a large crop, but it would be done at a fearful and-unnecessary expense. We feel perfectly safe in saying that a ton of it per acre would produce no larger a crop than half a ton that contained double the amount of nitrogen. ‘¢ A complete manure, such as that used on plot 8, would probably cost $40 per ton. The 200 lbs. of nitrate of soda in the mixture can be bought for $5. In other words, the phosphoric acid and potash in the ton of this complete manure cost $35. Leave half of it out and double the nitrate and you will, in my judgment, get quite as large a crop at far less cost. There is nothing in Mr. Carman’s experiments, or any other, to lead me to suppose otherwise. ‘‘Voreton Farm. JosepH Harris.” REPLY TO JOSEPH HARRIS. Mr. Joseph Harris’s views are no doubt as sound as a dollar in the general principles which they advocate ; but the instances which he - cites in proof of his conclusions are possibly open to criticism. For a year or so past certain writers have advocated a more gen- erous use of nitrate of soda, in a way to lead those who have given little thought to chemical fertilizer questions to assume that it is in itself a fertilizer which will insure a profitable increase of crop, re- gardless of the needs of the soil. I have therefore repeatedly cautioned my readers not to use nitrate of soda (or nitrogen in any soluble form) unless it is known that the land is already proportion- ately supplied with available phosphoric acid and potash. Nitrogen 92 The New Potato Culture. is neither more nor less valuable to the gardener or farmer than is either of the others. Itis by far more costly, and, while the phos- phates and potash remain in the soil for subsequent crops, nitrate of soda leaves us even before the current crop is harvested. Wedo not need to tell our distinguished critic this. He knows it, and has taught it in his writings for many years. And yet we place Mr. Har- ris among those who, while cracking up nitrate of soda, has of, in every case or in most cases, emphasized sufficiently the insuperable importance of a corresponding supply of minerals. Mr. Harris assumes that the chemical fertilizers of to-day contain toosmall a quantity of nitrogen ; that the minerals (potash and phos- phate) are the strong links, and that a deficiency of nitrogen is the weak link of the chain by which the crop, in due proportion, will be diminished. This is true without a doubt in a majority of cases, and it is well that it is true, for if the farmer is to lose a part of the money he pays for fertilizers, he would better invest it in food con- stituents of a lower cost which will remain in his soil, than in nitrogen at a higher cost, which takes its leave after a single season of service. If a farmer, from experimentation, is fairly confident that his land is especially short in nitrogen, let him buy fertilizers with a high ratio of nitrogen; but if he knows nothing about it, the very best thing he can do is to buy high-grade complete fertilizers and use them until by experiment he finds that more nitrogen will profitably augment his crops. Then he may wisely add nitrate of soda, salts of ammonia or organic nitrogen, as he, by trial in an inexpensive way on small plots here and there, may find them serviceable. The advocacy of the use of one-sided, low-priced fertilizers on the part of the mixers (‘‘man- ufacturers ’’) and their agents, has done incalculable harm in the way of inducing those who till the scil to purchase fertilizers which do not furnish the full or partial meal which their land demands. The con- sequence is that they denounce fertilizers zz foto. Thus, bone or South Carolina rock, kainit, superphosphates, ammoniated superphos- phates, sold under high-sounding, taking names, and prices far below those of high-grade brands, are tried and condemned, not for what they really are, but as ‘‘ ferdz/zzevs”’ which are assumed to furnish everything in the way of plant food that the name represents. So it ~ is that in every case gifted and well-known writers, like Mr. Harris, whose words of advice are taken without question, should place all ee oP a a ee \ ’ 7* The Use of Nitrogen. 93 ro) possible emphasis upon the economy of purchasing either high-grade complete fertilizers, or of ‘‘incomplete” fertilizers only as the farmer or gardener has learned from experiment that his land responds fully to bone, to potash or to nitrogen, and that the other constituents are not at present needed. Mr. Harris says that itis a matter of surprise that I do not see that my own experiments demonstrate that, so far as the production of potatoes is concerned, my worn-out soil was more deficient in nitro- gen than in any other constituent of plant-food. ‘‘ Superphosphate and potash, without nitrogen, did no good. They could produce no effect without nitrogen. Nitrogen alone on one plot produced 183 bushels per acre,” or, I may, add, 105 bushels above the average of the plots of natural soil wz¢fourtfertilizer. It is true that if this single trial be taken as a basis for comparison, Mr. Harris’s reasoning is logical enough. It should be stated in fairness, however, that this little nitrogen plot yielded more for some reason than any other nitrogen- plot either of that year’s experiments or of those of preceding years. Another plot which received not only the same quantity of nitrate of soda per acre (200 pounds), but also z00 pounds of sulphate of potash, produced but go bushels of potatoes to the acre, or 12 bushels above the natural-soil plots. Again, raw bone (1,100 pounds), furnishing perhaps three or four per cent. of ammonia, gave but 77 bushels per acre. Again, in our similar experiments of the year be. fore, nitrate of soda (200 pounds) gave a yield but little more than the average of the natural-soil plots. The several no-fertilizer plots yielded an average of 143 bushels to the acre. Nitrate of soda (200 pounds) yielded but 125 bushels, sulphate of ammonia (120 pounds) yielded the same, nitrate of soda (200 pounds) and dissolved bone- black (400 pounds) yielded 168 bushels. Nitrate of soda (200 pounds) and sulphate of potash (300 pounds) gave 233 bushels per acre. Nitrate of soda (200 pounds), dissolved bone-black * 400 pounds), sulphate of potash (300 pounds)—a complete fertilizer— gave 217 bushels. The Mapes potato manure (800 pounds, gave 257 bushels to the acre, while in the later experiments quoted by Mr. Harris, 1,200 pounds of the Mapes (3.70 nitrogen guaranteed) gave a yield of 273 bushels to the acre. See From a glance at the experiments carried on during the season to which’Mr. Harris alludes, it is admitted that nitrosen alone gave a 94 The New Potato Culture. greater increase over the unmanured plots than either potash or phosphoric acid or both. It is just as evident, withal, that in no in-~ stance was a large crop raised except when a high-grade complete fertilizer was used. Whether a smaller quantity of the fertilize and an additional dose of nitrogen would have given as large a crop we have no proof one way or the other. If we were striving to raise the largest possible yield per acre, we would not use nitrogen in the | form of nitrate of soda alone, but in the blended forms