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Sc, Assistant i7i Foods and Feeding. Robert A. Cooley, B. Sc, Assistant Entomologist. G. A. Drew, B. Sc, Assistant Horticulturist. H. D. Hemenway, B. Sc, Assistant Horticulturist. H. H. Roper, B. Sc, Assistant in Foods and Feeding. A. C. MoNAHAN, Observer. The co-operation and assistance of farmers, fruit-growers, horti- culturists, and all interested, directly or indirectly, in agriculture, are earnestly requested. Communications may be addressed to the Hatch Experiment Station, Amherst, Mass. Summary of the Work OF THE Horticultural Division for 1897. S. T. MATNARD. VARIETY TESTS OF FRUITS. In former bulletins we have given full reports of all the varieties of fruits tested in a tabulated form, but as most of these proved of little value, although offered by nurserymen and others as possessing decided merit, we therefore for this season at least report only upon those that have been found to possess very superior qualities. Apples. Number of Varieties in Orchards 194, Distance of Planting 30x30 ft. The apple crop in college and station orchards during the past season was fairly abundant, but in quality rather below the average except with a few varieties. Records were made of each variety during the growing season and, when in the best condition for marketing, specimens were gathered and placed in the cold storage to determine their keeping qualities. The following varieties grown in 1896 were in good condition July 1, 1897 : Ben Davis, Delaware Winter or Lawver, OrdBeni, Willow- twig, Whinnerys Late, Langford and Walbridge. In good condition at the present date, Feb. 10, 1898, Ben Davis, Delaware Winter and Walbridge. Results of Siwaying. All the trees except a few checks, were sprayed to prevent the ravages of insect and fungous pests which the past season were rather more abundant than usual. The trees sprayed were much less injured by insects and apple scab, and the fruit was fairer and freer from worms than upon those not sprayed. The Bordeaux mixture combined with Paris green was principally used, but trials were made with laurel green and arsenate of lead. The laurel green did not give satisfactory results, but arsenate of lead was effective in destroying insects, and no injury to the foliage resulted. The cost of the latter was however considerably greater than Paris green. Fertilizers. The following formula was used on each tree, well spread under the branches. Large trees — Sulfate potash 5 lbs. Small trees — 2 lbs. " " Nitrate of soda 2 lbs. " " 1 lb. " " Acid phosfate 3 lbs. " " 2 lbs. In applying fertilizers to fruit trees and plots the quantit}- of the three fertilizing elements, i. e., nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, used varied according to the soil, season or condition of growth the previous season. When no fruit was produced and the growth of tree or plant has been large, less fertilizer is applied than when the crop has been large and the growth rather small. If the soil is naturally poor more fertilizer is needed than if it is naturally fertile. Pears. Number of Varieties 32^ Distance Planted 20x20 ft. The pear crop was very small owing to the fact that most of the trees were young ; most of the varieties were of the newer introduc- tions ; only a few of the standard sorts having been grown for comparison. Many of the young trees were seriously injured by aphides and the i)ear " blister mite," a remedy for which is found in kerosene emulsion. Plums. Number of Varieties 94, Distance Planted 15x15 ft. No fruit on the grounds was so abundant and fine as the plum crop. Of the 50 varieties that fruited 10 were of the Japanese varieties. The fruit on all of the trees was thinned, resulting in larger size, and most of the varieties ripened, though some of the fruit rotted badly. Of the varieties most affected by the "brown rot "or monilia were the Lombard, Ponds' Seedling, Yellow Egg, Imperial Gage, Washington, McLaughlin and Spaulding. The fruit on those trees most closely planted or growing in sheltered, rather moist situ- ations was most injured by the rot ; that on trees growing the most rapidly rotted more than that grown on trees of only a moderate growth. Black-Kriot. One of the results of the use of fungicides on the plum trees in the station orchard has been that scarcely a specimen of the black knot can be found on any of the trees, though no knots have been removed for about a year. For treatment of the plum, see Spraying Bulletin. Summer vs. Winter Pruning. To determine whether heading in plum trees while dormant or in the early stages of summer growth would give the best results 10 trees, two each of five kinds were selected. The first tree of each variety was severely headed on ]\Iarch .'^0 and the second May 22, with tfee following results : The wmter pruned trees made a vigorous growth of a few shoots. " summer " " " fair " " many " " iciyiter " " developed a fair quantity of fruit buds. " summer " " " large " '' " The following new varieties have given the best results. DOMESTIOA. Thomas (Peach?) ripened July 31, large yellow, shaded with red, freestone, fair quality. Czar, ripened, July 31, large puri)le, fine quality. Lincoln, " Aug. 5, medium to large, purple, good quality. German Prune," Aug. 29, " " " freestone " " Kingston, " Sept. 1.5, large rather acid, late. JAPANESE. Red June, ri[)ened, July 26, medium to large, fair quality. Abundance, " July 30, large, good quality. Georgeson, " July 30, medium to large, fair quality. Burbank, '' Aug. 14, large, firm, fair quality. Chebot, " Sept. 1, medium to large, good quality. Satsuma, " Sept. 10, large, valuable for canning. The Abundance ripened fruit prematurely on some of its branches. The Georgeson and Chebot were severely injured by the shot-hole fungus. Fertilizers used on the plum trees were : 2 to 3 lbs. sulfate of potash, ^ . ,. ^ . ■, . , , ^ ,, -^4- e ^ f According to size and vigor 1 to 2 lbs. nitrate of soda, Y f ^ . 2 to 4 lbs. acid phosfate. ) Cherries. Varieties So, Distance Planted, 20x20 ft. The crop of cherries was not as large the past season as usual and was of rather poor quality. No means has yet been found to wholly prevent the work of the plum curculio that causes the wormy fruit, and the brown fruit rot that so often attacks the blossoms and fruit. The use of Paris green combined with the Bordeaux mixture in almost every case caused more or less burning of the foliage. The black cherry aphides or plant lice came on in such numbers early in the summer as to do considerable damage. We were unable to see very decided improvement in any new variety fruited over the old standard sorts, the most satistactory of which are E. Rich- mond, Montmorency, Royal Duke, Black Tartarian, Napoleon, Gov- ernor Wood, Smidt and Windsor. The fertilizers used, '2 lbs. sulfate of potash, 1 lb. nitrate soda, 2 lbs. acid phosfate. per tree. The growth notwithstanding the abundance of insects and fungous pests has been good and an unusually large number of fruit buds have been formed for next season's fruiting. The Grape. Varieties 200, Distance Planted, College Vineyard, 6x8 ft., Station Vineyard, SxlO ft. The experiments with this fruit have been conducted in the college vineyard planted in 1868 and 1809 and in the station vineyard, where the vines are from 1 to 10 years old and, where each year the decidedly promising new varieties, offered in the market are planted. The former consists principally of the Concord variety with a few vines each of some of the leading commercial kinds. The crop in the station vineyard was more uneven than for many years, largely due to the continued wet weather in July. Some varieties proved entire failures while others were especially fine. The crop in the college vineyard was exceptionally fine in quality but not quite as large as in 1896. The fruit sold readily in the local market for five cents per pound. Resxdts of Spraying. The college vineyard, except check rows, and one vine of the two of each variety planted for experi- ment in the station vineyard were sprayed according to the cal- endar fof 1897 with decidedly favorable results, but not with the benefit of previous years. Methoclof Training. The vines in both vineyards are trained accord- ing to the one arm renewal system Fig. 1, which proves very satisfac- tory, requiring much less labor and skill to produce superior fruit than any other. Thinning the fruit is practiced, all small bunches being removed as soon as well set, leaving only a limited number of large bunches on each vine. The varieties that we would recommend for general planting for market and home use are Green Mountain, Herbert (Rogers No. 44) Worden, Moore's Early, Concord, Delaware, and Brighton if planted near other varieties that produce an abundance of pollen. CcunpheU's Early. This new variety, introduced with so much praise is growing in the vineyards and shows a vigorous habit and firm healthy foliage. From samples of the fruit sent us for testing and from the many reports of disinterested parties we are led to think if it develops no weakness, that it will be one of the best grapes ever introduced for home use or market in New England. It should be closely watched by all grape growers in Massachusetts for we are in need of an earlier grape than the Concord or Worden and one of much better quality than Moore's Early to make grape growing a success. Fertilizers Used. On college vineyard, 200 pounds sulfate of potash, 100 pounds nitrate of soda, 150 pounds acid phosfate, per acre. On station vineyard, H tons Canada ashes per acre. Currants. Number of Varieties 25. The currant crop has been one of considerable profit above the cost of cultivation, although the proceeds from it are not large. The area planted covers about three-fourths of an acre. They are 8 grown among quince bushes that are planted 10x12 feet, with the currants 5x6 feet between the rows. In addition to the three standard sorts, the Cherry, Fays Prolific and Versailles that are commonly grown, may be mentioned the Red Cross, President Wilder, Pomona and AVhile Imperial, all of which are of good size and apparently productive. The fruit of the Wilder and Pomona perhaps being larger than the Red Cross, and the Pomona better in quality than either. The best currant in quality without doubt is the White Imperial, being less acid and possessing a peculiar spicy, aromatic flavor. The Currant Leaf Blight appeared in many locations and did great damage where the plants were not well sprayed, the leaves nearly all falling off before the fruit was ripe. This disease can be prevented by spra3nug with the Bordeaux mixture, just before the blossoms open, and again as soon as the fruit has been gathered. Currant Worms. The common currant worm was destroyed by hellebore and insect powder (Pyrethrum) at the rale of one-half pound to 50 gallons or one tablespoonful to a common pailful of water, or by using these insecticides with the common bellows or Paris green gun when the foliage was wet. Fertilizers used for both currants and quinces, 200 pounds sulfate of potash, 100 pounds nitrate of soda, 300 pounds acid phosfate. Gooseberries. Number oj Varieties 23, lolanted among trees at varying distances. This crop was not as abundant or satisfactory as usual on account of the extremely wet weather during July, and mildew appeared on many varieties. Among those that show the most merit are Chau- tauqua, Columbus, Triumph, Downing, Pale Red and Lancashire Ladd. The Industry while one of the best in quality and of the largest size has been very weak in growth. Blackberries. Number of Varieties^ 2S, Distarice Planted 5x7 ft. The conditions of the past season were in many particulars favor- able for a large crop and that from the station plots was much above the average. The older varieties retain about their former standing as to size, 9 productiveness, quality and hardiness. The Snyder and Taylors being the most certain of producing paying crops. The Eldorado made a fine showing of fruit that was of good size and quality. The plants so far have proved very hardy vigorous and productive and unless some weakness is developed it will be safe and profitable to plant it. The Rathhun fruited for the first time the past season and while it shows decided merits, must be grown one or two seasons more before its real value can be determined. Ohmer. Only a few plants of this variety fruited, but the yield was remarkable, the size large and quality about the average. Erie. This variety, until the present season has badly winter killed and produced little or no fruit. This year's fruit was of large size, and good quality. The following table shows the comparative record of six varieties : bb a •rH s o bX) "a bi) a .i-f o a .■;;; IQ ^ u a_, =M ' >i O o o o be 3 6 ^ 0 a > o- CO ^Si^ r^ Erie June 5 July 16 8 8.5 1. 18 34 qts. Ohmer " 7 - 20 8.5 8 V. 1. 13^ 70t " Minnewaski " 2 " 18 9 8.5 m. 12 33 " Eldorado* May 30 " 18 9 9 1. 5 21^ " Snyder " 28 " 17 8 8 m. 1. 0 45 " Stone's Hardy June 5 " 16 8.5 8.5 in. 15 32 " *Rather young plants. ExpUination of tables. — Vigor and quality are based on a scale of 1 as tlie lowest grade, 10 tlie highest. Winter killing, on the scale of 100, 0 indicating perfect har- diness. Sizes, ni. medium, 1. large, v. 1. very large, m. 1. medium large. The Orange Rust. In addition to the application of fungicides according to the calendar for 1897, all rusted canes were cut out as soon as they appeared, with the result that little or no injury was done by this disease. Fertilizers used were as follows, 150 pounds nitrate of soda, loO pounds acid phosfates, 150 pounds sulfate of potash per acre. 10 Red Raspberries. Number of Varieties 25, Distance Planted bx7 ft. The red raspberry plants came through the winter of 1896 — 97 with little injury and the crop was unusually good. The heavy and continued rains during harvesting made it very difficult to secure the crop in a good condition for market. Of the old varieties the Cuth- bert may still be considered the most valuable though the canes are tender and must be covered during the winter to ensure a full crop every year. The two varieties of more recent introduction giving the greatest promise, are the King, an early variety, reported in former bulletins as Thompson's Pride, and the Loudon, ripening with the Cuthbert. Thus far they have proved hardy, vigorous, productive and of good quality. The Miller or JMiller's Early has done fairly well but has fruited only two seasons, so that further trial is needed to determine its value. It is I'eported in many sections of the country as valuable while in others as of no more value than the Hansel and Thompson's Early Prolific. The following table shows the standing of the above four varieties : W) sb U) m S G •rH ^ o IS T^ o n M s ^ u u **-t «w >> 0 0) o ateo a 2 a) c S Q 0 > 10 8 m 1. 20 ? b Cuthbert June 5 July 5 37.3 qts. m.f. Kins May 30 June 29 9 9 ra.l. 20 26.3 " f. Loudon May 5 July 10 10 9.5 1. 5 S7h " f. Miller's Early* May 5 June 25 8.5 9 m.l. 10 14.8* " m.f. *Young plants. Explanation of table.— Vigor and quality are expressed on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 indicating the highest grade. Size and winter killing by same terms as in former tables. Firmness, f. firm, m. f. medium firm. The different varieties received the same treatment as to fertilizers and spraying for fungous diseases as the blackberries previously reported. The part of the plantation sprayed, showing much less leaf blight and anthracnose than that not sprayed. 