of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, dried blood, urate of ammonia and other organic salts of ammonia found in Peruvian guano, all of them solu- ble, but in varying degrees. Moreover, we should supply them, especially on light and fallow land, in minimum quantities consistent with experience, on account of their expense and the liability of loss by leaching. It is easy to supplement nitrogen to a growing crop by top-dressing, if it is thought that it will prove serviceable, as, es- pecially in the form of nitrate, it is exceedingly prompt in its action. On a portion of the same impoverished field upon which the potato trials alluded to were made, the effects of a dressing of 150 lbs. te the acre of nitrate of soda on corn were plainly visible 50 feet away, _ three days after the application, in the darker color of the leaves as compared with the rest of the field which had received potash and phosphoric acid only. Our great authority, Sir J. B. Lawes, grew potatoes on the same plots for nine consecutive years, from 1876 to 1884 inclusive. The average yield from the use of 400 lbs. of ammonia salts alone was 103 bushels per acre ; that from 550 lbs. of nitrate of soda was 104 bushels. The same amount of ammonia salts, with the ash elements added (complete), produced an average for the nine years of 325 bushels per acre. Nitrate of soda (550 lbs.), with the ash elements added, gave 300 bushels per acre. Farm-yard manure (16 tons)—an average of six years—gave a yield of 253 bushels per acre. Mr. Harris remarks that the 200 lbs. of nitrate of soda used in several of my experiments to form complete fertilizers, can be bought ‘for $5. We agree with him that for potatoes it is an ill-balanced fer- tilizer in most cases, not, however, because it contains too little ni- trogen necessarily, but because it does not exist in varied forms and also because the potash is too low by half for soils deficient in potash. Where a large crop is anticipated it is always safer {0 use an excess The Use of Nitrogen. 95 of food constituents, particularly of those that do not waste by leach. ing. Phosphoric acid is, next to nitrogen, the ingredient oftenest de- ficient in soils. Nine-tenths of the fertilizers used in England and America are mainly phosphoric acid. Potash in many soils, how- ever, 1s present in liberal quantities, and it would be unwise to supply it in full rations unless a known dcficit exists. If you err at all, gardeners and farmers, it is better to err on the side of economy. Phosphoric acid will remain with you to feed sub- sequent crops. So willpotash. Know that your soilneeds more ni- trogen before you apply it in liberal doses. Nitrogen costs a lot of money, and the higher the price of experiment ingredients, the less the farmer should apply it without due discrimination. We say give the soil all the phosphoric acid you choose. You will rarely overdo it. Give it potash according to its needs, as nearly as youmay. But be gentle and conservative in the use of nitrogen, unless you are positive it will give you full returns. It is a ruinous luxury. We may every one of us bear in mind that if phosphates ma- terially increase our crops, we have evidence, to a certain extent, that nitrates are the less needed at present ; if potash increase the crop, here is evidence that nitrates are the less needed. If both phos- phates and potash fail, then let the cxperimenter add nitrates in vary- ing quantities from 100 to 300 pounds to the acre, and thus in a safe, inexpensive way find out approximately what his land needs. THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN IN VARYING QUANTITIES UPON POTA- RO Shhh Cis Ok ENC REASING TOUAN TID LES Ob hE RAED BRS. This question of how much nitrogen farmers or gardeners may with profit give to the soil is one manifestly of the first importance. Mr. Harris’s position may be repeated and emphasized in the follow- ing words: ‘‘Itis a matter of surprise that Mr. Carman does not see that his own experiments demonstrate that, so far as the produc- tion of potatoes is concerned, his worn-out soil was more deficient in nitrogen than in any other constituent of plant-food.” It was to throw more light upon this question that the following trials were made during the past season (1890). Mr. Harris con- tends that the chemical fertilizers of to-day, as a rule, contain too small a quantity of nitrogen; that the minerals (potash and phos- 96 The New Lotato Culture. phate) are the strong links, and that a deficiency of nitrogen is the weak link of the chain by which the crop, in due proportion, will be diminished. An injudicious advocacy of the good effects to be de- rived from nitrate of soda, on the part of many writers, has had a decided effect upon those who have not studied chemical fertilizer problems to induce them to jump at the conclusion that it will insure a profitable increase of crops regardless of the needs of the soil. Nitrogen (it may well be repeated) is neither more nor less valuable to the farmer or gardener than is either potash or phosphate. It is far more costly and, while the phosphate and potash remain in the soil for subsequent crops if not used up by the current crop, nitrate of soda, unless supplied in repeated doses, often fails to carry a late crop through to maturity. The plots (23 in number) were planted April 26, by the trench method, so often described. The variety was the Rural Blush, the fertilizer was the Mapes, with the following analysis : (NITION). stem Siete sre eieten se 4.59 to 5 percent. hosplogicucide.: - err Sire tOBLO Raat HO tals lntyogiaa.- tow, ats ceases ete 6 tomd f Bushels per acre. Plotwac Nowertrhizeriot tae ee 403.33 a LOO Ne ey a SS ae SOMA ta ob, 302.50 oe 2OW 220 oe co Meee etse piles Sema toca Ov Aes eae 352. e ZEA) 280m s rs Pp McaSiat we Re ye ores ak os oie eer eearege 315. Here it will be seen that the small amount of 55 lbs. to the acre of nitrate of soda, without any potato fertilizer, gave as large a yield as plot 14, which received the same amount of nitrate of soda and 1,320 Ibs. of the potato fertilizer. In the two following experiments a fertilizer high in ammonia, 7.50 per cent; high also in potash, 10.50 per cent, but low in phosphoric acid, 4.50 per cent., was tried. The results were as follows : Bushels per acre. Plotm. 6 a40rlbs. tome acre wntaee ao paren aca ee ees 27GE es rerea) 4G is it) Micralel av Pai hes brea tins Seemauause eae 330. SUMMARY. We may summarize in this way: Average of plots that did not receive either potato fertilizer or nitrate of soda alone, 233.75 bushels to the acre. With 440 lbs. of potato fertilizer, nitrate of soda, from 55 to 330 Ibs. to the acre, increased the yield over the no-fertilizer plots 39.41 bushels per acre. | With 880 lbs. of potato fertilizer, nitrate of soda, from 55 to 330 Ibs. to the acre, increased the yield over the no-fertilizer plots 87.50 bushels per acre, or but 6.25 bushels over the plot which received the same amount of potato fertilizer (880 lbs.) without nitrate of soda. With 1,320 lbs. of fertilizer, nitrate of soda from 55 to 330 lbs. to the acre, increased the yield over the no-fertilizer plots 148.50 bushels to the acre, or 35.65 bushels over the plot which received the 1,320 Ibs. of fertilizer alone. The results of the above experiments would seem, though in a feeble way, to justify Mr. Harris’s conclusions that the potato fertili- zers of to-day are too low in nitrogen. Still we would as urgently as ever advise farmers not to depend upon nitrogen for a profitable in- crease of crops, but rather to see to it that the land is well supplied re ie J a = . \ | a The Use of Nitrogen. 99 with minerals, and to experiment with the costly nitrogen, using on different portions of the same field, as we have done, ali the way from 55 to 320 lbs. to the acre—an experiment which, conducted on small plots, involves neither much trouble nor expense. Remember that what you do not recover of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia in the crops of the season, you will never recover. But the phos- phates and potash that one crop may not use will remain for the next. Gib Ave Ree ote Ce ry Cr , es Dotal-yieid, periacre: =. 775.6 wos eee 14.—880 pounds Mapes. 440 pounds nitrate potash. Yield, per acre. Large tubers eee ee eee woe oe we eee wee se oe Vield;sper acre: (Small tubersee ese oes Lota) yield;per acre . 2% 5. nn ee ee eee . 15.—No fertilizer. Yield, per acre. Large tubers . Yield, per acre. Small tubers Total yield, per acre ..... . 16.—1,320 pounds Mapes. Yield, per acre. Large tubers Yield, per acre. Large tubers eocee ee sveee Ce ee ey S\xe), ©. © Je\ ay « se) «hele @ 0 (0 © «9 «© ae ¢ sa) see ¢ @lepece.esa oe eeeevees eeeeeee eee © loHee 2 © evegmie Yotal yield, peracre.7.) 2h ses seca a eee q Lxperiments : . _ No. 17.—1,320 pounds Mapes. I10 pounds nitrate polash. 1 Wield speracre smedie BIDELS 5 oi P0500. LE ee 236.50 Napid wpemacre, sulall tubers) #0.) .5 0.0082 acs ss. 42.16 Motaleyieldrper ACKe ae tials): Suse's wn hluecdre Page mt 278.66 No. 18.—1,320 pounds Mapes. . 110 pounds nitrate soda. a NMaleldy peracrex.. WArpeMUDGrS. 1. vias xo o.a4,+ 0 obese 4,5 cok 267.66 Waieids per acre, .oiall tubers; .-< qice sce cess Novae 80.66 SE Otalkyield- perma Gres src. .5 staPae verge ioe tak . 9. et sake ee 278.66 Or an average of 255.66 bushels to the acre—or about 42 bushels 154 The New Potato Culture. less than in the preceding trials, though nearly twice as much nitro- gen was added. No. 4.—440 pounds Mapes. 220) pounds mittateOlisoday. >. cere aoc ee 286.00 No. 10.—880 pounds Mapes. 220 pounds nitratesodaa.. 22.2427. 5-8 Soe 304.33 No. 18.—1,320 pounds Mapes. Tro pounds nitrateisoda\~ «. .-.6 @-- oe ee 348.32 Or an average of 312.88 bushels to the acre. No. 5.—440 pounds Mapes, with 330 pounds of nitrate, gave a yield of only 236.49 bushels to the acre. It appears that while 440, 880 and 1,320 pounds to the acre of the Mapes gave an average of 295.77 bushels to the acre, the addition to the above of 55, 110, 220 and 330 pounds of nitrate of soda to the acre gave but 275.66 bushels to the acre—a difference of 20 bushels against the use of additional nitrate. . Let us now compare the nitrate of soda with the nitrate of potash. Nitrate of soda contains about 16 per cent. of nitrogen; nitrate of potash (saltpeter), about 13 per cent. of nitrogen and 46 per cent. of potash. It is evident that if more potash is needed than the potato fertilizer furnishes, nitrate of potash should increase the yield more than the nitrate of soda. No. 11.—88o0 pounds Mapes. 55 pounds nitrate potash q.7-..4- 5-5 ce ee 285.99 (Note.—Additional nitrate potash was not tried with 440 pounds of the Mapes.) No. 12.—88o0 pounds Mapes. ETO pounds nitrate potash...e 42 oO. ee eee 285.99 No. 13.—880 pounds Mapes. 220) pounds nitrates potashwes a2 4-7 «4s 359.33 No. 14.—88o0 pounds Mapes. 440 pounds nitrate potash. -.5... .)> 25 eee 366.66 (NoTE.—330 pounds of nitrate of soda was the highest added.) No. 17.—1,320 pounds Mapes. Tro pounds mitrate potashy. 2 a-] sc. eee 278.66 Here we have an average of 315.52 bushels to the acre where nitrate of potash was used, instead of 275.66 bushels where nitrate soda was used, a difference in favor of nitrate potash ever nitrate of soda of about 39 bushels per acre, and a difference in favor of addi- tional nitrate of potash over the Mapes alone of about 19 bushels per Experiments. 155 acre. In No. 19, 110 pounds of sw/phate of potash was added to 1,320 pounds of the Mapes alone, the yield being 331.82 bushels to the acre, or an increase over nitrate of potash of about 16 bushels to the acre, and over nitrate of soda of about 56 bushels. VINE GROWTH. On June 14 the condition of the vines was estimated by three per- sons, 10 denoting maximum and 1 minimum vigor. The object of these estimates is, as has been explained, to show in how far such condition of the vines corresponds with the yield of tubers. It will be seen to correspond closely : SUC gs ieee hee ae 534 NORTE seer sacs 634 eS Die eee SP gaye tots a as ats 6 Ww (7S a Renae RY TEP ce oe 7 21.2 seg eS 6% FE les (7 Ee RN eee TCS tn oS 834 UAB Pi. epee acres os = 4 7%, TORSES (7, ae AY ah Pinan tere? 9% Ee ss Are lahare war's lope 23, © 7. ee Sea E Sem eh mayenee sy aap ye, eke 2% CSS (63 cee Seen RN ea am 3 eis |) RRS MRR a oh Be (Ao 8 Mh re Rn it aus Lk 6% ees ire Opa AR rE red 734 Srp an ee eee aE 7% OE Go gee a ema, eric 5 84 EOL ch act patie peel s/o. 7 Bex CEG! sexe cs ee eres 7% BEGOR cae serie ste one 8 8 SECOND SERIES. Average fertility of the soil per acre of this plot, as shown by no- manure trenches Nos. 45, 54 and 59, 263.38 bushels, as against 209.91 bushels in the first series. Trench No. 40.—440 pounds Stockbridge Potato Manure. Yield, per acre. Large tubers..........-------+:--- 287.83 Yield, per acre. Small tubers..........-...----+++- 51.33 Mota yield, per acre, +. 21. 4h: er erea 339.16 No. 41.—440 pounds Stockbridge. 55 pounds nitrate soda. Yield, per acre. Largetubers......-...--+---++---- 269.50 Yield, per acre. Smalltubers ............+--++-+++-- 51.33 Motavyield, per AGI. . <2 sivas page aoe tees 320.83 156 No. . The New Potato Culture. 42. —440 pounds Stockbridge. IIo pounds nitrate soda. Vield;-per-acre: » Large tubers 2. tis See Yield? per.acre.2 ‘Smallvtubers.] | 3-7 tg 4. Total yield™perdcre ss: be aaa [One rotten potato. ] . 43-—440 pounds Stockbridge. 220 pounds nitrate soda. Vield;. per-acre:. -Large tubers =. 2 uae eG). Se ee ‘ Yield, periacre- Smalltubers <5. =. s25-25* Dotalyield,-peracte....- os see er ee . 44.—440 pounds Stockbridge. 330 pounds nitrate soda. Waeld) per acre> “Warge tubers =. 255-2 = rir ac. : Wield:“peracre:--Small tubers... 542.90 Totalvyield) per:acre 3... 5a . 45.—No manure. Wield) peracke, = acanee tuberses vei eee Vield, per acre.. Small twhers (2 e = ae eee fs Total yield peracre ...2. 2 25 eee . 46.—880 pounds Stockbridge. Wield=per-acre. jarge tubers: =) ee Yield, per acre... Small tubers. -2=.2 = 4-2). =- ‘otal yield, peracten-c.. shee 47.—880 pounds Stockbridge. 55 pounds nitrate soda. Vueld sper acre. laree tubersa.. 2 ee ee Yield, penacre: sjonial itilbetse.<- oe Totalsyield: ‘peracte.. 3. Gee . 48.—880 pounds Stockbridge. 110 pounds nitrate soca. Vield; per acre: earge tubers Sere Cees eee. Vield; per:acre! Smalllitubers)-427 eee Total-yield; peracté 262 eee Ae ee a eo 8 6 we we et vs 4 No. No. Experiments. 