11 Blackcap Raspberries. Number of Varieties 26, Distance Planted 5x7 ft. This crop was the largest for many years. Most of the varieties came through the winter uninjured, and the early summer was favor- able to a perfect growth. As with the red raspberry however con- siderable fruit was destroyed by the heavy rains. The varieties ripened their fruit this season more nearly at the same time than usual. The following table sliows the standing of a few of the best varieties : a bb c bi) o ID OD o p. M :;3 ^ ^ .3 (M ^-* >t s lO f LM:1) in llli; DlVrEUMlNATION Ol' MTKOGEN ACCUUIUNG TO TIIK K.IELDAHL MKTHOD. CONSTRUCTED BY C. I. GOESSMANN AND H. D. HASKINS. DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY. C. A, GOKSSMANN. I. ANALYSES OF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS AND MANO- RIAL SUBSTANCES SENT ON FOR EXAMINATION. WOOD ASHES. II. III. IV. V. 7.27 12.37 11.42 5.17 6.10 2.9H 5.64 6.34 1.28 1.28 1.47 1.28 31.92 27.39 33.16 34.19 9.54 11.81 4.13 7.35 405-499. I- Received from Townseud, Mass. II. Received from Bostou, IMass. III. Received from Boston, Mass. IV. Received from Concord, Mass. V. Received from Concord, Mass. Per Cent I. Moisture at 100" C, 0.2 Potassium oxide, 4.49 Phosphoric acid, 2.62 Calcium oxide, 48.81 Insoluble matter, 7.52 500-504. I- Received from Concord, Mass. II. Received from Concord, Mass. III. Received from Concord, Mass. IV. Received from Concord, Mass. V. Received from Concord, Mass. Per Cent. I. Moisture at lOO'* C, 10.52 Potassium oxide, 4.83 Phosphoric acid, 1.47 Calcium oxide, 35.04 Insoluble matter, 9.62 II. III. IV. V. 13.35 13.00 8.06 8.06 6.14 5.72 7.10 8.86 1.15 1.47 .93 1.09 27.39 35.63 31.68 34.36 15.07 14.19 18.26 14.12 I. 10.37 II. 13.60 Per Cent. III. 19.13 IV. 7.97 V. 9.06 4.70 4.88 1.12 3.48 8.09 1.04 .97 .32 2.30 1.62 33.99 30.77 39.72 25.58 33.90 15.30 13.68 6.52 23.07 10.24 505-509. I- Received from Concord, Mass. II. Received from South Acton, Mass. III. Received from Topsfield, Mass. IV. Received from South Amherst, Mass. V. Received from Concord, Mass. Moisture at 100° C. Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid, Calcium oxide, Insoluble matter. 510-514. I- Received from South Acton, Mass. II. Received from South Acton, Mass. III. Received from Concord, Mass. IV. Received from Concord, Mass. V. Received from Wilbraham, Mass. Moisture at 100« C. Potassium oxide. Phosphoric acid, Calcium oxide. Insoluble matter, 515-519. I- Received from Concord, Mass. II. Received from Shirley, Mass. III. Received from Concord, Mass. IV. Received from Sunderland, Mass. V. Received from South Acton, Mass. Moisture at 100« C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide. Insoluble matter, I. 13.23 II. 12.14 Per Cent. III. 11.88 IV. 8.10 V. 13.77 5.74 7.20 7.41 5.34 4.18 1.64 1.47 1.56 1.57 1.54 35.06 36.17 28.84 33.24 30.44 10.57 10.72 10.42 14.21 21.20 I. 9.20 II. 17.47 Per Cent. III. 16.52 IV. 9.20 V. 8.62 5.92 5.44 4.42 3.92 5.28 1.16 1.28 1.28 1.28 .26 34.68 34.42 30.24 31.55 31.55 11.32 4.71 16.49 19.67 20.62 520-524. I- Received from Concord, Mass. II. Received from Concord, Mass. III. Received from Concord, Mass. IV. Received from Concord, Mass. V. Received from Concord, Mass. Moisture at 100" C. Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide. Insoluble matter. I. 6.81 II. 5.95 Per Cent. III. 12.70 IV. 11.08 V. 8.72 6.67 5.48 5.77 5.28 5.65 1.32 I.IO 1.09 1.02 1.02 9.79 10.55 8.52 11.06 13.04 525-529. I- Received from Concord, Mass. II. Received from East Northfield, Mass. III. Received from East Leverett, Mass. IV. Received from North Hatfield, Mass. V. Received from North Hatfield, Mass. Moisture at 100^ C, Potassium oxide. Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide, Insoluble matter. I. 0.75 II. trace Per Cent. III. 7.70 IV. 2.07 V. 11.77 6.04 3.04 5.64 4.64 4.76 1.04 1.02 1.28 1.16 .76 * 56.02 36.91 36.90 32.96 1..S6 4.13 9.25 14.34 14.24 530-533. I- Received from Bedford, Mass. II. Received from Sunderland, Mass. III. Received from Boston, Mass. IV. Received from East Medway, Mass. Moisture at 100^ C. Potassium oxide. Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide, . Insoluble matter, * Not determined. I. 16.10 Per C( 11. 17.67 nt. III. 2.40 IV. 13.92 4.28 4.36 4.72 5.92 1.40 1.28 1.40 1.16 31.50 32.05 38.20 38.40 15.92 12.61 22.59 10.70 Per Cent. 1. II. III. IV. 17.46 10.17 13.66 15.80 5.32 5.44 4.93 4.72 0.46 0.09 trace 0.77 32.58 35.84 36.17 32.25 6.31 10.01 10.47 13.41 6 531'537. I- Received from North Hadley, Mass. II. Received from Sunderlaud, Mass. III. Received from Leeds, Mass. IV. Received from Sunderland, INIass. Moisture at lOO'' C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide, Insoluble matter, 538-542. I. Received from Sunderland, Mass. II. Received from Sunderland, Mass. III. Received from Sunderland, Mass. IV. Received from North Amherst, Mass. V. Received from Amherst, Mass. Per Cent. I. Moisture at 100'^ C, 15.68 Potassium oxide, 4.70 Phosphoric acid, 0.82 Calcium oxide, 32.35 Insoluble matter, 10.32 An examination of the results of the above stated forty-eight sam- ples of wood ashes recently sent on for analysis at the station shows the following variations in their composition : Number of samples. INIoisture from 1 to 3 per cent. 5 '' •' 4 to 6 " 2 '• '' 6 to 10 " 12 '' '' 10 to 15 " 18 " " 15 to 20 " _ 11 Potassium oxide above 8 per cent. 2 " " from 7 to 8 " 1 *' " " 6 to 7 '' 6 *' " '• 5 to 6 " 16 •" " " 4 to 5 " l.s a " " o to 4 '• 4 *' " below 3 " 1 Phosphoric acid above 2 '• 3 " " from 1 to 2 " 34 " " below 1 " U II. III. IV. V. 20.40 18.74 0.34 18.76 6.26 5.91 4.97 5.09 0.84 0.56 2.41 1.87 27.81 32.54 24.23 33.57 10.01 10.99 41. S8 14.56 Average of Calcium oxide (lime) amounts to 34.28 per cent., varying from 25.58 to 56.02 per cent, in different samples. Mineral matter (coal ash, sand,) insoluble in diluted hydro- chloric acid : Below 5 per cent. 2 From 5 to 10 " 7 " 10 to 15 " 19 " 15 to 20 " 8 '' 20 to 30 " 4 Samples of wood ashes of late tested at the station are on the whole somewhat inferior, as far as percentage of potash is concerned, to those tested during the preceding year. LIME KILN ASHES. 543. Received from GreenQeld, Mass. Per Cent. Moisture at lOO'^ C, 25.99 Potassium oxide, 1.45 Phosphoric acid, 0.26 Calcium oxide, 33.99 Insoluble matter, 4.39 ASHES FROM CREMATION OF GARBAGE. 544-540. I- Received from Lowell, Mass. II. Received from Lowell, Mass. III. Received from Northboro, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide, Magnesium oxide. Ferric and Aluminum oxide, Sodium oxide. Sulphuric acid, Chlorine, Carbonic acid. Insoluble matter. Per Cent. I. II. III. .53 1.02 4.48 6.01 5.68 3.72 10.21 7.16 8.96 20.22 » * 1.16 * * 9.22 * * 15.65 * * 4.57 * * 4.75 * * 10.85 * * 24.26 32.56 * * Not determined. PHOSPHATIC SLAG. 547. Received from Waltham, Mass. Per Cent. Moisture at 100° C, 1.67 Potassium oxide, * Phosphoric acid (total), 15.70 Calcium oxide, 39.24 Insoluble matter, 9.91 Material was represented as imported from England. BLEACHERY REFUSE. 548-549. I- Received from Bondsville, Mass. II. Received from Bondsville, Mass. Moisture at 100^ C. Potassium oxide. Phosphoric acid, Calcium oxide, Sodium oxide. Insoluble matter. MEAT MEAL, AND BLOOD AND BONE. 550-551. I- Received from Boston, Mass. II. Received from Concord, Mass. Per Cent. I. II. Moisture at 100° C, 3.22 4.25 Ash, 8.55 * Nitrogen, 9.23 5.72 Phosphoric acid, 3.08 14.08 TANKAGE AND GROUND BONE. 552-555. I- Received from Concord, Mass. II. Received from Northborough, Mass. III. Received from South Deerfield, Mass. IV. Received from Boston, Mass. Per Cent. I. II. 5.90 2.49 1.24 0.35 trace trace 40.70 30.89 12.65 10.74 15.87 30.31 * Not determined. Per C snt. I. II. III. IV. Moisture at 100° C, ■ 6.62 2.77 13.75 5.60 Nitrogen, 8.12 2.07 2.58 3.89 Phosphoric acid (total), .13.86 30.19 26.30 25.46 Phosphoric acid (reverted), * 7.67 6.72 * Phosphoric acid (insoluble) * 22.52 19.58 « COTTON-SEED MEAL. 556-557. I- Received from Hatfield, Mass. II. Received from Hatfield, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, TOBACCO REFUSE. 558. Received from Boston, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, Potassium oxide. Phosphoric acid, WOOL WASTE (Sweepings). 559. Received from Shirley Center, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid, TEOPIK FIBRE. 500. Received from Amherst, Mass., Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide. Insoluble matter, Per Cent. I. II. 6.87 7.92 7.57 7.08 Per Cent. 12.35 1.13 5.19 .56 Per Cent. 7.30 3.94 0.29 trace Per Cent. 56.54 .53 1.26 .55 5.15 .75 Not determined. Per I. 12.23 Cent. II. 7.40 2.09 1.51 .58 .50 2.35 .57 1.85 * 10 ANALYSIS OF FEED STUFFS FOR FERTILIZING CONSTITUENTS. 5()l-562. I- Mixed feed from Boston, Mass. II. Broom Corn Seed from Hadley, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid, Calcium oxide, ACID PHOSPHATES. 563-565. I- Received from Amesbury, Mass. II. — III. Received from Amherst, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Phosphoric acid (total), Phosphoric acid (soluble), Phosphoric acid (reverted). Phosphoric acid (insoluble), NITRATE OF SODA. 566-568. I- Received from Amherst, Mass. II. Received from Concord, Mass. III. Received from Concord, Mass. Moisture at 100= C, Nitrogen, GERMAN POTASH SALTS. 569-572. I- Muriate of Potash received from Amherst, Mass. II. Muriate of Potash received from Concord, Mass. III. Muriate of Potash received from Concord, Mass. IV. Sulphate of Potash — Magnesia, received from Am- herst, Mass. Per Cent. I. II. III. IV. Moisture at 100'' C, 0.85 0.37 0.25 4.91 Potassium oxide, 49.76 50.24 50.80 25.72 I. 7.52 Per Cent. 11. 14.67 III. 15.10 6.38 16.50 15.10 1.92 13.56 12.92 7.30 2.68 1.92 7.16 .26 0.26 Per Cent. I. II. III. .50 2.10 4.50 15.78 15.25 14.56 * Not determined. 11 COMPLETE MANURES. 573*577. I- Received from Sunderland, Mass. II. Received from West Boxford, Mass. III. Received from East Longmeadow, Mass. IV. Received from South Amherst, Mass. V. Received from West Milbury, Mass. Per Cent. I. II. III. IV. V. Moisture at 100^ C, 18.98 4.90 10.67 8.22 7.00 Nitrogen, 1.58 2.97 2.95 3.57 1.47 Potassium oxide, 3.98 13.13 1.17 7.64 .02 Phosphoric acid (total), 9.21 10.49 8.19 12.02 .13 Phosphoric acid (soluble). 2.88 2.05 0.05 5.88 * Phosphoric acid (reverted). 4.29 6.46 5.65 2.94 * Phosphoric acid (insoluble), 1.41 1.98 2.49 3.20 * 578-581. VI. Received from Sunderland, Mass. VII. Received from Canton, Mass. VIII. Received from Canton, Mass. IX. Received from South Sudbury, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid (total), Phosplioric acid (soluble). Phosphoric acid (reverted) , Phosphoric acid (insoluble), * Not determined. Per Cent. VI. VII. VIII. IX. 14.18 13.07 10.99 8.89 3.17 2.92 4.59 3.56 5.85 6.20 8.78 5.62 10.03 10.92 10.70 11.20 4.09 1.36 * 5.30 3.79 8.74 9.22 3.34 2.15 .82 1.48 2.56 12 w K H iz; t— ( H on" P^ ^ < O pq << M (73 w W H ffl r^ W H S W O « O o <1 o o 1— ( < H ^ ^j tJ W <3l o o , CO t« CO aj :;z; :;z; - to • O fe .tf s - - "^ Z- o ^- o o c*^ ^2 o t^ i-'o 6 s r ^ «u « M - ;5 o 1* .2 .2 « -g o .2 5 5 £ '-^ .5 « ~ i^ - o 1, •- c I- :> :>.< =* -r "^ -^ :S ° ej g = =^ S N « 'S ^ •'* O ^ .2 Ps* jJ" ,2 '■'^ +3 :^ -. 55 vs CO =^ o '^ O o -^ 5 -if be . ;: ■c CC J O • .y o O := .i: ^ .S _5 ^ ^ O t- Z '^^ « "S - cS cS 5m^a CQ « I = S- o ei « ;:: J» W =i o 5 S o «^ ■1^ -5 -^ W u E_( *j -C o ^ o EC J s t. a -^ s ^_ rt cs « oj -c tea. 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Solution applied }- after planting. 1-3 and 1-4 1 injured the plants. 1-3 150 " I " J 43 Plate X. illustrates the result of one experiment which bears upon this point. The photograph was taken in our experiment house and shows six pots with dead immature cucumber plants in them which were set out at the same time as the other robust uninfected plants shown at their right and left. In this experiment two of the pots received before planting 30 cc. of Carbon bisulfid each ; two also received 30 cc. of Ammonia water from gas works ; and two pots were treated with 2 100 cc. of Potassium permanganate at the rate of r-300. The Potassium permanganate pots were again treated twice some days afterwards with the same amount and strength of solution except that the last treatment was at the rate of 1-250. Microscopic examinations of the soil after treatment showed many dead worms, but ten days afterwards when the young cucumbers had already appeared, an examination of the soil showed abundant nematodes, and galls had commenced to form profusely upon the roots. The cucumbers in each of the six pots were in badly infested earth and none of them ever lived to be more than 15 inches in height, and notwithstanding the fact that each pair of pots received differ- ent treatments of a severe nature there was no choice between the plants a few weeks later. Such results as these demonstrate the futility of attempting to treat nematodes by chemicals, for here we had them confined to pots, or in other words to narrow limits and under the most favorable conditions for exterminating them. Even should this treatment have proved successful the amount of sol- ution which would have to be applied to open soil on a large scale would be costly. Almost all solutions when applied to the soil in considerable quantities are harmful to the plants. Potassium per- manganate appears not to injure plants as much as one would sup- pose. We have applied at a single time 2500 cc. (over two quarts) of this solution at the rate of 1-250 to a 10 inch pot of earth con- taining cucumbers, without the slightest ill effect. Ammonia water from gas works as we obtained it is injurious when applied even at the rate of 1-6 ; that is one part of Ammonia water and six parts of ordinary water. Potassium sulfid is more injurious to plants than Potassium permanganate and a mixture of Sugar and Lime even when considerably reduced is quite injurious; although Lime itself causes no harm to cucumber plants and is sometimes used by practical growers to improve their soil. Carbon bisulfid was applied to the soil usually before the plants were set out. This was done as fol- 44 lows : a hole was made with a stick in the soil reaching nearly to the bottom of the bed, or pot if such happened to be used, into this was inserted a funnel to catch the liquid and convey it to the bottom of the hole, after which the funnel was removed and the top of the hole was stopped up with earth. The fumes from the very volatile liquid soon permeate the soil and in this way many worms are killed. It was not possible, however, to apply much of this solution to pots containing cucumber plants, as we found that they were invaria- bly injured even when as small a quantity as 15 drops were used, although in the open soil it can be employed with much less injury to the plants. Commercial Ammonia and Ammonia water from gas works were usually applied in the same way as was the Carbon bisul- fid, although neither of them at the concentration used caused any injuries to cucumber plants. From the experiments with solutions we may draw the following deductions : — There are many solutions capable of killing a certain percentage of adult worms that can be applied to the soil either before or after planting without injuring the plant. The strength and the amount of the solution necessary to kill the adult worm in the soil is considerably greater than that necessary to apply when the worm is isolated. This is due to the difficulty in getting the solution to come in contact with each particle of matter m and around which the nematodes thrive. None of the solutions named above are capable of killing the eggs of the nematode in the soil, and unless this is accomplished the treatment is of no account. Sterilizing or Heating the Soil the most Effectual and Practical Method of Exterminating Nematodes in the Greenhouse. Our experiments in heating the soil by means of steam for the control of nematodes have been carried on for three years. At the outset we did not happen to know of any practical method of heating soil with steam — neither did we consider it wise to experiment too extensively along this line until we had obtained more knowledge of the efficiency of chemicals upon nematodes. Subsequently, how- ever, we learned of some investigations being made by B. T. Gallo- way' of the U. S. Dept. of Vegetable Pathology on the effects of heating soil by steam for the purpose of ridding it of violet I For description see American Gardening Vol. XVIII, 1S97 P- '27. 