49.—88e pounds Stockbridge. 220 pounds nitrate soda. Wield, per aeres Maree tubers si... ec. 2... ec tyente el wee Wield, spetsacre: .omalltubersys i. Adit. 164.2 oa cadens Total Mile lidg. Pel ACHer 5/2 2: .0588 so tapas aolook Stee . 50.—880 pounds Stockbridge. 55 pounds nitrate potash. Mield-=per acte.. Large tubers atts 4 liseli a ee ao Mield sper acre: Small tubersuinawt. ..2 0422 ne Sas Dotal- yield peracte vit 26a ates ae os hl eae ; . 51.—880 pounds Stockbridge. IIo pounds nitrate pozash. Miceli per acrer.> War ee tubers 84 vas Fe dork vig ae 2 Miele per acre... Sinalltubers.5 2 fe oe ae we Pe a Moral yield, per acreus... wey aise ns cee ee Se (Fifteen rotten potatoes.) . 52.—880 pounds Stockbridge. 220 pounds nitrate potash. misled, per acre: “dLarse tubers. =.) 222 ete he ee wields per acre-< Small tubers?.7 7% sos s5 os ots eee Motaliyielid: -peraCKer. - tach. oi oe eee Ge dee ee. (Fourteen rotten potatoes.) . 53.-—880 pounds Stockbridge. 440 pounds nitrate potash. pacla-“per dere: -Warse-tubers op! ss see oe hone Wield per acre. >Smalltubers 2.07 .:-2).c0r « eRe (Letal yield, peracre: 7 i4 5,558 eee et es oe (Two rotten potatoes.) 54.—No fertilizer. Yield, per acre. Large tubers... Ape a I Nield@per acte.t.omall tubers. .).7 0.0.25 a Paes otal yield, “peracre - 350.16 Yield, per acre. Small tubers...........---++-----: 47.75 diotaleyield’ per ACTS»). lecaorpnale ws A cnted te ae or 397.91 No. 62.—440 pounds Bradley. r1o pounds nitrate soda. Yield, per acre. Large tubers........-.+--.+---++>- 324.50 Yield, per acre. Small tubers............ eee Tapa b 6232 iofal yieldwper acne leek ont ga! ee hee eee 386.83 k (Two rotten potatoes.) No. 63.—440 pounds Bradley. 220 pounds nitrate soda. Wield, per acre. ~ Large tubers ...\2...+.5+-- 2.5. oo = 330 Yield, per acre. Small tubers...-.5 ...--...+-+-55, RIN Aicrauyteld: permacre.. 7.2.1. |). a.) a a etcren aa ee 381.33 (Four rotten potatoes.) 162 The New Potato Culture. No. 64.—440 pounds Bradley. 330 pounds nitrate soda. Yield, per acre: sLargeatubers)..2 04.2) eh eee 385 Vield! pervacre: Small tubers’ 2. /.-0 24-2 ee eee 69.66 Total wield; per acre... oan ee cy oi aoe ee ee 454.66 (Three rotten potatoes.) No. 65.—No manure. Yield, per acre: karge tubers 2." “ay. -. eee Poets) 813) Yield -peracres Pomalllituberss..3 5-5. 405 ee 55 sFotaliyield; per acre... s.. 24a. ots ee 293.33 No. 66.—880 pounds Bradley. Voeldtyperiacres) learce i bersi es snc 320.83 Yield sper acre: >) Smalistubers)...5- se ee 84.66 Dotaltyieldsper-acre* ty. ee eee Lo EA AOs NAG (Three rotten potatocs.) No. 67.—880 pounds Bradley. 55 pounds nitrate soda, Wield;peracre. Warge;tulberss 1. -.to- 308. Wieldy peracress Sinall) tubersiess) i.) eee »:.' | SOZ66 Total yield; per acre ss. 24. cio. ao eee 388.66 No. 68.—88o0 pounds Bradley. I1o pounds nitrate soda. Yield; periacre. (barge tubers 2-5. eee eee 266.71 Vield,sper’acre. Small tubers)... 52.) a. eee 80.66 Total yield, per acre 2.2.5.5 oe ee 347.37 No. 69.—88o0 pounds Bradley. 220 pounds nitrate soda. Yield; \peracre> darge tubers. 0: er eee 278.66 Yield; wer acre: Sinallubers.= 4-4. = ae 82.50 ‘Total yield, per acre 5.2). 8. be. 2 oe 361.16 No. 70.—880 pounds Bradley. 55 pounds nitrate polash. Vield, per acre: “Large tubers... >. .\. 252.2 286 Yield; peracre* Small tubers, .,..... =... 3.2 eee 73-33 Total yield, per ACE iui g ids 4 De ee 359 33 No. 71.—88o0 pounds Bradley. 110 pounds nitrate potash. Yield, per’acre. Largejtuberss2-: ..-+a42-0e0 eee 311.66 Yield, per acre. Small tubers:.=.5. 325. 67.83 Total yield, pér acre... 0S. Tele! oie ee No. No. oe 2VO. Experiments. . 72.—880 pounds Bradley. 220 pounds nitrate polash. Wield, per-acre,,-Large tubers. .>...%°... Wield, perjacre!, small tubers.2. 22...) TETSU Wok 2 cc EA tae AO ae . 73.—880 pounds Bradley. 440 pounds nitrate potash. Micldsspemdcres- «large: tubers... ).\.24/.2. Naeld;yper acre)? Small twbers...,...... Motalayield per acres se. i. Cosa. (Two rotten potatoes. ) . 74.—No fertilizers. Mieid aperacre. | large ttilbersy 20 S|. Micids per acre.) Small tibers is. % 2.4. Mhotraliwielde perracrenr.. 29.22 66.5 75.—1,320 pounds Bradley. Mieldiiper acre, \lcarge tubers..afs aie a fe Mateld) aper acres | simatl tuberse) 072. 2.2: Motal yield, periacre =e: sce os ne . 76.—1,320 pounds Bradley. IIo pounds nitrate potash. Mield per acre.) (Uarse- tubers, 3.5% see Mield ;per acre: omiall tubersis5 2524. 2: Mortal yield) wperacret = pore seo (Four rotten potatoes.) _ 77.—1,320 pounds Bradley. IIo pounds nitrate soda. Nieldiperacre., Large tubers 33. 54.24): Yield, peracre. , Small tubers.......... otal yield sper acre). Sonie's enh. (Thirty-one rotten potatoes.) 78.—1.320 pounds Bradley. 110 pounds sulphate potash. Naeld; per acre. Large tubers. ........: Wield; per acre, small tubers.2.... -.... doatal-yield, peracie-< 2. 2.0.4.0 .4k ‘ (Six rotten potatoes.) 79.—No fertilizer. Yield, peracre. Large tubers..... Saha Vieldj*per acre.’ Small-tubers..,2.. 64... Total yield, per acre .+......°-..-: (Twelve retten petato~*.) Cee ee m6) aha) | lade x eae ee a, es fer «im eh/s) ees ebie of 5) a, fe oh rel =) a) ©) eros O Uso oo Boer Clomc So ws) fo) ajt'e) ee. IV) jwiial cs elie) elge, «cate: ej cebcemnn= 164 The New Potato Culture. Comparing the yields of the same amount of fertilizers, one with another, as was done in Series I. and IJ., we shall see that— No. 60.—Bradley a/one, 440 pounds, yielded 383.16 bushels. No. 66.—Bradley a/oxe, 880 pounds, yielded 405.49 bushels. No. 75.—Bradley a/one, 1,320 pounds, yielded 397.82 bushels. Or an average of 396.49 bushels totheacre. The increase in crop, as compared to the increase in the quantity of fertilizer, is not pro- portionate or profitable. In series I. and II., it may be borne in mind, the crop decreased with the increase of fertilizer. The same amount of Bradley, with 55 and 110 pounds of nitrateof | soda added, gave the following yields ; None 5 22 poune> ae l yielded. ..397.91 bushels. 55 pounds nitrate soda, j Ne, G7 880 poms Bradley, yielded.. 388.66 bushels. 55 pounds nitrate soda, No. 77.—1,320 pounds Bradley, } ielded. ..425.32 bushels. IIo pounds nitrate soda, ye 425 :3 20 Or an average of 403.96 bushels to the acre, or but 7.47 bushels to the acre more than the same amounts of Bradley without any ad- ditional nitrate. No. 62.—440 pounds a, yielded. . .386.83 bushels. T1o pounds nitrate soda, No. 68.—88o0 pounds Sele N vielded@: “347257 aaeneie 110 pounds nitrate soda, ) No. 77.—1,320 pounds Bradley, q isded ‘ ...425.32 bushels. IIo pounds nitrate soda, ‘ese 5 Or an average or 386.50 bushels to the acre, or 9.99 bushels per acre less than the same amounts of Bradley used alone. No. 63.—440 pounds Bradley, 220 pounds nitrate soda, No. 69.—88o0 pounds Bradley, ’ 220 pounds nitrate soda, j No. 77.—1,320 pounds Bradley, yielded. . .381.33 bushels. yielded. ..361.16 bushels. ielded... 25. bushels. 110 pounds nitrate soda, by .25.32 bushels Or an average of 389.27 bushels to the acre, or 6.22 bushels per acre less than Bradley alone. No. 64.--440 pounds Bradley and 330 pounds nitrate soda, gave 454.66 bushels to the acre, or 71.50 bushels more than when the same amount of Bradley was used without any additional nitrate. - a Experiments. 165 While 440, 880 and 1,320 pounds of Bradley alone gave an average of 396.49 bushels to the acre, the addition to the above of 55, 110, 220 and 330 pounds of nitrate of soda to the acre gave an average of 394.15 bushels to the acre, or over a bushel less than the Bradley alone. : In the first series the additional nitrate reduced the yield 20 bushels per acre, in the second three bushels. | We may now, as in the first and second series, compare the results of using nitrate of Jofash in place of the nitrate of soda. « No. 70.—880 pounds Bradley, | yielded. 359.33 bushels. 55 pounds nitrate potash, No. 71.—880 pounds ego t yielded. ..379.49 bushels. ; 110 pounds nitrate potash, iteag2- 76°99 pounds aa yielded. . .388.12 bushels. 220 pounds nitrate potash, ‘No. 73.—880 pounds Bradley, 440 pounds nitrate potash, No. 76.—1,320 pounds Bradley, yielded IIo pounds nitrate potash, The average’ yield from the addition of nitrate of potash was 395.88 bushels to the acre, or 1.73 bushel more than the nitrate of soda and 0.39 bushel over the same amounts of Bradley used alone. In the first series nitrate of potash increased the yield 39 bushels per acre over nitrate of soda and 19 bushels per acre over yielded. . .355.66 bushels. ...496.82 bushels. the Mapes used alone. In the second series the nitrate of potash in- creased the yield over nitrate of soda 21 bushels, and 17 bushels over the Stockbridge used alone. In ’No. 78, 110 pounds of szdphate of potash was added to 1,320 pounds of Bradley. The yield was but 350.16 bushels to the acre, or about 25 bushels less than with either the Bradley alone, the Brad- ley and nitrate of soda or the Bradley and nitrate of potash. In the first series the sulphate gave an increase over{ithe nitrate of soda of 56 bushels and over nitrate of potash of 16 bushels. In the second series the sulphate gave an increase over nitrate of soda of 60 bushels and over nitrate of potash of 39 bushels. The fact may again be alluded to that in the first series there were no rotten potatoes. In,the second series there were 81 rotten in the fertilized trenches, and two in the ‘‘no-manure” trenches. In the 166 The New Potato Culture. present series there are 12 in the ‘‘no-manure” trenches, and 58 in the fertilized trenches. This is a matter of little moment, however, since the fertilized trenches greatly outnumber the unfertilized. VINE GROWTH. As in the first and second series, the condition of the vines was es- timated by three persons on June 14, 10 denoting the maximum and one the minimum of size and vigor: Now Ooh es -- 634 ING@MO7 cee e- 734 NO.74 one ope 6 ek (Sy eae tee Ap. ROS cs eel. cate 84% Py bsteeere oS d = 94 PMO Zwei xk ast 7% "GOO zee eies 9 “496. =e 9% CUO Mat arate 734, 7 Ove cha ae 834 muy 7 Pete 834 NO Aran: Somes: 9 PW (Ge renter 9% 98) ee 8% EOS ans fools 54 Ts Tet Ss tea 934 '- 70). eee 434 pO Ory ieke ee 71%4 May Sines cee 9% The largest yields, Nos. 76, 64, 77, 61, 75, 72, 62, etc., were rated respectively: 914, 9, 82, 74,934, 9%; while the lowest yields, Nos. 79, 65, 74, 68, 78, etc., were rated respectively: 4%, 54, 6, 8g, 83, etc. “The natural fertility of the soil (in this third series) is shown by trenches Nos. 65, 74 and 79, averaging 281.72 bushels tothe acre. Inthe first series the average fertility of the ‘‘no-manure”’ trenches was 209.91 ; in the second 263.38. Let us see how this corresponds with the average yields of the fertilized trenches : , SERIES NO. f. Bus. Fertilized trenches 22 sc.c5jo a Ss)s ke. ek Eee 294.34 Unterhilized trenches {2:2 oe A040 2S oie ee ee 209.91 Yield of fertilized over uufertilized, per acre..... 84.43 SERIES NO. 2. Fertilized frenGhes. 12 .---2 — Geese me es 8s ee 326.66 Untertilized trenches 7.2. 252046 acc cs dein ose ee ee 263.38 Yield of fertilized over unfertilized, per acre..... 63.28 SERIES NO. 3. Fertilized: trenches: (esi. .3 sae sear esis Nee aie ee 391.72 Wintertilized trenchese. .2ye Sach. tee oe ee ee 281.72 Yield of fertilized over unfertilized, per acre..... 110.00 For an account of the land and how it was treated, see page 832 November 28, 1891. Experiments, 167 FOURTH SERIES. It is reasonably claimed that better crops may be raised from fer- tilizers made up of different forms of each of the three essential kinds of-plant food than from those made up of one form of each. That is to say, itis better to give phosphoric acid, both as superphos- phate and phosphate, than either alone. So, too, as to-nitrogen and potash. In this way, it is assumed, an available supply is more likely to be secured for the plant at all stages of growth. For example, if the fertilizer is supplied with nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia and blood, the roots will get their first nitrogen from the nitrate of soda and later from the sulphate of ammonia and blood, these being less soluble and so serving to keep up a ready diet during the entire growing season. Now, each dealer (manufacturer) of fertilizers claims a special value for his own goods owing to special treatment, combi- nation or methods, or the superiority of the raw materials used. It might be supposed, therefore, that a combination of all these excel- lencies would give larger crops than the fertilizer of any single manu- acturer. The following trials (g6 to 103 inclusive) were designed to investigate this question: Trench No. 96.—440 pounds of Mapes, Bradley and Stockbridge, 7. ¢., 146% pounds of each, mixed together. Naicid= per acre). Large potatoes). 255.8 eis. es ye 300.16 ~ Siclds per acre:~ .small* potatoes oy ily. = ele eke e 62.33 Gita ald, «per -ACKEL Res. sacs dd Paks eee eS ae 308.49 (Four rotten.) No..97.—880 pounds of the three, 293% pounds of each. Micld .peracre:. “Laree potatoes: : .. f:..sni8... 222-2 S: 276.83 aici peracre small potatOess 5 22 Ass cece 8 res ok 84.33 ihetal yield Wperrieretiey toe. fo Je atta. oe ache 361.16 (Two rotten.) No, 98.—1,320 pounds of the three, z. ¢., 440 pounds of each. Mieldaper acre, Waree potatoes. 027.22. toss eee 283.33 Micid@peracce. small potatoes . 522504... 2..\36 43 22 82.50 ior eyreldperiacrets 2. Svc y alte atm cae ee eee 365.83 568 The New Potato Culture. No. 99.—440 pounds of the three. Ito pounds nitrate soda. Vield¥ per acre) Barselpotatoesi se. see ao: eee 251.16 Vieldisperacre! (small potatoes)... ek) eee » pines Motal wields werracne es sete hol. eee .. 302.49 No. 100.—88o pounds of the three. 220 pounds nitrate soda. Wield peracres slvarge potatoesmn sae are eee 293.33 Yields per acre. (Small potatocsis.49 ee eee 44 AL otali yield. Sper acre: seins be eee ene 337.33 No. 101.—1,320 pounds of the three. 330 pounds nitrate soda. Mieldisperiacres earcenpotatcesiaan se see ee eee 320.83 Wield per acres ssmall potatoes <1 4h ae eee 42.16 ‘Botalivield) (weriacre: fee ote d pa eee 362.99 No. 102.