45 nematodes, and this led us to make more extensive trials of the steam heating method. While our experiments upon sterilizing' the soil were well under way there appeared Bulletin No. 73 of the Ohio Station' which gave some account of sterilizing the soil for the nematodes on cucumbers. It appears from this bulletin that Mr. Lodder, a practical cucumber grower in Ohio, who had experi- enced severe losses from nematodes reported favorable results from the use of steam. In looking up the matter further we also found that a Mr. W. N. Rudd'^ had earlier emplo3'ed a method similar to that described above with favorable results. More recently Mr. J. N. May'*, a large rose grower, has described a method which he has used extensively for sterilizing his soils to rid them of nematode worms. Mr. May's heating is done on a large scale and it would appear to be a practical method of treating nematodes even when carried on in connection with a large range of houses. Our own experiments along this line have demonstrated that as far as green- house culture is concerned the method of sterilizing the soil by means of steam for the purpose of ridding it of nematodes is at the present time the most practical method which can be employed, although it is not at all improbable that some other cheaper method may yet be found. Amount of Heat Necessary to Kill Nematodes and Their Eggs. From the account given by Mr. May it would appear that consid- erable heat is required to kill nematodes in the soil. He states that "by the best authorities it is proven that nothing short of 225° F. will kill them (nematodes) when protected in the soil, but to make sure work 235° F. of heat is necessary". In regard to this state- ment we shall have to take some exceptions and will subsequently show that such temperatures are unnecessary to kill nematodes except under exceptional conditions. It is well known that a temperature of 212*^ F. will kill any organ- ism in a short time and in fact the great majority of organisms are killed at much lower temperatures. Again the resistance of animals 1 Note. While the term sterilizing has been employed by all writers who have described their experiments upon steaming soil, it must be borne in mind that probably in every instance complete sterilization has not been accomplished. We made cultures of soil which had been heated up to 204 F. and in every instance bacteria were abundant. 2 Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 73, p. 227, 1896. By A. D. Selby. 3 American Florist, \'ol. IX, p. 171, 1S94. 4 American Florist, Vol. XIII, Feb., 1S9S. 46 to heat is not so great as the spores of bacteria and fungi. In the case of nematodes we have not only to kill the adult worm which is not remarkably protected against heat and desiccation, but also its eggs which are able to offer considerable more resistance to the vari- ovis elements, inasmuch as they are provided with a more protective membrane. Nevertheless there is nothing about the structure of a nematode egg which would render it so impervious to heat as some of the smaller spores which every bacteriologist has to deal with in ster- ilizing his culture media. If a large mass of soil is heated and the circulation of the steam is irregular through it then it may be neces- sary to use high temperatures in order to thoroughly impregnate every particle of the soil with steam and thus bring every particle to the same temperature. From a letter which we received from Mr. May we inferred that this was the principal reason for his using high temperatures. Our own experiments upon this point were numerous and they were made with earth containing abundance of nematodes of various species in all stages of development. For the sake of con- venience we will designate these experiments as a-, b, c, etc. In all of these experiments we employed cucumbers in pots of various sizes, (from 4 in. to lo in.), and the plants were left until they were suf- hciently large to show root galls upon them if nematodes were pres- ent in the soil. In every case except "a" the pots containing the infested earth w'ere sterilized in an Arnold steam sterilizer and when moderate heating was required they remained in the sterilizer only a few minutes. The earth in experiment "a" was part of a large lot which was sterilized in a box by means of steam from a boiler. (See lig. II., I, 2, 3). In every instance numerous microscopic examina- tions were made of the soil and roots of the plant in order to deter- ' mine whether nematodes were present. The non-parasitic species are generally present in almost every soil and their presence can very often be suspected by the coloration of the root. They are generally found on the older parts of the root near the surface of the soil as indicated by the dirty brown color of the epidermal tissue. The experiments are as follows : Exp. a. Six 4-in. pots were filled with infested earth which had been heated at 212° F. The pots were also sterilized and the cucumber seed after soaking 12 hours in water was placed for 10 minutes in a saturated solution of corrosive sublimate and before using was rinsed with sterilized water. During germination and the growth of 47 the plants they were always watered with filtered water. Hence all source of contamination was eliminated. Result, no nematodes. Exp. b. Six plants treated as above. Result, no nematodes. Exp. c. Twelve pots of cucumbers, the seeds of which were treated as in Exp. "a" and the plants watered with sterilized water. Instead of the soil in the pots all being heated to 212*^ F. they received the following various degrees of heat before planting : No. of pot, I 2 3 4 5 6 7 S 9 10 II 12 Temperature, 114° 118° 127° 140° 147° 150° 159° 161° 163° 163° 170° 176° F. Result. Nos. 1,2, and 3 all damped' off. The remainder were perfectly free from the damping fungus and nematodes. Exp. d. Sixteen pots of cucumbers treated the same as "c." No. of pot, I 2 3 4 5 6 7 S 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 Temperature, 147° 149° 154° 159° 163° 167° 168° 172° 176° 183° 185° i8&° 192° 194° 196° I99°F. Result, no nematodes. From these experiments which only represent about one-half of what was clone it appears that a very high temperature is not neces- sary in order to free infested soil of nematodes. The number of degrees of heat necessary is about 140"^ F., but as a matter of safety the temperature should go above this inasmuch as in large areas of soil the distribution of heat is always unequal, and while one portion may be heated as high as 190° F. another portion may not exceed 110° F. The conclusion then that the soil must be heated under pressure to a temperature of 225'* or 235° F. in order to kill all nematode life is therefore not valid in all cases. These experiments were made with sufficient care and were repeated often enough with the same results to consider them trustworthy. The practice of soaking the seed in a strong solution of corrosive sublimate before planting them was perhaps an unnecessary precaution inasmuch as we have never been able in repeated examinations to find any evi- dence of nematode infection from this source, but the watering of the pots with filtered water- or water which had been previously boiled was quite necessary where we were making observations upon non parasitic species. We have observed many instances of steril- ized soil becoming infested with the non parasitic nematodes from 1. The damping fungus in this case was the Pythium De Baryanum, Hesse, which is frequently troublesome to cucumber seedlings. 2. We used for this purpose an ordinary sand filter which we attached to the faucet. 48 the water supply, although we have never detected a case where the parasitic species originated from this source. It is quite likely that the infection comes more often through the nematode eggs contained in the water and less often through the adult worm. The non para- sitic nematodes are in general associated with all kinds of decay, and all of our public water supplies which contain decomposing vegetation furnish no doubt an environment for certain species of nematodes. It is not improbable that the high temperatures recommended by some for the control of nematodes were based upon experiments in which care was not taken to prevent contamination, but it is more likely that the large mass of soil employed was not heated evenly and perhaps some portions fell below the requisite degree of temperature. This is more likely to occur where defective methods of piping are employed and also where the soil is piled up to a considerable depth, in which case a thermometer thrust into the top layers of the soil would not always indicate the temperature of some portions under- neath. Methods of Sterilizing the Soil. Descriptions of methods of sterilizing the soil have not been very numerous up to the present time. In 1892 Sturgis' recommended a method of heating soil for Aster culture. In this case the plants were grown out of doors and the roots became covered with galls probably through the introduction of unfrozen soil or manure which was infested with the worm. It can easily be seen that there are many difficulties in heating soil out of doors to kill nematodes and when attempted on a large scale it would not be practicable nor in this climate necessary, providing proper precautions are taken . Should such a measure become necessary, however, the method advocated by Dr. Sturgis might be employed on a small scale. He recommends the application of a device commonly used for drying earth in the prepara- tion of asphalt pavements. It consists of a large piece of sheet iron 6 or 8 feet square, raised from the ground. A wood fire is built under this and the earth is thrown on and allowed to heat for 10 or 15 minutes. When this is completed the earth is removed and another supply is placed upon it and heated for the same length of time. A considerable quantity of earth can be heated in this way in I. Conn. Agr. Expt. Station Report, 1892, p. 48. 49 a single day, but as we have previously stated we question whether for nematodes there is ever any necessity for treating out of door earth, provided careless inoculation of the soil is guarded against. This method of heating would, of course, produce different condi- tions in the soil from that of steaming. We have never found the dry heating method as satisfactory as the steam method, inasmuch as the former leaves the soil dry and disturbs the mechanical condi- tions, while the latter method leaves it moist and porous and more suitable for plant growth. The iirst notice of the application of steam for sterilizing upon a large scale which we have observed is that used by Mr. W. N. Rudd' of Mt. Greenwood, 111. The steam method has probably been used by other growers even before this but we have taken no particular pains to look up this point. Mr. Rudd employed a box 20 ft. long, 6 ft. wide, and 4.I ft. deep, over the top of which he placed some hot bed sash and in the bottom of the box he ran three lengths of i^ in. steam pipes which were bored every 18 in. with -^\ in. holes, thus allowing the steam when forced in to penetrate through the soil. He does not state the pressure of steam used or the temperature to which the soil reached, but says that when a potato which he usually put in the soil is cooked the earth is ready to be used and that two hours steaming is sufficient for this purpose. Mr. Lodder^ later describes a method similar to that used by Mr. Rudd but with some variation in the details of constructing the box and utilizing the steam. He used a box 20 ft. long, 6 ft. wide, and 5 ft. deep, which sat upon the ground and was provided w'ith a solid bottom and a cover for the top. The floor of this box upon which the soil was placed was raised i ft. from the bottom, thus forming a superstructure, and consisted of i^ in. steam pipes laid close together which were open at each end presumably for the free circulation of the steam. The main steam pipe passed lengthwise through the box just under the superimposed pipe floor and was li in. in diameter with i in. openings' every foot. The pipes constituting the floor were covered with a layer of straw to prevent the earth which cov- ered them from sifting through. The steam which is let into the pipes soon completely fills the space below the soil and when under pressure passes upwards between the pipes and through the straw, 1. American Florist, Vol. IX., p. 171, 1896. 2. Ohio Agr. Expt. Station, Bulletin No. 72- P- 231, 1896. 5° permeating the soil. Mr. Lodder claimed to sterilize the earth in this box, which contained 480 cu. ft., in four hours when a pressure of steam equal to 40 lbs. was maintained, and in three hours when the pressure was equal to 60 lbs. Mr. Galloway' of the Dept. of Vegetable Pathology, Washington, D. C. has given a brief account of a method employed by him for sterilizing soil infested with rose and violet nematodes. He made use of an ordinary porous 2 in. drain tile instead of steam pipes punctured with holes. The drain tiles are placed in the bottom of a box of any convenient size and connected with a steam pipe leading from a boiler having a high pressure. The box used in his experi- ment was 12 ft. long, 12 in. deep and 6 ft. wide, filled with soil, and through this three lengths of tile were placed. This was covered with hot bed sash in order to inclose the steam. Such a box will hold 72 cu. ft. of earth and he claims that this amount of soil can be heated in two hours. From the results of our own experiments along this line we feel quite certain that with six lengths of tile in a box of this size instead of three this soil could have "been heated in one hour. Mr. J. N. May,^ an extensive rose grower, has recently described a method of sterilizing soil which he employs on a large scale. He makes use of two bins, each of which is 12 in. deep, 3^- ft. wide, and 16 ft. long, and which hold together 112 cu. ft. of soil. These bins are provided with covers rendering them as air tight as possible. They are constructed upon the ground which is slightly graded so as to slope in one direction for the purpose of taking care of the condensation in the pipes. At the bottom of the bins are placed a number of steam pipes i in. in diameter which are provided with manifolds at each end and which virtually make a coil. Every third pipe is bored upon the side with holes about 15 in. apart. When the soil is put in and the steam is turned on, part of it escapes through the holes in the pipes and penetrates the soil above. The condensation is conducted by the manifolds back to the boiler. When one bed is sterilized it is uncovered and taken away while the other bed, which in the meantime has been prepared, is steamed. By this method Mr. May empties five or six bins in a day, but to American Gardening:, Vol. XVIII, p. 127, 1S97. Sterilizing Soil for Destroying Eel Worms. American Florist, Feb. 5, SI accomplish this he states that it is necessary to have a boiler of some 25-horse power carrying at least 50 lbs. pressure of steam continually. These are the only methods for sterilizing soil, so far as we are aware, that have been described, and all of these methods have been described within two or three years. In our experiments' relating to soil sterilization we have tried many methods and found the tile system as used by Galloway cheap, and satisfactory for many purposes, especially when w'e wish to ster- ilize the soil in the bed in which the crop is to be grown. Another advantage which it possesses is that it can be . used for subirri- gating purposes. To ascertain the best method of using tile we arranged them in beds of equal size containing the same amount of similarly prepared earth. The beds were iS ft. long, 30 in. wide and I ft. deep and each contained 45 cu. ft. of soil suitable for grow- ing cucumbers. Part of the soil had been used 43reviously for cucumbers and tomatoes and was well infested with nematodes, and previous to sterilization it was mixed with fresh horse manure. The beds contained a different number of feet of pipe which w^ere laid in various ways and in each case they were placed about 2 in. from the bottom. For details concerning the manner of piping see fig. I., a, b, c, d, e. Bed (a) was piped with two lengths of tile without any end connection. Bed (b) was piped with three lengths of tile with end connections, thus forming a continuous circuit. Bed (c) was piped with two lengths of tile with end connections and cross tile every two feet. Bed (d) was piped with three lengths of tile as in (b). Bed (e) was not piped at all. Each bed was treated separately from a 4-horse power portable boiler having a pressure of steam varying from 40 to So lbs. The steam was conducted from the boiler through a half-inch pipe provided with a valve, and this led into a I in. pipe, (tig. I., 1), which had a four way connection, the ends of which were inserted into the free open ends of the tile. The con- nections were easily made with the boiler and when one bed was ster- ilized it was disconnected and the pipe attached to another bed. The steam was confined by means of boards placed over the top, although straw mats or blankets would have served the purpose better. The valve regulating the amount of steam from the boiler was never turned on more than half way, this being found sufficient to supply I. See Nematode Worm and Root Gall on Cucumbers and Tomatoes, New England Farmer, Feb. 26, 189S. 52 I, I ,1 1 I r I 111 I ~r I 1 r I I Fig. I Showing the arrangement of piping beds with 2 in. tile. The beds are iS ft. long, ih. ft. wide and i ft- deep. The tile are placed about 2 in. from the bottom and the various methods of arranging them are shown in. cross and vertical section. 53 all the steam required, and it was, moreov^er, necessary in using so small a boiler in order to keep the pressure of steam high. The results of these experiments are as follows : Bed (a) was heated to 204^ F. in 1.15 hrs. Bed (b) " " " " " " 45 min. Bed (c) " " " " " " 1. 00 hr. Bed (d) practically the same as (b). These experiments show that bed (b) which was piped with three lengths of tile gave the best results, with bed (c) following, and the most unsatisfactory results were given by bed (a). Bed (d) gave practically the same relative results as (b). Bed (b) contained a few more feet of pipe than (c), and more than ^ more than (a), and for this reason alone it might be expected that the heating of the soil in the bed (b) would be more effective. There is another more important difference, however, and that is in the method in which the steam circulated. The cross tiles in (c) were not nearly as effective as the middle lengths in (b), neither would they have been even if they had contained the same linear feet. Bed (a) would have heated more effectually if there had been a continuous loop. Had the four beds been piped the same and all connected at once with a large boiler maintaining a high pressure of steam they could have been heated in two hours time. The tile which were employed for sterilizing were left in the soil, but in these experiments they were not used for sub- irrigation purposes. Should the soil, however, be removed and replaced by other soil it would be desirable to remove the tile, which can, however, be easily put back. We have tried many different methods of piping with variations in the pressure of steam and we will state, that in order to get the cheapest and best results it is necessary to pay attention to two points, namely, that the higher the pressure of steam maintained, the quicker and more effectual are the results, and the greater tile area in which the steam has to circulate the quicker it will find its way through the soil and accomplish the sterilization of the same. It is not only necessary that there should be a number of feet of pipe in the soil in order to sucessfuUy heat it,, but the area of cross sections is equally important. In regard to the cross section area of the pipe we will relate the results of one of our experiments in trying to sterilize a box of soil with ^ in. lead pipe made up into a coil of four lengths. This coil had holes in it 2 in. apart and was placed in a box containing 5 54 i6 cu. ft. of earth which was easily heated in one hour's time when three lengths of 2 -in. tile were used and a pressure of 4 or 5 lbs. of steam. With the small lead pipe it was found that it was impossible to heat the soil after running it for a number of hours. The method just described is especially adapted to sterilizing soil in the bed where it is subsequently to be used in growing some greenhouse crop subject to nematodes. It should be stated, however, that cer- tain beds are more suitable for this purpose than others. Soil can be more effectually heated in a narrow bed than in a wide one. Many of our cucumber growers raise their plants in a bed 15 or 18 in. wide, 8 to 12 in. deep, and 50 to 100 ft. or more in length. Beds approximating these dimentions could be easily heated in a short time at little expense, and in a cucumber house it would be most desirable to construct them after this manner. Not unfrequently, however, cucumber houses are not provided with benches but the vines are grown directly in the ground soil. In this case should sterilizing become necessary, the earth in which the plants are grow- ing can be separated from the remaining soil by means of 12 in. boards or plank and this lot of earth caji be'tiled and then treated. The boards or plank arranged in this manner restrict the amount of soil to be treated and prevent contamination from the untreated. In case pots are used as frequently happens in tomato culture the earth can be sterilized in a special bed or the pots containing the earth can be placed in a tight box and sterilized, although this latter method is not so practical as pots take up more room than soil placed in a bed. For sterilizing small quantities of earth we make use of an ordinary small house boiler which heats our laborator}^ and seldom indicates more than 3 or 4 lbs. pressure of steam. This is connected with a box, (see fig. II., i, 2, and 3), containing 15 cu. ft. of earth, in the bottom of which is buried three lengths of tile sup- plied with steam from the boiler. With a pressure of 3 or 4 lbs. of steam the box can be easily heated to 212° F. in one hour's time and this amount of earth will fill about fifty 10 in. pots. A small bed of this description would be exceedingly convenient for florists in steril- izing earth for such pot plants as cyclamens etc. Another conven- ient arrangement for sterilizing which we use for a variety of pur- poses is shown in fig. II., 4, which represents a cross section of a box, but it is not adapted for sterilizing earth except when in trays or pots. This is simply an ordinary zinc lined box. It is provided :pH- ^ CO Fig. II Showing the details of a small sterilizing apparatus, i, 2, and 3 represent various sections of a box furnislied with tile and capable of holding 15 cu. ft. of earth, (m) steam pipe from boiler, (p) four way connection which enters the tile. 4 represents a cross section of a zinc lined box and cover for sterilizing pots and small boxes of soil, (a) valve or hole for drawing off the condensed steam. 56 with a wooden cover of double thickness which with the use of an old blanket makes it fairly tight. The steam pipe enters in one side near the top and passes down the inside to within an inch of the bottom. A wooden support made up of slats keeps the object to be sterilized from touching the bottom, and a valve (a), or much simpler, a hole plugged with a cork, allows for the drawing off of the condensed steam which gathers in the bottom of the box. This manner of sterilizing' is very convenient for steaming small boxes of earth, pots, etc., as it can be done in a very short time, and at very little expense. An old zinc lined refrigerator, however, could be substituted for the box to good advantage. The method of ridding the soil of nematodes where such plants as cucumbers, tomatoes, etc., are sown and where the crop is obtained from the seed offers fewer obstacles than such plants as violets where transplanting is accom- plished by separation, as the latter process necessarily includes tak- ing some of the old soil with the plant. If the violet plants are affected with nematodes it must be clear that the separating and transplanting of the plant into new soil would infest it whether steril- ized or not, and result in a crop of sickly plants covered with leaf spots and few flowers. The only method which can be employed at present to control this trouble would be to start cuttings of the violet in sterilized earth, and when the cuttings were ready to trans- plant to place them either out of doors in some newly turned up land, or land which had not been contaminated with nematode infected manure, or else into earth in the greenhouses which has previously been sterilized. Experiments with violets are now under way and we shall report them at some other time. The manner in which roses are propagated also gives rise to similar obstacles in regard to nematode infection. If the same care is taken in regard to contamination as in violets the nematode problem is one which need give no alarm. Some rose growers in Massachusetts have never been troubled with nematodes. Mr. Montgomery who pos- sesses considerable skill, knowledge, and experience in rose growing and who has charge of the extensive Waban conservatory at Natick, informs us that they have never been troubled with nematodes upon I. Since the above was written Prof. Britton has described a similar box in the Annual Report of the Conn. Expt. Station p. 310, 1S97. He uses wooden trays which just fit the box, the- bottoms of which are covered with galvanized iron netting which makes it more desirable for sterilizing earth. 57 their roses. They make a practice of using soil composted with cow manure which is allowed to remain out over winter. There is no doubt that owing to this method of preparing the soil they are able to keep nematodes in check. Cost of Sterilization. The expense of sterilizing the soil will largely depend upon one's equipment and the conditions under which it has to be done. If one has a large steam boiler which he uses for heating his houses, then the necessary expenses involved would not be very great. The expense of purchasing tile, or steam pipe if one happens to use such, which in the latter instance w^ould have to be drilled and connected, would be the heaviest to bear. We prefer tile to steam pipe and think they are fully as effective, and then again they can be used for subirrigation purposes, a practice which according to those who have experimented with it gives beneficial results. On the other hand if one had to purchase a steam boiler together with the tile the first expense might be of some account. The 2 in. tile, however, cost about one cent each, or purchased in quantities some- what less, and are slightly over one foot in length, and a second hand steam boiler* of 6 or 8 horse power giving a pressure of steam equal to 40 or 80 lbs. can be purchased for about $50 or $60, and would answer the purpose for most greenhouse growers. Larger boilers would be better as they carry m.ore water, a necessary feature in this kind of work, inasmuch as there is considerable water used up in heating owing to the condensation of the steam. The soil in a bench 12 in. deep, 15 in. wide, and 80 ft. long, or in other words 100 cu. ft. of soil, in which were placed two lengths of tile 2 or 3 in. from the bottom, could be easily heated in one and one-half to two hours time. The tile in such a bed we will say costs $1.75 and the extra expense for coal would be vmimportant. Some further idea of the expense of heating the soil can be obtained from the amount of soil employed and the time required to heat it to 212° F. as ascer- tained by Galloway and others. According to Galloway he suc- ceeded in heating about 72 cu. ft. of earth in two hours time. Lodder's beds evidently contained 480 cu. ft. of soil which he heated in three hours, while Rudd's beds contained 600 cu. ft. which he *In purchasing a second-hand boiler of high pressure it would be well to obtain the State Inspector's certificate. 58 heated in two hours, and according to Mr. May he heats 112 cu, ft. in one and one-half hours. Effects of Heating the Soil on the Growth of the Crop. In the numerous crops of cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce which we have grown in sterilized earth we have never noticed any thing of a detrimental nature, but on the other hand a decidedly beneficial effect as the result of sterilization. Not only is this shown in the difference in color which the plants take on, but in an appreciable acceleration of their growth. We have repeatedly run parallel cul- tures of sterilized and un sterilized soil and have invariably noticed these effects on cucumbers and lettuce. Mr. W. N. Rudd whom we have already quoted as having tried the sterilizing method says as follows': — " One would imagine that the cooking would make the soil soggy, but it has no such effect, and indeed the soil seems in better condition afterwards than before the steam was applied, and the fine condition of the plants growing in soil which has been treated proves that the soil has not been injured in the least." It has long been known among practical gardeners that heating the soil produces beneficial results. Every greenhouse soil contains humus or vegetable mold and it is recognized by vegetable physiolo- gists that the presence of humus in the soil plays an important part in assimilation and plant growth, but its efficiency depends partly upon the stage of decomposition at which it has arrived. It has been shown by experiments in which plants are treated in one case with humus in the raw condition, and in the other with humus which had been subjected to the action of steam for several hours at a temper- ature of 212^^ F., that there is considerable difference in the yield of the crop. It has been found that the same quantity of soil, after the action of heat, yields a crop many times in excess of the former or untreated soil. In other words by heating we convert the humus compounds in the soil into a more available form for the utilization of the plant. That the heating of the soil gives rise to some changes is shown by its darker color and more porous condition, and it is undoubtedly due to these changes which have taken place in the humus compounds which account for the accelerated and vigorous growth of the plants. Another feature which is characteristic of sterilized soils is the unusual occurrence of humus loving plants, or I American Florist, Vol. IX, p. 171-197. 