—No fertilizer. Wiel di penacre. Warge potatoes 1a 315.33 Yield per acre), Smalipotatoes sees aaa eer aa aie), 5 Notalyy 1eldyperacne! Os ee seas eae ee a ee 353.83 (Four rotten.) The average yield of the six fertilized trenches is at the rate of 349.71 bushels to the acre. The yield of the unfertilized trench was 353-83, or a difference in favor of ‘‘no-fertilizers’’ of 4.12 bushels to the acre. The average fertility of the soil, as shown by the ‘‘no-ma- nure’”’ trenches of the first series, was 209.91; of the second series, 203.38; of the’ third, 281.72, and ‘of the fourth (presempimasaeas bushels to the acre. In the first series, the fertilized trenches yielded 84.43 bushels more than the unfertilized ; in the second, 63.28 more than the unfertilized ; in the third series, 110 bushels more than the unfertilized. And now in the fourth series, the wxzfertilized trench yielded 4.12 bushels more than the fertilized. It must be considered, in partial explanation of the above showing, that the natural soil fertility increases with every series, viz. : DETICS Tedd re saad eee ee Fees oe - 209.91 bushels per acre. SOLES 2? 1/04 AMES ct het kel he eee 263.38 bushc!s per acre. | SERIES i312 Fee tae i ee atlas cane 281.72 bushels per acre. SIEPICS (4 hel Step tot Seether a amines 353.83 bushels per acre. ae Experiments. 169 It will be seen, also, that the yield peracre from the effects of the fertilizers diminishes as the natural soil fertility increases. The entire plot is nearly square, the four sides facing north, south, east and west. The land slopes gently, almost imperceptibly, from east to west, and from northeast to southwest. Series I. occupied the northernmost portion, II., III. and IV. following in the order given. It was thought that the soil of Series I. was the driest, as it was a trifle the highest. A ditch on the west was dug three years ago (as already stated) to carry away the surface water, which in previ- ous years was held ina shallow basin, towards the west and southwest. VINE GROWTH. The condition of the vines was estimated:as follows: SION Os <6 -(5 46 as 758 NOP GOs se 7% INOs TOU: geese 93% OC a Ae ea 84% EO EROOY ase. a 8% MTL O2 Bee ie a 4 434 FIFTH SERIES—(Last). The results of using Mapes, Bowker and Bradley fertilizers sepa- rately and together, with and without added nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda and nitrogen, and potash in the form of nitrate of potash, are before the reader. In this fifth (and last) series of ex- periments the effects (1) of snuff are to be recorded and (2) the effects of nitrogen, phosphate and potash, used separately and in various com- binations. Trench No. 20.—No fertilizer. picid; peracre. Large potatoes 4: .\. 4's Bach eee 168.66 Milcld speriacre. -y Stalk potatoes... <.,..0) ae. ee. 60.50 Popa viele se WelsaAChen ty... -'5 os oa Sun ctsyeruereisem i eamaee: 229.16 No. 21.—1,760 pounds tobacco snuff. Miride per acte,.. Larges potatoes, cit. ost. . uss e lao 185.16 Baelan per acre: small potatoesa.!.as |!) ae aoe 42.16 Btota lhyteldh per gene, orci t TM Ulicg Jae Chasen 227.32 No. 22.—3,520 pounds snuff. Wield spenacre, Large,potatoes:\4:-.~.. «suse 278.66 Waeidiaperacre. omall:potatoesy.,. .!sisa> «aes ae stapes 50.83 PEGta level Wek AOTE cs bs teh y Stok fae ak ae eee oh 335-49 170 No. No. The New Fotato Culture. . 23.—3,520 pounds snuff. 440 pounds nitrate soda. Yield Mpeviacre., Warsepotatoes sn ae eet Yield, per,acre.~ Smallipotatoes a)... cr Total-yieldsperacrerce cn nance sae 24.—3,520 pounds snuff. 440 pounds nitrate pozash. Micldtipenacre: learce: tubersas suse ae Yield) perm actew) Small ptuberss sme eee otal wicidmperacren hae. eee . 25.—55 pounds nitrate potash. Wield pemacre, Wwargepotatoesy 44.4 -6ece Wield\pemacres omall potatoes, nner ee Hhotalsyvield sper acre ae a eee eee . 26.—110 pounds nitrate potash. NMield per acre. large potatoes nee au. Vieldipemacre: somal potatoess ecm ans PLotalivieldvper acre. eae eee . 27.220 pounds nitrate potash. Yield; peracre. large potatoes... .17.2....4.: Naeldt peracres omallepotatoes: «aes eee otal yield wneracres rere eee: . 28.—440 pounds nitrate potash. Vield,ypemacre, arcelpotatoess sano Yield, per acre... Small potatoes ...7...-4. Gotalbyieldperacres Gere eee . 29.—880 pounds nitrate potash. Mield Gper acte s Marre potatoes. ase ee Wield eperacte.. Small potatoesi- = seer Totaltyield* peracre oo... mee eee 30.— 55 pounds nitrate soda. 220 pounds dissolved bone. Wield; perjacre.. Large potatoes: see eee Yaeld, per acre: -Small potatoes asa eee Zotal yield; peracrew i 3. pee n eee ye ee te ee ee ed er Oey het) ONO O ee er ey e225 = > es No. Experiments. . 31.— 55 pounds nitrate potash. 220 pounds dissolved bone. Yield; per acre. Large potatoes ..... Yield, per acre. Small potatoes..... otal yield; per/acre..i 2.00. 2... 5. 32.— 55 pounds nitrate porcsh. 220 pounds fine raw bone. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes..... Yield, per acre. Small potatoes ..... Total yield, per acre............ 33-— 55 pounds nitrate soda. 220 pounds fine raw bone. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes..... Yield, per acre. Small potatoes..... otal yield, per acre .25.5.22.. 2. . 34.—NVo fertilizer. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes ..... Yield, per acre. Small potatoes..... otal yield, pertacre ...25 ss 5s. . 35.—55 pounds nitrate soda. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes.... Yield, per acre. Small potatoes.... aotal yield. peracre:.2). 4254.2. 36.—110 pounds nitrate soda. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes ... Yield, per acre. Small potatoes.... \ otal yield, “per acre? =< 1. 5k 2 . 37.-—220 pounds nitrate soda. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes .... Yield, per acre. Small potatoes.... Total yield, per acre........- . 38.—440 pounds nitrate soda. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes..... Yield, per acre. Small potatoes.... otal yield! periacre.: 600. 6454 | i @\ @ 10) elves) (e,O\te o> otek ie Ce | eee ee ee wwe wee e Cr er Ce i re Ce, Aw wires einer el vem) 14) a (a) fo) Ne aj see ei teste) sl leiiel =) viie Wale) ihe 171 72 The New. Potato Cuiture. . 39.—880 pounds nitrate soda. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes Yield, per acre. Small potatoes Total yield, per acre Yield, per acre. Large potatoes Yield, per acre. Small potatoes Motalwieldypenacre te. wane joe ae (Fifteen rotten potatoes.) . 81.—220 pounds nitrate potash. (Same as No. 27.) Yield, per acre. Large potatoes Yield, per acre. Small potatoes Total yield, per acre (Eighteen rotten potatoes.) . 82.—110 pounds nitrate soda. Iro pounds nitrate potash. Nicldsspermacres + Carce potatoes ane Yield, per acre. Small potatoes Total yield, per acre (Eight rotten potatoes.) . 83.—110 pounds nitrate soda. 110 pounds sulphate potash. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes Yield, per acre. Small potatoes Total yield, per acre (Nine rotten potatoes.) . 84.—110 pounds nitrate potash. 110 pounds sz/phate potash. Yield, peracre. Large potatoes Vield, per acre, “Snvallipotatoes,.- a eee. Total yield, per acre (Twenty-eight rotten potatoes.) aeipe) we) ee) ie/iw fe) le) ie) is im) j=lel Ne aie) admis Wael mike, lel re, OO CC nC ee caret ee ey . 80.—220 pounds nitratesoda. (Sameas No. 37.) Draw ey ie le, t=. ‘aie! (@) (a) a) ate. tenia cee aimee ane (eo ee fete let ele Bie 0 a ate, © oe) @ (afi einen mn « fle! ‘eo. es allies atkeurenre Se (eo 6 vee Os, © © * (e wiie Jol le) mlm een tae en aoe { = . ee. Cy eae ee ey ee _. experiments. No. 85.—1:0 pounds nitrate soda. 220 pounds raw bone flour. Yield, peracre. Large potatoes 6 eee eee see eee: .. 300.66 - Yield, per acre. Small potatoes ......-.--eseee ee 62.33 Total yield, per acre .. 2. -oe ee i eo ia ae 362.99 (Fifteen rotten potatoes.) No. 86.—110 pounds nitrate potash. 110 pounds raw bone. r10 pounds dissolved bone. Wyield, per acre. Large potatoes’... 5+. .-9F 1+ 2000 eo 313.50 y Yield, per acre. Smiall potatoes ss. pec ee 77.00 otal yield per acre . 2% Sap e es es 390.50 (Nine rotten potatoes.) No. 87.—110 pounds nitrate soda. 3 110 pounds sulphate potash. z10 pounds dissolved bone. /110 pounds raw bone. Wield, per acre. Large potatoes +. --- 3; > y- nso iti 333-66 Yield, per acre. Small potatoes --.-.-----.-----+7*: 62.33 Total yield, per acre..... US palate Uy orate Ie age ad 395.99 : (Nine rotten potatces.) ; No. 88 —110 pounds sulphate potash. rro pounds nitrate potash. Wield per acre. Large potatees: on -i ities taints . 271233 Meld! per acre.) Small-potatoes» sr.ia7 a1 adie a 71.50 Me atalyaell,p pel ACE. tar) ape Canis her jn 842283 (See No. 84.) (Nine rotten potatoes.) No. 89.—1:70 pounds sulphate potash, 110 pounds nitrate soda. (See No. 83.) Wield. “per\acre.. Large potatoes w+. ++ ++ se cnee 7s: o2 SE5 63S Yield, per acre. Small potatoes.....- phd ARRAN AN eee 40.33 Motaleyleld sper 3Ches.<.4- 02. ee 1 ane 355-66 (Three rotten potatoes.) 173 No. -No. The New Potato Culture. . 90.220 pounds sulphate potash. 220 pounds nitrate potash. Nield; per acre: «Varge potatoes 4)... eee Yield, peracre. Small potatoes ....-.... es ee ee Totalsyield; per acre: v4 ose oss. eee eee (Six rotten potatoes. ) . 91.—220 pounds sulphate fodash. 220 pounds nitrate soda. Yield, peracres Warge potdtoesiy. -- 3... --- eee Yield, per acre. “Small potatoes\.-2 590)... ee Notal yield; per:acre. ¢. 4.033...) 402. a eee (Seven rotten potatoes.) 92.—No fertilizer. Yield, peracre. .arge potatoes <.-) 2.5). eae Yield, per acre. Small potatoes... Motalbyieldsipenjacre tines see (Three rotten potatoes.) . 93.—440 pounds sulphate pofash. 440 pounds nitrate potash. Yield, per acre. Large potatoes Yield, per acre. Small potatoes Dotaliyitelds peracres +... eae j (Two rotten potatocs.) . 94.—440 pounds nitrate soda. (Compare with No. 38.) Yield, per acre. Large potatoes Yield, per acre. Small potatoes........ ‘Rotaleyreldeipersdcne: 2.2.4, se ee (Two rotten potatces ) 95.—440 pounds nitrate fozash. 440 pounds nitrate soda. 440 pounds sulphate fo/ash. ee we We ee Sete se « es = chee Yield, per acre; ‘Warge potatoes, <=.) 4559-. 44: eee Yield, per acre. Smali potatoes Wotal yield} peraeresc. ee see ees ose vet fe) ete ae eS ae ee ee a Experiments. 175 Contrary to expectation, there was uot a rotten potato in this trench. It is noteworthy also that the average size of tubers was the largest, with the fewest small ones. VINE GROWTH. As in the previous series, the condition of the vines was estimated on June 14, 10 denoting the maximum and one the minimum of size and vigor : INiCy 7G eee 334 Nosig 32h nieces: 6% N@iH8 5.) ih2. BG io 7 ie 6 Pie OY ba Rama 5 SRO Oras Mere IE o/ OO eee a 534 By Nes ipcetisliutocd sé 5% ORC ate Eines 71% UNCLE a a 5h SOR AOK Evens ches 534 Se BB tokaic's 5% TO Ae ee 5% Shs ERT Miaka Bao 6 or so bak ge hee 5% eS Ae. ah 2s 6 eee Oya ae a 7% OOe ... 60.) ae 63 Moisture, Method of conserving by trench system............ 44 Mulch, Anew; how prepared ©... s0. 0: 245 1 105 ¢.- experiments | .f:-24 on 6h ee Se en Se 105 ‘Straw tor potatoes ,. 2.0% 2.) es es 56 $60 Walley: oc 8s as Sa Gots) ge SS dee ne eee mee ee 105 Nirate of soda alone an ill-balanced fertilizer for potatoes ........ 93 ah ee ‘¢ “yield of potatoes ~ 27.222 << so <3 2 ee 93 fs st use of, Mr. Harris’s:criticism °°... =... - ato ee 87 EC es ee ae “ oi reply-: . .°;. 2%. 232 eee 91 He Ke with corresponding supply of minerals .......... 92 \ ee $ 7 > ee: L[hdex. Nitrate of soda, writers advocating the useof .. . 195 PAGE 87 N rua and phosphoricacid needed, buy nitrogen in euenpee and bestform 83 easy to apply top dressing a effect in varying quantities . . Bs Effects of . i 3 PP ae Farmers not ae dependtt risers atone Ne se Gentle and conservative in the use of ee its effects when applied alone. . ......-..4 oo not more valuable than potash and phosphoric acid ne only for one season . . Le Wseblendedfiovrms. Of o 2.08 0 Foo hoi Sa a eee es used without regard to soil Nitrogenous manures alone, Negative result of ....... Paris ereen and plaster preferred . ....0.-% - as 6s ee. a So Waters Obj CChlONS tO aoc .0s et 2 che) ah gsi ee for potato beetles, Quantity mixed with plaster . Peespnokic acid, Wiects: OL . 20.20.56. ee me he Plant growth without moisture ......... SSRI rates Plants require food adapted to their growth ......... Plaster, Causes of variable effects of Se PETS CTE vo oot Oe elon ORE Re ea eee Sm Ln pene Eee teRe CUS OR a0 oto Rew el ey a en eee tate Some ar eomOaice waVy SO LOW ms. ooh a6 oo So ayes Ale we te eee contest, HOw 1t. came avOub.. <7 22. Le ee 3 at bie ae Judges’ report . . Be ee och yy Faeroe es ae se se j ONG) sida EN ORR coi atten tect odie ferader bs ih Suga wha hoes ee sr -aLback Of Med DECGlCSy snc. sneak ec oe Ue Bae st Se NOES OL PROSLESS ) cel ts seca aye ae cee “ Kit (SP previous treatment... sa.0. 0s) soos © he ap BE SULGReN het 20-5 cps cess bie Sek Leen ata tale Saal “ SSC COMGNn ast sc tates Set ek Fy th gh Man sae ite ee co oe inGS PlanLeG= 22.4 os tsetse a ay <8 He ae Sete Olean crepe sot ee ot ER, ET re Pe aly ae os women’s prizes awarded......... ees ‘¢ crop, conserving moisture by trench method... s¢ «Importance of water tothe... .- I CuliivaLion; AaVOId. packing soll >. 2. SS ids < failures TMS ELUCUEVE Key seis eae ee ae Gera fo oF On-avlarcer scale. 25172 (Payee aeysitte *£* culture; drought, to guard against .....:.... Ke iy fertilizers used by Mr. Minch ....... ae b Mirtle Ware Sc t2es. . > wrut lance ie Ae ole peteh eee ae ts es ‘6 preparation of soil, water, etc Bs as eh CO A abs 2) 6 bap ame ante Pe Ape MT 9 8 as OS iSeries Sa EE CES be errata oe nes Cy vem Wel) ria Seer JB eT, di at a” ie, Lettie 99 Sie tae shy eee oe ni Eh 98 SERIE dena 95 Meee 87 deter RPE SE ti 96 99 196 ihe New Potato Cullure. ge es Mr. Minch’s yield, how obtained ..... cc oy on small plots, remarks as alee ee fe yielding medium for growth... 2 .-. | : Si a ae a Dakota Red, large yield oe Eiveritt.imanyieyes.. Se 4s aaa et experiments at Rothamsted in succession re barrel in garden soil ae HS at Rural Grounds, five scrics . Potato experiments, barrel in pure sand : ue ae ‘« 84 garden soil, 14 sand Pe re es ee “ Yeutstraw . . me se larcesiyiGlid = St. hacen eee “ MD Oniditerentlands ces e ue gC third year’s trial on differ ant ena oy GVES arr erty se res i oe Oa nee, Dies ae gee a ‘ e yiind. 46 ere we ‘¢ many, growth of vine. . os ‘¢ what they are 2 Ane 7 Fee ‘© fertilizer experiment yates. Ree Reese ed poe iB dU, 538, 54, 55, 56, ‘¢ fertilizers of the day too low in nitrogen. . 