59 saprophytes, that grow upon it, which is a good indication that the organic matter contained in the soil has undergone changes through the action of the heat. We have ourselves observed more than once certain species of saprophytic fungi growing upon our steamed beds which have never shown any tendency to grow on unheated soil, although with the exception of being steamed the soil was exactly the same as that upon which they never appeared. Effects of Heating the Soil Upon Other Greenhouse Pests. Besides the destruction of nematode worms, and the gaining of robust and vigorous plants which steaming the soil gives rise to, there are other beneficial effects worthy of being taken into consid- eration. Many of the fungous and insect pests to which our green- house plants are subject find their normal habitat in the soil. In our experiments upon heating the soil in the beds we killed thou- sands of red spiders, and we presume that we did the same with the cucvnnber aphis, or with the eggs, as we were remarkably free from them, although the soil had previously been used for cucumber crops which were badly contaminated with aphis. This latter statement, however, in regard to killing the aphis, is nothing more than a con- jecture, as Entomologists tell us that they do not know where the aphis breeds, but they surmise that it breeds upon particles of organic matter in the soil or upon the old cucumber vines thrown out upon the compost heap. The soil undoubtedly harbors many of the spores of the mildews which are common to cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce. One of the most common and troublesome diseases to young cucumbers is the so-called " damping fungus," Pythium De Barya- num, which attacks the young plants at the surface of the ground and causes them to wilt and collapse. We have repeatedly found as a result of heating that this did not make its appearance when they were subjected to a temperature which was over 140° or 150° F.; when, however, the temperature went below these points the fungus appeared to be accelerated in its growth and development and damping was more likely to show itself than in normal pots. This fungus must be distinguished from the ordinary " damping fungus " (Botrytis) which attacks begonia cuttings, etc., in the propagating pit. Sterilizing the soil for this fungus would be of no account as the spores (conidia) of this species are everywhere and only await a 6o favorable opportunity to germinate and develop themselves, whereas with the Pythium the conditions of dissemination are much more restricted. What is true in regard to the Botrytis is probably true in regard to some of the mildews, as there is no reason to doubt that the spores can thrive in the house for some time without coming in con- tact with the host, although sterilizing the soil would undoubtedly kill many of them. The so-called "drop" in the lettuce which is caused by a facultative parasite, a species of Botrytis, is also completely controlled by sterilization. This fungus causes no end of trouble to some lettuce growers and is confined entirely to the soil where it propagates only by means of its mycelium, but it frequently becomes disseminated from one part of the house to the other by means of the gardener's tools. Sterilizing the soil has also an effect upon the weed and grass seeds which constitute more or less of a nuisance in a house. The difference between a heated bed and one that is not heated is very marked indeed in this respect. In the beds which were heated at 204° F. there were no weeds or grass seeds to trouble us and the only things appearing were one or two clover plants. The seeds of the clover appear to be more resistant than other seeds and their presence can be accounted for probably by the fact that the temperature at certain points did not quite reach 204'^ F. In the beds that were not heated we hoed under a number of crops of weeds as the horse manure which was mixed with our soil was largely contaminated with seeds. Relation of Nematodes to their Environment. A knowledge of the relationship of the environment to an organism is of considerable importance in all experiment work where we have to deal with some pest which causes injury to our economic plants. Indeed some of the methods of controlling nematodes are based upon a knowledge of the influence of the common external factors or agencies which go to make up the environment and to which all organisms strive to adapt themselves. Such for example is the desiccation method which forms an important factor in the treatment recommended by Vanha. The external factors playing an important part in the life history of an organism are heat, light, moisture, etc., and it is the variation of these ever changing factors with which the organism has to contend, and which gives rise to characteristic manifestations in its activities. 6i Every organism, however, is limited in its power to withstand the effects of these external forces. The range of susceptibility is repre- sented by what is known as a minimum, optimum, and maximum con- dition. Whenever this range is disregarded, or in other words whenever the minimum or maximum conditions of the organism are passed, death results, but what constitutes the minimum, optimum, or maximum condition for one organism does not necessarily constitute the same for another and hence arise specific forms of susceptibility or powers of response in organisms. EFFECTS OF HEAT. We have already shown the effects of heat upon nematodes. A temperature of about 140'' F. kills them and destroy the eggs, but they appear to thrive at those temperatures of the greenhouse soil which may vary anywhere from 45'^ F. to 75° F. The optimum temperature for Heterodera is probably not far from 60° to 70° F. EFFECTS OF COLD. Undoubtedly most, if not all, of the non parasitic forms of nema- todes found here are indigenous to our northern climate, as their eggs will stand our severest winter temperatures. The adult worms, how- ever, are easily killed by freezing as we have frequently seen in our experiments. That the eggs of these species can stand low temper- atures is shown by an observation on old squashes which we have examined after they had lain upon the ground most of the winter and been subjected to alternate thawing and freezing even at a tempera- ture equal to 20° F. below zero. When the squashes were brought into the laboratory no nematodes could be found, but when moist- ened with sterilized water and examined again after having remained in a warm room a week or ten days they were swarming with nema- todes. We have observed the same thing in cultures of nematodes which we purposely allowed to freeze. This, however, does not apply to the parasitic species such as Heterodera which attacks cucumbers, tomatoes, violets, etc., inasmuch as this species is not native and freezing always kills the adult worms and their eggs. We have repeatedly shown this to be the case by allowing badly infested nematode soil to become frozen and on making thorough examinations of the soil afterwards have never found nematodes. 62 EFFECTS OF MOISTURE AND LIGHT A certain degree of moisture is evidently essential to nematodes and they do not appear to suffer much from an excess of it, as we have kept them in watery sohitions for days at a time with no detri- mental results. While nematodes naturally prefer the dark, as does their relative the earth worm, their exposure to light, as far as we have observed, causes no appreciable harm and they appear to mul- tiply and thrive as well in it as they do in darkness. EFFECTS OF ELECTRICITY. Some experiments were made with nematode infested earth with alternating electric currents of varying strengths. The infested earth was placed in a glass tube | in. in diameter and the various samples were subjected to different strengths of an alternating cur- rent for a period of one minute each. It is sufficient to say that the experiments proved of very little value, but they indicated that the amount of current necessary to rid the soil of nematodes would have to be large enough to produce considerable heat in the soil and at the present time there is no indication that this method of treatment would be practicable. We have demonstrated by experiments in our laboratory that the amount of alternating current which seeds can stand without being destroyed is largely determined by the amount of heat they are capable of enduring and in all probability the same would hold true of nematodes. There is reason to believe, however, that this statement would not hold good for direct currents. A cur- rent sufficiently strong to produce electrolysis in an organism would probably cause disintegration and death to nematodes. EFFECTS OF DESICCATION. Neither nematodes nor their eggs can stand desiccation. Jars containing innumerable nematodes were allowed to dry at the tem- perature of the laboratory and when examined one year afterwards, after having previously been moistened with sterilized water for some weeks, showed no evidence of nematodes. The same results have been obtained when we allowed nematode infested earth and other infested material to become dry. It is hoped that some practical use can be made of this fact in treating nematodes in greenhouses. (>3 NATURE OF THE SOIL AS EFFECTING NEMATODES. Some observers' have maintained that when artificial soils such as coal ashes mixed with peat were used, nematode galls were not formed except in the small ball of earth clinging to the plants when transplanted. It might be supposed that a soil of the nature of coal ashes would not constitute a favorable medium for nematodes and we have never observed any galls on plants in this medium, although we have obtained them abundantly on roots cultivated in peat soil and also to a certain extent in sawdust cultures. A single experi- ment made with a lo in. pot of peat containing cucumbers will suf- fice to show that nematodes will thrive in a strong acid soil such as peat. About a thimblefull of nematode infested earth was inserted I in. beneath the soil close to the plant. Six weeks later the plant was taken up and examined and there were more than one hundred galls upon the roots. Cucumbers were again planted in the pot and their roots likewise became covered with galls. Nematodes in all probability can thrive to a limited extent in every soil in which their host plant is capable of flourishing, although there are certain soils such as coal ashes which do not appear to be especially adapted to their development and growth. INFLUENCE OF CARBON-DIOXID AND OXYGEN. All animals require Oxygen although not in the same degree. The fact that nematodes live in the soil which is richer in Carbon- dioxid than the air would indicate that they are normally adapted to a larger percentage of this gas than ordinary animals, and since they thrive in decomposing manure heaps they must be subject to a great variety of gases and chemical solutions of a strong nature. We observed, however, that when nematodes were placed in an atmosphere containing 85% of Carbon-dioxid their movements largely ceased in a very few minutes, but as soon as air was supplied, they resumed their movements. I. See experiments of E. H. Jenkins and W. E. Britton in Conn. Agrl. Expt. Station Report, 1S95, P- 92- 64 Resume. Nematodes are small, mostly microscopic worms allied to the earth worm ; many are entirely harmless, some are parasitic in ani- mals, and a few in plants. Of the many species occurring in this section only one is known to damage plants. This is called Hetero- dera radicola and is the cause of the so-called " root-knot " disease of many plants. The species is very similar to and perhaps iden- tical with the European H. Schachtii which causes so much damage to the sugar beet. The amount of damage caused by nematodes to economic plants throughout the world is quite large. The number of families and species of plants subject to nematodes are numerous. They not only attack the roots but frequently other parts of plants as well. Certain species of nematodes, Tylenchus, etc., are indigenous to our climate and by means of their resistant eggs they are capable of surviving our winters, but the parasitic species Heterodera cannot. The greatest amount of injury done to plants in the Northern U. S. is largely confined to greenhouses and occurs to such plants as the cucumber, tomato, violet, rose, cyclamen, etc. which are affected in their 'roots. Not infrequently, however, outdoor plants are subject to nematodes by being brought in contact with infested earth or manure. Plants affected by Heterodera usually appear sickly and gradually fade away and die. The roots of such plants are found to be more or less covered with various sized galls or swellings. These galls are the result of an abnormal growth of the root due to the young worms forcing their way into it, and there remaining to complete their development. The damage to the plant is not due to the feed- ing of the worms upon the roots, but rather to the fact that the flow of sap from the root is cut off by the abnormal development of the tissues. The nature of the problem of nematode control is one which must be based upon a knowledge of the life history and environmental conditions affecting the organism. It has been found that the use of chemicals is of no practical value. None of the chemicals which we have used are capable of killing the eggs of nematodes when confined in the soil, and unless this is accomplished the treatment is of no account. 6s There are many solutions capable of killing a certain percentage of adult worms and that can be applied to the soil before or after planting, but the strength and the amount of the solution necessary to kill nematodes in the soil is considerably greater than that neces- sary when the worms are isolated. This is clue to the difficulty of bringing the solution into contact with each particle of matter in and around which the nematode thrives. The most effectual, complete, and practical method at the pres- ent time of exterminating nematodes in greenhouses is by heat- ing the soil by means of steam. This can be accomplished with- out much expense providing proper attention is paid to the meth- ods of applying the steam. A pressure of steam exceeding 50 lbs. is not only cheaper, but more effective than a pressure which falls below this, and the amount and cross section area of the tile is important. See p. 53. The cost of heating soil depends upon the equipment employed and cost of labor, etc. Probably not far from 100 cu. ft. of soil under the most favorable conditions can be heated in one hour's time to a temperature of over 200° F. The minimum amount of heat necessary to kill nematodes and their eggs while confined to the soil is about 140° F., but for all practical purposes it is desirable to make use of a higher tempera- ture, at least from 180^-212° F. The benefit of steaming or sterilizing the soil is not alone confined to the destruction of nematodes. Many other greenhouse pests are killed. The mechanical conditions of the soil are moreover greatly improved ; the humus compounds are rendered more available for plant food, which results in giving plants grown in sterilized soil a considerable acceleration in their rate of growth. The changes of the environment which appear to affect Heterodera the most are freezing and desiccation. Either of these agencies might be employed in certain cases to kill nematodes. The latter gives promise of becoming a cheap and efficient method. 66 Explanation of Plates. Plates I. and II. Development of a free. living nematode, Rhab- ditis sp. PI. I. Figs. 1-12, development of embryo in the egg. X3S0. Fig. 13, young worm just hatched; m, mouth; o, oesophagus; x & b, oesophagal bulbs ; s, stomach or intestine ; r, rectum ; a, anus ; p, location of sexual organ, shown more enlarged in fig. 14. Figs. 15, 16, 17, further development of the female, showing ovary at o, and vulva at V, fig. 17. Fig. 18, male and female in copulation. Figs. 13, 15. 16, 17, 18, X 135- Plate II. Figs. 1-4, further develop- ment and maturity of female. Fig. 3, mature female; i,lips; o, oesophagus, with x and b bulbs; s, stomach; r, rectum ; a, anus; v, vulva; e, eggs. in various stages; w, young worms. Fig. 4. dead mature female filled with young. Fig. 5, mature male. Fig. 6, posterior end more enlarged ; z, bursa ; q, spicule ; y, anus ; u, spermatozoa. Figs, i, 2, 3, 4, 5, X 135. Plate III. Figs. 1-16, eggs of Heterodera radicola, showing development of the embryo. X 325. Plate IV. Development of the female Heterodera. Fig. i, young worm just hatched. Figs. 2, 3, and 4, stages of development in the swelling up process of the female. Fig. 5, stage at which copulation takes place; h, spear; k, bulb; g, vulva; e, anus; c, ovary; w, stomach or intestine ; d, rectum. Fig. 6, mature female with ovary tubes partly visible. All X 100. Fig. 7, ovary, more enlarged. Plate V. Development of male Heterodera. Fig. i, just hatched, indistinguishable from the female. Fig. 2, beginning of male metamorphosis, showing the body drawing in from the wall, and at t, the rudimentary testis. Fig. 3, same in later stage. Fig. 4. mature male, about to emerge from old body covering. Fig. 5, mature male ; c, cap-like thickening on head ; s, spear ; e, excretory canal ; t, testis; x, spermatozoa; i, intestine. Figs, i, 2, 3, X 175- Fig. 4, X 90. Fig. 5, X 500- Plate VI. Sections of normal and nematode-attacked cucumber roots, at various ages. Fig. i, very young, normal root. Fig. 2, mature, normal root ; c, cortex ; p, central cylinder ; d, ducts. Fig. 3, young root same age as fig. i, attacked by nematodes. Fig. 4, same, one week later. Fig. 5, section of mature gall, showing dis- tortion of tissues. All X 20. Plate VII. Fig. r, tip of cucumber root with young nematodes just entering, enlarged. Figs. 2, 3, and 4, seedlings of rape, cucum- 67 ber, and tomato, from badly infested soil. Fig. 5, young Hetero- dera among the particles of a tine loam soil, X i75- Fig. 6, portion of an angle worm contrasted in size with Heterodera, represented by the two black lines near the center, the longer representing the length of the mature male, the shorter that of the young worm. X lo- Plate VIII. Species of free living nematode. Plate IX. Various forms of nematodes; figs, i, 3, 4, 8, 5, free living species. Plate X. Photograph showing the effect of nematodes on cucum- bers grown in pots. The plants in the two middle pots have died. The plants on each side are uninfected ones and of the same age as the infected plants. Plate XI. Cucumber root showing galls. Plate XII. Tomato root showing galls. Plate I. Plate II. \,t offrE :-v---|-l^ ^. m ^w. ^"; ^l p P^'i 1 i'l r"*^^ w ?