7 CHS ‘food, ample supply ols." 2-5 2° 3 ve <8. a tee = SSFOwinge, cramped spaced@ra es s.. er a. eee 3 SLOW UUs as sh ee iG etek ‘¢ many-eyed, growth of VLC: 5)" toa ape e nitrogen inthe juice ... STS SO a dee Nee Ra oe Pe taken up by the lant ‘¢ number of eyes a guide to planting ‘¢ to plot, half acre, fertilizers used F ee fone TU CHS ke ee wees Seite al = <* Nitrosentapplied Se ae usa. oC “Seed -PICCOS > 2 i404 ee Bride et, ho ee ee os Of SAVICTG. SMA 8 Cree: s ey ef NOE POOTASOUL tates ia et aprons 2 PlotSlamdvoie eset! 52. oh cro eee 6 a ee ee a <> whichvyields mostmys wens. 4-7 0 0are o “raising, Usual SySbtem! « planting’ 2. <6 2. Ske re a ee oe Index. 197 PAGE! Potato seed, Selection of... - - - - ee ete ee te ets 137; ee ‘© ~=gize determined by number and vigor ofeyes .....-- 120 e Lc AC La SE ie: APRN el ea eae aM TP fe ee eas AM Arh Paneer eee 120, 180 Ke MORE eT AE aa = Sane ee as Dh aug Nee cael lee Poy Ue ee at ele eaten Pees aia iF Cd OAT Safle CO bint els ieee bate ae Me ee haa are, any 122 Bee ceines; care Ol. - Pt gin fe ee eg) Mahe = pa aeh of lene Ne 138 “ skinscuttosingleeyes ... +--+ +++ sss ee: Lin We | ee Pee liaiian Ger ain a ieee ade hehe = yi desis eae erp eee ean ees 67 «“ tests, difference between small plots and whole fields ..... . 85 ba Mowe cyrme tinal aE AS: oo es a le! ons a0 erie shee iay (my omaginny jul bpor gett eget examiner 2 le 34 rag FopSeaMalySeS-OF ss 0.% ey Seely 3p eye oh oli te ae 124 Me VIMEOSHOWLN OL 220g =r =e the See ke 155, 160, 166, 169, 175 Potato tops, any injury to decreases PWG nyelGa yg eye bs hes tao tes eee ae 186 fe See TMT SCs os Sore kee cabin ue chan) eet Peep ter eee et Tees ok 60 Peenbers analy sesOl . (2. Tyr +) hab teen ea Sere ee 123 “yields as indicated by Ria Maes ag eects Semeur tees Ore oan SOmare 59 ot (eee Beonapurtime. sme biOG l,i i, rs sacar sWe au eee Ao) 107 “ Wemheavy, by uence mennod e.g: te) moe) Aa se ei 39 ue Pau eianivense,«tiwOrCMemies .. gales pe Raia copie an ep ci 24 ke Pm aTiMes COL USSU tere) ee cat gto ms rm eine Ooo legen a 25 ‘6 «© “ Reported, doubts expressed ......-- Stee eee 107 ae i ectartling annOUNCCMeRES (2945 Re oyster fe 14 Eames West VACIMCS: 0 Spe cle oe ei we eee ere 154 ce Different fertilizers forexperiments...----+--+- +++: 47 a REPTILAeU MEN SIMUM Se oe neue Whee ae Vaal Yon eae n sa ese 10% ee fertilizer over or under seed pieces ..--- +--+ sss 79 se Hleweeyied. BrOWL, Oley: ce cee ay 2 ay ae ee ag any me TESCO Se a en, ca tnd ag eee er ee 135 ee grown in variable soil, effects of different quantities of fer ti- MP OTES Naa tee ae le os a ee er nr ater ito he Be Hlowamuuch Seed tO are. <2 > 2a ye eo Ses Te Bey 155 ce MEMECeSSION Or lO years 02> ~ ios) 2 eee ay iy ae 61 v6 Treysvepe hia) Glo 3 emcee eee a ea en tS Pe Mery eee 153 we mulching,anew way.-.---:--s:+°- eee pub ie 105 ue Pocperimenusin mauling =). —. ehh 2 ee eae 105 ve needs, farmer mustfindout....---.-- ck stgeaias are ee 133 ne never mixinthehill..... ce oe Cure 136 | ee on same soil for 9 years, Dr. eens, Ss ‘experiments oe 24 Fy SES of Bey rst Ber Bes LO VAN Ste teekiap loo seats Wiel on Weakest ieinicl ree Ne aes 64 Bs moncedseiaht inches deep = =) «7-2-2 iia) yr se eG 84 “ CeCe INCHES ACEP... <- eprembate 242 tment oe ea 83 ee = in four-inch trenches give largest yield... .-- - aoe Oo ue a ‘¢ trenches of different depth, results ...--+-+--- 83 fe ene tir Gls GCCCD- «co cet Bite crake ies eel terse me 84 fe quality of influenced by manure Used mesg ay ae he Fe SESS Rie 181 198 The New Potato Culture. PAGE Potatoes, what a crop removes fromanacre ........ ....%% 124 ob yield of, nirate of sodaialoneused ~ 0.0.2 2 =. ee 93 Productiveness fixed by selection” 2.2" ice (+254 2. > 422 141 Seed and stem ends, absurd mames*) "0. . 4. 7. 116 ("ball from Wal’aOranesey so 2 a eS et ee ve LO te pS a MERU a> seme een aus eee earth tae ae ‘a 185 GO! GRRGWOE SPs en a Mie cea age ew ores ae a Jog i a 144 ‘“ cut to single eye, distanced apartto plant ..... oo 108 tt. Gnd peestem end? Vises ley oN hee eee ee eee oo eee a eal "experiments withione pic€e" ">... tags ee pt ts) ee ie ‘“ -two-pieces: i.) 505 (oa as. See ee 109 fe oe “three <8oi2 0 a Sa ee , . 109 Ob OC SCS OUT Tee STA Ee ee 22 2 109 ‘« Exposing it to light and sun before planting .. . 144 cos Werhilizer underorvover.wllclie. ie eee oo. ‘s Plesh to each eye for most profitable crop ...... Marrs 5 111 te” from productive hills, should we select. . ~- 2 = =) (2=aseneuee 149 Or HOW Seo) eee 142 s selections Of . 620i soe Ele & Vee eee Te tn 137 ‘“¢ size'determined by number and vigor ofeyes............ 120 ee ah oe ‘¢. the variety: 2)... G.23- = 3 ee 115 oskin of the potato... o2-s Sosa ee ee oe Lil (C\“wWhole POCALOCS sso cieS* et ee Slots oa eae ee ete oe 111 os ie es bDadadvice.. 29.2. 4. 22. A 23 122 Seedlings Careol ne par ee ako oe eR oe ree “> See 138 Soil, how to find out what it requires... .°--. 9 | 2-322 ees natural) yleld-of potatoes <).--> / : 2 2°. 220 ace (ue ‘ tests notneeded® so oe eb 2 ee See 88 c what did it mee? 8 & es i 52 ge ‘- -itneeds; how to'get.at. ~ 122° 22.2". =) ee 88 ““~ impoverished, to lash into yielding. > <2. ===. = 2) eee 126 Straw mulch, how prepared ........ 48 | ie 2s 56 Sulphateotiron Narmful’. 2 292 ee eee ee ne 71 ADEs ee a ks ee eee Ea Eg Sears ee ee erie ee 73, 74, 75, 76, 85 Trench, how to-prepare \. Gat 20) singe) ee Bee ee 45 Index. 199 PAGE Een Br Let nOU na OOUG OWE ses laf sy /as ove lal rea 6, ree wd 8 ce Ss 35 at Se At Vane SmOlnpe st ct as wise Ase ee Seo ao. 36 Cs be CiLects OnLOn Mamta Ms e8. ay Bret 6 ot ee 8 Se ee, AO 6 ur micas Of CoOMSerVINe MOISTULEL ~s.G:. 2°. 2.2.3 bao? 44 ge a Mire Cony’ S"SUGCESS WIth. 6 eee ee Sy 40 66 ae ac oe CCD asc ANE >, RR OPN cas Me Teh yin To AECr is 40 “ ve GUE CUIOUS LUM penne sd, ay a eae eae Oye, 158 et he te et 45 ot 2 OLISMENO Re SS Le pp aah elas TEE Ue ae ee eee 13 a eB TICIOS © cece oy G5 cue uit cone Gas iene, ON Re a 20 = es VCO De Vapi AO we rege Soe surat ERG LE ON et 40 Trenches, Average yield of the nitrate of soda’. .........5... 176 mumers trom the most productive hills.) 2. = 0.0.02... ee et 142 ‘¢ save only those from most productive hills. ........2.2..,. 143 Mee SUMED a tees tao ho Poe amo LN em oy ie lactate eo 105 See eset, GE SCOCO 7 Milas et a ee! we, Loe Loe 136 M@etretole nie WObALOCTOP: «aed (otis ts visete yoy ee es ee 43 Saeide promise as indicated, Dy VINES. Jot. o fo. Lk ce a ew 59 Yields, computing method..... a SOIMEN Ca bare kore Me Soak on Seas Sees 107 Sl etre vd GubtSeXxpressed. oe eee ae a eee oP 107 200 The New Potato Culture. INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Muleh. Valley oc: pkey: rhe eames tee pean a aes a . 105 Potato, Blush, long-stemmed 42 2202 2. 5 suo ee 122 ‘growth without moisture and decay > - = =... - Segoe Sf + BLOW EMS <5. + ao eck bx oa ae Sas Wee ees) ye 118 cc” *pit;.and how to construct =. ... ..6°. =o 2. oe 188 +. seed, lifted from.a trench \ 4. <4 83. ceh ae te eee Bee al? *-— seedlings; first leaves. 2 0. 20e ts a Bes ee eee 1387. os = second leaves:: 42g: ia) “See. l a All in One Operation. ——SSSSSS=S> LSSSS=|S=== = = = ————S— = DISTRIBUTES SATE FERTILIZERS. \\.C User) coRN, BEANS, Absolutely Cuaranteed. ‘\ a wr. ENSILACE, Etc. Mention this paper. Tlustrated Circular Sent Free. Lalit ‘ASPINWALL MANUFACTURING Cco., JACKSON, MICH. What is The Rural New=Yorker? 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