^ M ,*) 1 v.. ''*f' W ''1 '1 1 i {'m mM >0^ V Plate m. Plate IX. % ^^ PLATE X. PLATE XL KATCH EXPERIMENT STATION -OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. BULLETIN NO. 5©. CONCENTRATED FEED STUFFS. ^ ^^4^^* CHEMICAL LABORATORl The Bulletins of this Station will be sent free to all newspapers in the State and to such individuals interested in farming as may request the same. AMHERST, MASS. : PRESS OF CARPENTER & MOREHOUSE, 1898. HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION OF THE Massachusetts Agrictilttiral College, AMHERST, MASS. By act of the General Court, the Hatch Experiment Station and the State P^lxperiment Station have been consolidated under the name of the Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Several new divisions have been created and the scope of others has been enlarged. To the horticultural, has been added the duty of testing varieties of vegetables and seeds. The chemical has been divided, and a new division, "Foods and Feeding," has been established. The botanical, including plant physiology and disease, has been restored after temporary suspension. The officers are : — Henry H. Goodell, LL. D., Director. William P. Brooks, Pii. D., Agriculturist. George E. Stone, Ph. D., Botanist. Charles A. Goessmann, Pii. D., LL. D., Chemist (Fertilizers). Joseph B. Lindsey, Ph. D., Chemist (Foods and Feeding). Charles H. Fernald, Ph. D., Entomologist. Samuel T. Maynard, B. Sc, Horticulturist. J. E. Ostrander, C. E., Meteorologist. Henry M. Thomson, B. Sc, Assistant Agriculturist. Ralph E. Smith, B. Sc, Assistant Botanist. Henri D. Haskins, B. Sc, Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Charles I. Goessmann. B. Sc, Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Samuel W. Wiley, B. Sc, Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Edward B. Holland, M. Sc, i^(>si C/iemis^(Foods and Feeding). Fred W. MossMAN, B. Sc, u4ssY C/te»)i2s((Foods and Feeding). Benjamin K. Jones, B. Sc, J.ss7 C/iemisf (Foods and Feeding). Philip H. Smith, B. Sc, Assistant in Foods and Feeding . Robert A. Cooley, B. Sc, Assistant Entomologist. George A. Drew, B. Sc. Assistant Horticulturist. Herbert D. Hemenway, B. Sc, Assistant Horticulttirist. Arthur C. Monahan, Observer. The co-operation and assistance of farmers, fruit-growers, horti- culturists, and all interested, directly or indirectly, in agriculture, are earnestly requested. Communications may be addressed to the Hatch Experiment Station, Amherst, Mass. DIVISION OF FOODS AND FEEDING. Joseph B. Lindsey.* RESULTS AND SUGGESTIONS. I. Farmers are especially cautioned against adulterated cottonseed meal. Samples of this substance were found in a large number of towns, especially iu northeastern Massachusetts, during the spring months. Sea Island Cottonseed^ so called, is also very much infe- rior to the genuine material. A prime cottonseed meal should have a bright yellow color, and contain at least 6.75 per cent of nitrogen, equivalent to 42 percent of protein. The adulterated meal con- tains about 3.75 per cent nitrogen equal to 23.4 per cent protein. It is therefore only one-half as valuable as the prime article. It is evidently prepared by grinding the black hulls quite fine, and mixing them with the yellow meal. The resulting product is as a rule of a darker yellow than the pure meal. Samples of adulterated meal have also been found that were bright yellow. This meal had either been artificially colored or mixed with some inferior substance other than hulls. We urge purchasers to buy only the guaranteed article, and to absolutely refuse the unbranded meal. Pure cottonseed meal is one of the very cheapest concentrated feed stuffs. II. Linseed meals, branded gluten meals, and gluten feeds, show no adulterations. III. Wheat bran, middlings, and, with a few exceptions, mixed feeds, have not been found to contain any foreign admixtures. He ilman's mixed feed was found to be of very poor quality. It contained a large amount of woody material, of very little feeding value. Several unmarked mixed feeds were similarly adulterated. The Lexington mixed feed showed several per cent less protein than the average. IV. Many unbranded oat feeds have been found to contain as high as 65 per cent of hulls, and only from 5 to 7 per cent of pro- ♦Assisted by E- B. Hollanp, B. K. Jones and F. W. Mobsman. 4 tein. Such foods prove very costly at prices asked for them. See more extended remarks under analyses of these feeds. V. fProtein Standards of unadulterated Feed Stuffs are as follows : Starchy (carbohydrate) { Feeds. I Oat feeds, FEED STUFFS. ' Corn meal, Hominy meal or chop. Chop feed, Protein Feeds. I Corn and Oat feeds, I l^H. 0. horse feed, ( Wheat bran, I 1 Wheat middlings, I I Mixed feed, I I Dried brewers' grains, I I 3falt sprouts, I \ H. 0. Dairy feed, I \ H. 0. Poultry feed, American Poultry feed, Buffalo and Golden gluten feeds. Other gluten feeds, Gluten meals,** Cleveland flax meal, 0. P. linseed meal, ^ Cottonseed meal, PROTEiy STANDARD. 9 per cent. 10-11 8-9 9-10 9 11 16 18-20 17 22* 24 19 17 14 28 22-24 36 39 36 42 I 'Minimum. **Klag gluten meal should have 33 per cent protein and 15 per cent fat. flJy "protein standard" is meant the per cent of protein an unadulterated feed should contain, CONCENTRATED FEED-STUFFS. A. Classification. B. Guaranteed Feed Stuffs. C. Results of Inspection. D. Cheapest Feeds at Present Prices. E. Grain Mixtures, etc. F. Key to Comparative Commercial Values. This Bulletin is issued in accordance with Chapter 117 of the Acts and Resolves of Massachusetts for 1897. The law will be found in Bulletin 53 issued by the Station in April, 1898. A. CLASSIFICATION OF CONCENTRATED FEEDS. The term " concentrated feed," taken in its broadest sense, is meant to include the grains and other seeds of agricultural plants, as well as their manifold by-products left behind in the process of oil extraction and in the preparation of human foods. As here used it is applied more particularly to the various by-products. The following classification is made on the basis of the amount of protein contained in the several feed stuffs, those in Class I. showing the largest amount, and those in Class IV. the smallest quantity. Division I. Protein Feeds. Division II. Curboliydrate or starchy feeds. Class I. 30 to -to'f protein. 50toW« *c!irbobj'd's. 75 to iWc; digestible. Cottonseed meal. Linseed meals. Chicago, Cream, King, Hammond and Star gluten meals. Class II. 20 to SO'^ protein. 60 to 70^4 *carbobyd's. 80 to 855i tligestible. Bnffalo, Golden. Diamond, Daven- port, Climax, Joli- et, and Standard gluten feeds made from corn, Atlas meal, dried brew- ers' grain, and malt sprouts. Class III. 14 to 20i protein. 70 to 755f *carbohyd's, 60 to 755J digestible. Wheat brans and middlings, "mixed feeds" and H. O. dairy feed. Class IV. 8 to 14IilJ, ISO^. The Bulletins of this Station ivill be sent free to all newspapers in the State and to such individuals interested in farming as may request the same. AMHERST. MASS. : PRESS OF CARPENTER & MOREHOUSE, 1898. HATCH Z3xfz:rii¥ez:n't station Massachusetts Agricultural College, AMHERST, MASS. By act of the General Court, the Hatch Experiment Station and the State P^xperimeut Station have been consolidated under the name of the Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Several new divisions have been created and the scope of others has been enlarged. To the horticultural, has been added the duty of testing varieties of vegetables and seeds. The chemical has been divided, and a new division, " Foods and Feeding," has been established. The botanical, including plant physiology and disease, has been restored after temporary suspension. The officers are : — Henry H. Goodell, LL. D., William P. Brooks, Ph. D., Georgk E. Stone, Ph. D., Charles A. Goessmann, Ph. D., LL. Joseph B. Lindsey, Ph. D., Charles H. Fernald, Ph. D., Samuel T. Maynard, B. Sc, j. e. ostrander, c. e., Henry M. Thomson, B. Sc, Ralph E. Smith, B. Sc, Henri D. Haskins, B. Sc, Charles I. Goessmann, B. Sc, Samuel W. Wiley, B. Sc, Edward B. Holland, M. Sc, Fred W. Mossman, B. Sc, Benjamin K. Jones, B. Sc, Philip H. Smith, B. Sc, Robert A. Cooley, B. Sc, George A. Drew, B. Sc, Hkhhert D. Hemenway, B. Sc, Arthur C. Monahan, Director. Agriculturist. Botanist. Chemist (Fertilizers). Chemist (Foods aud Feeding) . Entomologist. Horticulturist. Meteorologist. Assistant Agriculturist. Assistant Botanist. Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). First Chemist(Foods aud Feeding) . Ass't CJiemist(Foo6s and Feeding) . Ass't Chemist{Fooc\a and Feeding) . Assistant in Foods and Feeding. Assistant Entomologist. Assistant Hortic^iUurist. Assistant Horticidturist. Observer. The co-operation and assistance of fanners, fruit-growers, horti- culturists, and all interested, directly or indirectly, in agriculture, are earnestly requested. Communications may be addressed to the Hatch Experiment Station, Amherst, Mass. DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY. C. A. G< ESSMANN. I. ANALYSES OF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS AND MANO- RIAL SUBSTANCES SENT ON FOR EXAMINATION. WOOD ASHES. 582-586. I- Received from IMarshfield Centre, Mass. II. Received from Sherborn, Mass. III. Received from Lexington, Mass. IV. Received from Sunderland, Mass. V. . Received from Sunderland, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid, Ferric and Aluminum oxide, Calcium oxide. Insoluble matter, 587-591 • I- Received from Sunderland, Mass. II. Received from Sunderland, Mass. III. Received from Boston, Mass. IV. Received from Deerfield, Mass. V. Received from North Amherst, Mass. Per Cent. I. ir. III. IV. V. 6.42 16.16 12.35 19.73 14.94 6.84 8.36 8.06 3.15 2.70 1.30 1.22 1.46 1.22 1.16 7.10 6.50 8.70 * * 33.74 32.96 35.84 31.68 34.00 16.46 6.65 8.76 10.72 10.58 *Not determined. Percent. I. ir. III. IV. V. Moisture at 100° c, 25.70 4.83 3.11 1.36 17.63 Potassium oxide, 4.46 3.86 6.72 3.71 4.94 Pliosphoric acid, 1.05 1.26 1.55 .83 1.51 Calcium oxide, 24.06 40.04 39.58 29.21 30.00 Insoluble matter. 14.96 10.87 3.27 16.91 10.43 An examination of the results of the above stated ten samples recently sent on for analysis at the station shows the following vari- ation in their composition : No. of samples, Moistur e from 1 to 3% 1 u ii 3 to 6 % 2 ii a 6 to 10% 1 (( a 10 to 15% 2 (( it 15 to 20% 3 u above 20% 1 Potassii im oxide above 8% 2 u ii, from 7 to 8% 0 (( u " 6 to 7% 2 u (( " 5 to 6% 0 (( C( " 4 to 5% 2 (( (( " 3 to 4% 3 u ( ( below 3% 1 Phosph( 3ric acid above 2% 0 (( (( from 1 to 2% 9 (( (( below 1 % 1 The average of Calcium oxide (lime) amounts to 33.11 per cent., varying from 24.06 to 40.04 per cent, in different samples. Mineral matter (coal ash, sand,) insoluble in diluted hydrochloric acid : Below 5% 1 From 5 to 10% 2 " 10 to 15% 5 " 15 to 20% 2 LIME-KILN ASHES AND MARL. 592-593. L Lime-kiln ashes received from So. Hadley, Mass. II. Marl received from Amherst, Mass. Per Cent. I. II. Moisture at 100'' C, 1.20 21.73 Potassium oxide, 2.25 .54 Phosphoric acid, 1.22 trace Magnesium oxide. * 1.30 Calcium oxide, 42.23 39.05 Insoluble matter. 6.52 1.09 ASHES FROM PEACH TREE TRIMMINGS. 594- L Received from Marshfield Centre, Mass. Per Cent. Moisture at 100* C, .54 Potassium oxide, 4.92 Phosphoric acid, 2.44 Ferric and Aluminum oxide, 10.50 Calcium oxide, 18.74 Sodium oxide, 7.53 Sulphuric acid, 2.20 Insoluble matter, 13.54 The ashes had evidently received some addition of earthy matter. ANALYSES OF POTATOES (air dried). 595-599. No's I., II., III., IV., and V. received from Amherst, Mass. Per Cent. I. 11. III. IV. V. Moisture at 100'^ C, 6.99 6.69 6.78 6.70 7.12- Potassium oxide. 1.36 1.29 2.74 1.48 2.40' Phosphoric acid. .39 .48 .36 .27 .42; Nitrogen, 1.65 1.93 1.40 1.61 1.41i *Not determined. Percent. I. II. III. 13.54 12.69 11.29 3.23 2.87 2.02 600-603. No's VI., VII., VIII., and IX. received from Amherst, Mass. Per Cent. VI. VII. VIII. IX. Moisture at 100° C, 8.33 6.88 7.38 6.52 Potassium oxide, 2.49 1.66 1.21 2.40 Phosphoric acid, .44 .35 .36 .52 Nitrogen, 1.32 1.49 1.92 1.48 SWEET CLOVER HAY. 604-606. I- Received from Amherst, Mass. II. Received from Amherst, Mass. III. Received from Amherst, Mass. Moisture at lOO'^' C, Nitrogen, TOBACCO STEMS AND HOP REFUSE. 607-608. I- Tobacco stems received from Hatfield, Mass. II. Hop refuse rec'd from a Brewery, Springfield, Mass. Moisture at lOO'^ C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid. Organic matter, Nitrogen, Insoluble matter, DRIED BLOOD AND PEAT. 609-610. I- Dried Blood received from Amherst, Mass. II. Peat received fi'om North Middleboro, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Phosphoric acid, Organic matter, Ash, Nitrogen, Per Cent. I. II. 8.40 83.92 6.10 .05 .32 .11 * 1.71 2.23 .49 * .83 Per Cent. I. II. 7.09 28.22 1.50 * * 69.12 * 2.66 .40 1.11 *Not determined. SULPHATE OF AMMONIA AND SULPHATE OF POTASH AND MAGNESIA. 611-612. I- Sulphate of Ammonia received from Amherst, Mass. II. Sulphate of Potash and Magnesia received from Amherst, Mass. Per Cent. I. II. Moisture at 100° C, 1.20 4.91 Potassium oxide, * 25.72 Nitrogen, 21.44 * TANKAGE. 613-614. I. Received from Fall River, Mass. II. Received from Amherst, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Total Phosphoric acid. Reverted Phosphoric acid. Insoluble Phosphoric acid, Nitrogen, BONE MEAL. 615-519. I- Received from Amherst, Mass. II. Received from Amherst, Mass. III. Received from Marshfield Centre, Mass. IV. Received from Marshfield Centre, Mass. V. Received from Florence, Mass. Per Cent. Per I. 5.41 Cent. 11. 7.07 14.96 14.72 * 7.68 * 7.04 6.63 5.64 I. II. III. IV. V. Moisture at 100° C, 4.88 7.98 7.72 3.96 8.21 Total Phosphoric acid, 24.86 24.82 23.62 28.84 27.06 Reverted Phosphoric acid. 12.30 6.78 9.16 11.82 9.35 Insoluble Phosphoric acid. 12.34 18.04 14.46 17.02 17.71 Nitrogen, 2.98 4.08 2.79 1.26 3.79 MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF NO . V. Fine Bone, 48.90 Fine Medium, 37.70 Medium, 13.40 *Not determined. Per Cent. I. 11. III. IV. 2.53 5.88 7.79 65.28 * 9.04 1.18 .73 23.92 11.82 13.58 .48 * * 5.50 * 11.76 2.36 5.00 * 12.16 9.46 3.08 * 1.26 3.64 1.08 .24 * * * 5.56 COMPLETE FERTILIZERS. 620-623. I. Received from Ashby, Mass. II. Received from North Orange, Mass. III. Received from Gran by, Mass. IV. Received from Amherst, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Potassium oxide, Total Phosphoric acid. Soluble Phosphoric acid, Reverted Phosphoric acid. Insoluble Phosphoric acid, Nitrogen, Insoluble matter, 624-625. V. Received from Greenfield, Mass. VI. Received from Greenfield, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Potassium oxide. Total Phosphoric acid, Soluble Phosphoric acid. Reverted Phosphoric acid. Insoluble Phosphoric acid. Nitrogen, BARNYARD MANURES. 626-629. No's I., II., III., and IV. received from Amherst,Mass. Moisture at 100" C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid, Nitrogen, Insoluble matter, *Not determined. Per Cent. V. VI. 7.65 9.56 10.34 7.37 5.70 6.60 1.40 1.54 2.26 2.50 2.04 2.56 6.42 3.42 p er Cent. I. II. III. IV. 73.21 74.30 73.13 65.23 .51 .56 .50 .63 .28 .23 .28 .34 .41 .42 .41 .53 1.97 2.06 2.49 3.05 630-633. No's v., VI., VII. and VIII. received from Amherst, Mass. Per Cent. V. VI. VII. VIII. Moisture at 100'' C. ? 57.09 72.53 71.46 65.28 Potassium oxide, .88 .26 .64 .73 Pliosphoric acid, .48 .16 .46 .48 Nitrogen, ..36 .43 .66 .24 Insoluble matter. SEWAGE. 17.48 18.83 6.50 3.56 434. I- Sewage received from Concord, Mass. Per Cent. I. 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P=H |jy 0 i. !» cc a; o o .£: .2 .— "^ '^ ''^ O f- I- t. i- fc. •- t- > a> aj "ij "s "s — s- •«t^<:oco>2'XcO'^eci rHa;ia5t-t^oo^cocoo500^s^>ooooo--^ n 3 « -uw.innf) •pnnoj; 1.-:^ •pai-iaAag •aiqnios paaciuB-iTino •punoj I I I I I !X I ^ I I •ajnisioM 00 C ^ > ^ 9 o f^a;^; «a CK ■^ 1—1 1 24 TRADE VALUES OF FERTILIZING INGREDIENTS IN RAW MATERIALS AND CHEMICALS. 1898. Cents per pound. Nitrogen in ammonia salts, 14. " nitrates, 13. Organic nitrogen in dry and fine ground fish, meat, blood, and in high-grade mixed fertilizers, 14. " " " cottonseed meal, 12. " " " fine bone and tankage, 13.5 " " " medium bone and tankage, 10. Phosphoric acid soluble in water, 4.5 " " soluble in ammonium citrate, 4. " " in fine ground fish, bone and tankage, 4. " "in cottonseed meal, castor pomace and wood ashes, 4. " "in coarse bone and tankage, 3.5 " " insoluble (in am. cit.) in mixed fertilizers, 2. Potash as Sulphate, free from Chlorides, 5. " " Muriate, 4.25 The market value of low priced materials used for manurial pur- poses, as salt, wood ashes, various kinds of lime, barnyard manure, factory refuse and waste materials of different description, quite frequently does not stand in a close relation to the current market value of the amount of essential articles of plant food they contain. Their cost varies in different localities. Local facilities for cheap transportation and more or less advantageous mechanical conditions for a speedy action, exert as a rule, a decided influence on their selling price. The market value of fertilizing ingredients like other merchandise is liable to changes during the season. The above stated values are based on the condition of the fertilizer market in centers of dis- tribution in New England, during the six months preceding March 1898. HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION -OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGlv BULLETIN NO. 58. MANURIAL REQUIREMENTS OF CROPS. IVIi^ICCH, 1S0O. The Bidletins of this Station loill be sent free to all neivsj^apers in the State and to such individuals interested in farming as may request the same. AMHERST, MASS. : PRESS OF CARPENTER & MOREHOUSE, 1899. HATCH EXFERIZMESNT STATION Massachusetts Agricultural College, AMHERST, MASS. By act of the General Court, the Hatch Experiment Station and the State PLxperiment Station have been consolidated under the name of the Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Several new divisions have been created and the scope of others has been enlarged. To the horticultural, has been added the duty of testing varieties of vegetables and seeds. The chemical has been divided, and a new division, " Foods and Feeding," has been established. The botanical, including plant physiology and disease, has been restored after temporary suspension. The officers are : — Henry H. Goodell, LL. D., William P. Brooks, Ph.D., George E. Stone, Ph. D., Charles A. Goessmann, Ph. D., LL. D. Joseph B. Lindsey, Ph. D., Charles IL Fernald, Ph. D., Samuel T. Maynard, B. Sc, j. e. ostrander, c. e., Henry M. Thomson, B. Sc, Ralph E. Smith, B. Sc, Henri D. Haskins, B. Sc, Charles I. Goessmann. B. Sc, Samuel W. Wiley, B. Sc, Edward B. Holland, M. Sc, Fred W. Mossman, B. Sc, Ben-jamin K. Jones, B. Sc, Philip H. Smith, B. Sc, Robert A. Cooley, B. Sc, George A. Drew, B. Sc. Herbekt D. Hemenway, B. Sc, Arthur C. Monahan, Director. Agriculturist. Botanist. Chemist (Fertilizers). Chemist (Foods and Feeding). Entomologist. Horticxdturist. Meteorologist. Assistant Agriculturist. Assistant Botanist. Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Assista7it Chemist (Fertilizers). Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). First Chemist(Foods and Feeding) . Ass't Chcmist(Fooi\s and Feeding) . Ass't C/ie«iisf( Food.-. and Feeding). Assistant in Foods and Feeding. Assistant Entomologist. Assistant Ilorticultu rist . Assista nt Horticidtu rist . Observer. The co-operation and assistance of farmers, fruit-growers, horti- culturists, and all interested, directly or indirectly, in agriculture, are earnestly requested. Communications may be addressed to the Hatch Experiment Station, Amherst, Mass. Division of Agriculture. WILLIA3r P. BROOKS. MANURIAL REQUIREMENTS OF CROPS. The results and conclusions stated in this bnlletin are based upon experiments begun in 18S9 and continued until the present time. A complete account of these experiments will be published in a later bulletin, where also will be found a statement of the leading results of similar experiments both in this and other countries as well as the summary, conclusions and practical advice herein given. The experiments have been conducted solely with reference to gaining light as to the particular requirements of different crops upon various soils. The fertilizers applied to the several plots, under the usual arrangement, have been the same from year to year, and were as follows : — Plot 1. Nothing. " 2. Nitrate of soda (160 lbs. per acre), furnishing nitrogen. " 3. Dissolved bone-black (320 lbs. per acre), furnishing phos- phoric acid. " 4. Nothing. 5. jNIuriate of potash (160 lbs. per acre), furnishing potash. Nitrate of soda (1(30 lbs. per acre). >issolved bone-black (320 lbs. per acre). Nitrate of soda (160 lbs. per acres). Muriate of potash (320 lbs. per acre). 8. Nothing. J f Dissolved bone-black (320 lbs per acre). ■ I Muriate of potash (160 lbs per acre). ( Nitrate of soda (160 lbs. per acre). 10. < Dissolved bone-black (320 lbs. per acre). ( Muriate of Potash (160 lbs. per acre). 11. Plaster (160 lbs. p^r acre). 12. Nothing. f Ni JDi { These fertilizers have always been applied broadcast just before planting hoed crops and harrowed in. They have been applied in early spring to grass-land. The rotation upon the acre longest under experiment has been : — corn, corn, oats (with grass and clover seeds), grass and clover, grass and clover, corn, rye followed by white mustard as a catch crop, soy beans and white mustard follow- ing a failure to get onions started. The area of the plots in these experiments has always been one-twentieth of an acre. The conclusions presented are based upon some thirty such exper- iments with corn, some six with oats, twelve with grass and clover, and one each with rye, soy beans, turnips and cabbages. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND TEACTICAL ADVICE. A brief statement is here made of the conditions affecting the ex- periments described in these pages. The reasons why the experi- ments were begun and the questions upon which it was hoped the experiments might shed light are stated ; and a brief account of the leading results and conclusious, and practical advice based thereon are given. CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE EXPEKIMENTS HEREIN DESCRIBED. 1. Our soils, mosti}' of glacial origin, exhibit great variety in mechanical condition and composition. 2. These soils have been for the most part long cultivated, and profitable crops can be produced only when the soil is enriched. 3. The supply of home-made manure is in most cases insufhcient ; and our farmers purchase and use fertilizers in large quantities. 4. Their ideas as to what had best be purchased are in most in- stances vague ; and they, in the majority of cases, buy either some " phosphate" or some "special complete" fertilizer. 5. These "• specials" bear the iu»me of the crop Cor which" each is supposed to be suited. Most of them are nominally specialized with reference to the crop only. With few exceptions they contain about twice as much phosphoric acid as potash ; in many cases there is four times as much. Fertilizers recommended for one and the same crop exhibit most astonishing variations. The same fertilizer is in many cases recommended for several crops, as for corn, oats and grass. 6. Our farmers, as a rule, sell no grain to carry away phosphates. They do sell hay, straw, vegetables and fruits, all of which contain more potash than phosphoric acid. 7. Many of our farmers are milk producers : they buy and feed large quantities of wheat bran, cottonseed meal, gluten meal, oats, etc. These foods are rich in i)hosphates and nitrogen, and conse- quently the manures of home production are rich in these elements. REASONS WHY INQUIRY SEEMED CALLED FOR. 1. On account of the well known variation in soils. 2. Analyses of plants and agricultural products showed them, as a rule, to contain much more potash than phosphoric acid ; while the fertilizers in most cases contained the latter in much the larger quantities. 3. It is known that plants vary widely in respect to their ability to gather food from the soil. One finds enough of a given element where another fails to do so ; and this may be true even though the latter contains less of the element in question than the former. It did not appear that this factor, or what may be designated the feed- ing capacity, of crops had been sufficiently taken into consideration in compounding and selecting fertilizers for them. QUESTIONS PROPOSED. 1. To what extent and in what way do the plant food require- ments of ditfereut crops cultivated in rotation vary? 2. Are the so-called complete ^'- special" fertilizers offered upon our markets rationally compounded? 3. Is the practice of our farmers in so frequently using phos- phates alone wise, and calculated to insure the largest possible crops at the least cost? RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENTS. With Corn: — This crop was grown upon the field reported upon in detail, in 1889, 1890 and 1894. 1. Potash applied in the form of muriate most largely increased the crops both of grain and stover. It greatly exceeded either nitrogen or phosphoric acid in its influence upon the crops. 2. In a large majority of the experiments tried in difterent parts of the state similar results were obtained. Our conclusions for corn, then, stated with reference to the ques- tions proposed are : — 1. This crop profits particularly from an application of potash salts. 2. The so-called " special " fertilizers for corn offered in Massa- chusetts markets are not rightly compounded. The average of such fertilizers in 1897 was : Nitrogen, 2.80 per cent. ; phosphoric acid, J 1.31 per cent ; potash, 3.57 per cent. The best contained : Nitro- gen, 4.04 per cent; phosphoric acid, 1 1.80 per cent ; potash, 9.94 per cent. I would suggest the following proportions : Nitrogen, 3 ; phosphoric acid, 4, and potash, 11. 3. The use of phosphates to supplement natural supplies of man- ures is not wise and does not promise to insure largest crops at least cost. With Oats: — Oats occupied the land in 1891, following corn which had been raised the two years previous. 1. Nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda much more largely in- creased the oat crop than did either phosphoric acid or potash. 2. In the majority of the experiments in the different parts of the state similar results have been obtained. Our conclusions for oats stated with reference to the questions proposed are : — 1. The requirements of oats are in a marked degre^ different from those of corn upon the same soil. The latter requires potash ; oats are remarkable for their ability to extract potash from the nat- ural stores of the soil ; and profit from an application of nitrogen. 2. Fertilizers for oats offered in our markets are not properly compounded. The average of those offered in 1897 contained: Nitrogen, 2.65; phosphoric acid, 11.96, and potash 4.90 per cent. The best contained: Nitrogen, 8.92; phosphoric acid, 18.68, and potash, 10 per cent. I would suggest the following proportions: Nitrogen, 4 ; phosphoric acid, 3, and potash, 5 parts. 3. The extensive use of phosphates alone for oats does not prom- ise to be profitable. With Grass and Clover: — The field reported in detail was seeded to grass and clover with the oats in 1891, Two crops of hay were cut in each of the years 1892 and 1893. 1. Nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda increased the yield of g7Xiss in a marked degree, while neither phosphoric acid nor potash exercised any great effect. 2. The potash applied controlled the development and growth of clovers. 3. The first cut in each year (mostly grasses) was most affected by the application of nitrate of soda ; the second cut (rowen, mostly clovers) was increased chiefly by the potash. i. Results which have been obtained in other parts of the state and by other investigators are in entire agreement with our own. Our conclusions for grass and clover stated with reference to the three questions proposed are : — 1. Grass is similar in its requirements to oats (nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda most beneficial) : the clovers are to a con- siderable extent similar to corn in their dependence upon potash, but are more benefitted by phosphoric acid than the latter. 2. The "special" fertilizers for grass lands are not properly compounded whether for grasses or for the clovers. They contain too little nitrogen for the former ; too little potash for the latter. The average of those offered in 1893 was : Nitrogen, 4.02 ; phos- phoric acid, 8.30, and potash, 5.52 per cent. I w^ould recommend for use, where timothy is to be grown, a fertilizer supplying the ele- ments in the following proportions : Nitrogen, 8 ; phosphoric acid, 3 ; potash, 3. For manuring where clover is desired : Nitrogen, 2 ; phosphoric acid, 5, and potash, 10. 3. Maximum crops of hay at minimum cost, whether of grasses or clovers, are not to be looked for from the application of phos- phates. With Rye: — This crop was sown after corn in the fall of 1894. 1. Potash in the form of muriate increased the crop somewhat more largely than either nitrogen (nitrate of soda) or phosphoric acid (dissolved bone-black) ; but the rye showed a greater degree of dependence upon all the fertilizers applied than any preceding crop. This was no doubt in consequence of the greater degree of soil ex- haustion resulting from one-sided manuring which had then been continued for six years. 2. The quality of the grain was superior on all plots where potash had been applied. The kernels were larger, plumper and of better color than on other plots. 3. That rye apparently cannot as readily as other cultivated plants appropriate the potash of the soil, has been noticed by other observers. This accounts for the beneficial effects of the applica- tion of this element. Our conclusions for rye stated with reference to the questions pro- posed are :. — 1. Rye shows a more general dependence upon applied fertilizers than the other crops under experiment. The difference in the de- gree of effectiveness of the elements applied (nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash) is not great. 2. The same fertilizers are offered in Massachusetts, as a rule, under the name of " grain " ftrtilizers, both for oats and rye. This is not warranted by the facts brought out concerning the two crops. Nitrogen should be most piomiuent in fertilizers for oats ; while for rye, the fertilizer must be richer in potash. 3. The results of our experiment do not encourage the belief that one-sided phosphate manuring for rye will give most profitable results. WitJi White Mustard, Cabbage and Sicedish Tiirnips: — The white mustard was sown as a catch crop, after rye, in 1895 ; the cabbages and turnips were grown oa similar soil, in 1896. 1. Phosphoric acid in the form of dissolved bone-black benefited all these crops more largely than either nitrogen or potash. 2. The potash when used in connection with phosphoric acid was also very beneficial to the cabbages and turnips. Our conclusio-ns are : — 1. These crops (all belonging to the same family) are markedly different in their requirements from any of the others experimented with — responding in highest degree to an application of phosphate, which none of the otheis have done. 2. There appear to be but few "special" fertilizers upon our markets for these crops. 3. The use of phosphates to supplement farm manures for these crops promises to be profitable. With Soy Beans: — This crop followed the white mustard, occupy- ing the field in 1896. 1. It showed a close dependence upon an application of potash — resembling corn and clovers in this respect. 2. The crop was not materially increased by the application of either nitrogen or phosphoric acid. Our conclusions with reference to the questions proposed are : — 1. This crop differs widely in its requirements from both the rye and the mustard which had preceded it. 2. No "• specials " are made for this crop in our state ; but fertil- izers for it should be rich in potash. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 1. It has been shown that the widest differences in plant-food requirements exist between crops cultivated upon the same soil ; corn, clovers, rye and soy beans being benellted mostly by potash; grasses and oats, by nitrogen ; and mustard, cabbages and Swedish turnips, by phosphoric acid. 2. Our experiments indicate the desirability of changes in the composition of the complete '•'•special'" fertilizers offered in our markets. For most crops these fertilizers contain too much phos- phoric acid. For oats and grass they contain too little nitrogen. ^3. It is believed that for none of our crops, except those of the mustard family, is the ap[)lication of phosphates to supplement farm manure called for. PRACTICAL ADVICE. Farmers are urged to try experiments with fertilizers with a view to getting light as to the requirements of different crops upon their own soils ; for soils as well as crops differ in manurial needs. Plain directions for simple experihients will be sent upon application to all who desire to try such experiments. Under existing conditions farmers are advised to purchase fertil- izer materials and to make their own mixtures, rather than to pur- chase mixed or complete special fertilizers. This course is believed to be advisable for two reasons : first, because the '• specials " are not properly compounded, and second, because the needed plant- food can be thus procured at lower cost. 10 Taking into consideration the present market prices of fertilizers, and the results of my experiments, I recommend the following mix- tures of materials for the several crops dealt with in this bulletin. In every instance the quantities given are designed for one acre. 1. For Corn on Sod Land in Fair Condition. Nitrate of soda, 100 pounds Dry ground tish, 200 " Acid phosphate, 250 " iMuriate of potash, (or high grade sulphate), 220 " These materials furnish about : nitrogen, 30 pounds ; phosphoric acid, 40 pounds, and potash, 110 pounds. 2. For Cor)i on Land Rather Poor in Organic Matter. Nitrate of soda, 200 pounds Dry ground fish, 200 " Tankage, 100 " Acid phosphate, 200 " JMuriate of potash (or high grade sulphate, 250 " These materials furnish about : nitrogen, 42 pounds ; phosphoric acid, 50 pounds, and potash, 125 pounds. 3. For Corn in Connection ivith Farm Manure. Nitrate of soda, 50 pounds Dry ground fish, 100 " Acid phosphate, 100 " Muriate of potash (or high grade sulphate), 100 '• These materials furnish about: nitrogen, 141 pounds: phos- phoric acid, 21^ pounds, and potash, 50 pounds. 4. For Oats on Land in, Good Condition. Nitrate of soda, 125 pounds Acid phosphate, 100 " Muriate of potash (or high grade sulphate), 50 " These materi:»ls furnish nitrogen, 20 pounds ; phosphoric acid, 14 pounds, and potash, 25 pounds. 11 5. For Oats on Land in Low Condition. Nitrate of soda, 175 pounds Dried blood, 100 " Acid phosphate, 200 " Muriate of potash (or high grade sulphate), 90 " These materials will furnish about : nitrogen, 37 pounds; phos- phoric acid, 27 pounds, and potash, 45 pounds. 6. For Mixed Grasses or Timotliy. Nitrate of soda, 1 50 pounds Tankage, 125 " Acid phosphate, 50 " Muriate of potash (or high grade sulphate), 25 " These materials will furnish about: nitrogen," 32 pounds; |)hos- phoric acid, 15 pounds, and potash, 13 pounds. 7. For Mowings zvith Considerable Clover. Niti'ate of soda, 100 pounds Acid phosphate, 300 " Muriate of potash (or high grade sulphate), IfiO " These materials furnish about: nitrogen, 16 pounds; phosphoric acid, 40 pounds, and potash, SO pounds. 8. For Rye. Nitrate of soda, 125 pounds Acid phosphate, 150 " Muriate of potash (or high grade sulphate), 125 " These materials furnish: nitrogen, 19 pounds ; phosphoric acid, 20 pounds, and potash, 63 pounds. 9. For Cabbages or Sicedish Turnips. Nitrate of soda, 150 pounds Dried blood, 200 " Dry ground fish, ' 400 " Bone meal, 200 " Acid phosphate, 500 " Sulphate of potash (high grade), 25u " Furnishing nitrogen, 70 pounds; phosphoric acid, 141 pounds, and potash, 125 pounds. 12 10. For Soy Beans. Nitrate of soda, 100 pounds Dry ground fish, 150 " Acid phosphate, 300 " Sulphate of potash (high grade), 200 " Furnishing nitrogen, 27 pounds ; phosphoric acid, 52 pounds, and potash, 100 pounds. The experimental work of the past few years indicates that the continuous use of muriate of potash may so far deplete the soil of lime that an occasional application of this material may be required in case of such use. We have also some results which indicate that the sulphate of potash is a safer material to use where a growth of clover is desired than the muriate. For these reasons it may oftea be wise to use the sulphate in such formulas as are given above where muriate is specified. The high grade sulphate should be selected. It costs about forty cents per hundred more than the muriate. These materials should as a rule be mixed just before use, and applied broadcast (after plowing) and harrowed in just before plant- ing the seed. Where nitrate of soda is to be used in quantities in excess of 150 pounds per acre, one-half the amount of this salt may be withheld until the crop is three or four inches high, when it may be evenly scattered near the plants. It is unnecessary to cover this, though it may prove more promptly effective in absence of rain if cultivated in. The quantities recommended are in most cases moderate. On soils of good physical character it will often prove profitable to use about one and one-half times the amounts given. Notes on the Proper Handling of Barn- yard Manure. C. WELLINGTON. Every practical fanner knows certain facts about barnyard manure, which for present purposes may be summecl up as follows : 1. " Barnyard manure" is the name given to mixtures of various excrements with a great variety of other material and cannot be fairly represented by a single analysis. Generally speaking it is a mixture of horse and cow manure, with straw or leaves or sawdust, which has served as litter. Sometimes earth is used in place of such litter. The mixture is then of a very different nature and will be referred to after barnyard manure with litter has been described. 2. Any one of these mixtures excepting that with earth is known in three different conditions, namely :^ fresh manure, half-rotted and well- rotted, manure. 3. Of these, half-rotted manure gives the best results, and well- rotted the poorest, while fresh manure shows a medium elfect. The pur|)0se of the present remarks is to explain why the last statement is true, and to note briefly the best manner according to present information in which to make barn-yard manure and to use it. If a pile of fresh manure, that is, a mixture of solid and liquid excrement and straw, etc., lies for several months without disturb- ance it grows smaller and smaller. It is comparatively dr}^, the straw has disappeared and has become " humus." The whole mixture is more uniform in color and character. It is half-rotted ; then after a few more months the bulk has grown very much smaller and a black, moist, slimy, homogeneous mass results, and the manure is icell-rotted. Chemists have long known in a general way what changes take place during this process, but not until recently has anything like a 14 satisfactory explanation of them been made. This explanation depends upon the discovery of the existence and the actions, in the manure, of three classes of very small microscopic organisms called bacteria. They are responsible not wholly, but chiefly, for the changes mentioned. Let us note here just what chemical materials are in the manure at the beginning and what they are changed into. The fresh manure contains mineral substances like potash and phosphates, and also organic material of two kinds, ntimely: The nitrogenous, found in the liquid manure and to some extent in the solid, and the non-nitrogeuous, which largely makes up the straw, leaves, sawdust, and solid excrement. It is just these two kinds of organic constituents and what they become, which concern us now. In those portions of the manure which are accessible to the air, one class of bacteria live and breed in enormous numbers. They feed on the oxygen of the air and the nitrogenous portion of the manure, and, in their excrements, give off large quantities of nitrates, the latter being the direct products of the oxidation of nitrogenous organic matter anywhere, whether in the bodies of these bacteria or not. These nitrates being very soluble in water, drain down into the interior of the manure heap, just as they drain through the soil. But, instead of all going off in the drainage water and becoming lost, as they often do in the soil, they are chiefly lost by an entirely dif- ferent process. In the interior of the heap, shut awa}' from the air, these nitrates fall prey to another class of bacteria known as " nitrate destroyers." They completely undo the work of the other bacteria or " nitrate formers." The "nitrate destroyers "live on the non-nitrogenous constituents of the straw and leaves and the oxygen of the nitrates. This liberates the nitrogen in the form of gas which escapes into the air and is lost to the farmer. The process also consumes the non- nitrogenous portion, which is chiefly the remainder of the litter. It is formed into water and carbonic acid gas which escape into the air and thus diminish the bulk of the pile. "While the '• nitrate formers " live near the surface of the manure and require air for their work, the " nitrate destroyers" live away from the air and do not need it. They are dependent, however, on food of a certain kind and must have plenty of it, otherwise they become inactive and can do no damage, though millions of. them may exist in the interior of the \ 15 manure pile. One of their principal foods, the non-nitrogenous material of the litter, they cannot use as food until it has been made soluble by a third class of bacteria which causes the rotting of the litter. Nitrates are also indispensable for their nourishment. If therefore they are deprived of either one of these constituents of their diet they either die or at least become harmless. The work of the " nitrate formers "' is beneficial ; it converts organic nitrogen into nitrate, a most available form of plant food. Half-rotted manure contains nitrogen largely in this form. The work of " nitrate destroyers" is destructive. It removes the soluble nitrates from the manure. It converts half-rotted manure into well-rotted manure. In this way the different effects produced by manure in the three different conditions are explained. The nitrogen in fresh manure is largely organic and not immediately available. It therefore has a slower and less effect than half-rotted manure. The nitrogen in half-rotted manure is largely in the form of nitrates, and this is available. The nitrogen in well-rotted manure has all been converted into nitrate also, and was once available, but has subse- quently been lost in the air. This is why the well-rotted condition is the least valuable of the three. In handling manure the farmer should strive to place it at the dis- position of the growing crop just at that moment when the most nitrate has been formed and before any has been destroyed. The most favorable conditions are obtained when fresh manure is packed as tightly as possible, away from the air, and kept in that condition till half-rotted, and then plowed under just before planting or sow- ing. Under these circumstances, although the third class of bacteria have in the rotting of the litter made soluble food of one kind for the •nitrate destroyers," the latter have been deprived of their other necessary food, the nitrates, for none could be formed in the tightly packed mass and thej' have remained harmless. But the heap has be- come half-rotted, even without them. After the manure is plowed in, the "nitrogen formers," now having plenty of air, rapidly produce nitrates which is beyond the reach of the destroyers ; for by this time all their soluble noii-uitrogenous food has been decomposed and has goue into the air leaving them to die. The growing plants, in the meantime, absorb the nitrates. If fresh manure is plowed in directly before seeding, a poor result is obtained, for the nitrates are not formed until after tlie plants have passed their growing period, and they consequently starve. As 16 might be supposed, winter crops fare better with this procedure than spring crops. By plowing in fresh manure several months before seeding, a much better result is obtained, because the nitrates are on hand and are being formed at the growing period of the crops. Experience has abundantly proven that it is better to plow manure into the soil and allow it to lie there rather than in the pile. Whether it is better to leave manure spread upon the surface of the land rather than to plow it in or leave it in the pile, depends chiefly on the amount of loss caused by surface drainage. This may be small, but if the ground is frozen, the surface inclined, and the man- ure half-rotted or more, the loss will be considerable. The nitrate destroying bacteria are of several species and have thus far been found in straw and various other litter, in soils, and in the dung of herbivorous animals. They have not been found in human excre- ment or that of the carnivora or birds. When barnyard manures are made with bedding devoid of much decomposable organic matter, the nitrate-destroj'ing bacteria cannot work in them, for they cannot obtain the soluble organic food neces- sary for their subsistence. Anything like sand, loam or turf, there- fore, may be used for bedding without incurring the disadvantage due to litter. Wherever much nitrate of soda is applied to crops, there is pro- duced a relatively large yield of straw, which, in turn, leads to a large use of this material as litter. This excessive quantity of straw in the manure materially lessens its value in the manner described. CONCLUSIONS : Of the three common conditions of barnyard manure, half-rotted manure is the most valuable, and well-rotted manure the least, because of their relative amounts of nitrates. Manure should be kept i)acked away from the air as tightly as possible, and if netted should be plowed under just before planting, otherwise several months before that time. The more litter used in the manure, the greater liability to loss of nitrogen. The use of bedding material free from decomposable organic mat- ter is a means of protection against loss of nitrogen. HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION 'OF THE- MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGF,. BULLETIN NO. 59. I. ANALYSES OF MANURIAL SUBSTANCES SENT ON FOR EXAMINATION. II. ANALYSES OF LICENSED FERTILIZERS COLLECTED BY THE AGENT OF THE STATION DURING 1898. '^^^^ik^j^i^-:^. ■„fUU r.vlUlM, CHF.MICAL LABOEATOKY. Tlie Bulletins of this Station will be sent free to all newspapers in the State and to such individuals interested in farming as may request the same. AMHERST, MASS. : PRESS OF CARPENTER & MOREHOUSE, 1899. HATCH EXFERIMI3NT STATION OF THK Massachusetts Agrictdtural College, AMHERST, MASS. By act of the General Court, the Hatch Experiment Station and the State Experiment Station have been consolidated under the name of the Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Several new divisions have been created and the scope of others has been enlarged. To the horticultural, has been added the duty of testing varieties of vegetables and seeds. The chemical has been divided, and a new division, " Foods and Feediog," has been established. The botanical, including plant physiology and disease, has been restored after temporary suspension. The officers are : — Henry H. Goodell, LL. D., Director. William P. Brooks, Fh. D., Agriculturist. George E. Stone, Ph. D., Botanist. Charles A. Goessmann, Ph. D., LL. D., Chemist (Fertilizers). Joseph B. Lindsey, Ph. D., Chemist (Foods and Feeding) . Charles H. Fernald, Ph. D., Entomologist. Samuel T. Maynard, B. Sc, Horticulturist. J. E. Ostrander, C. E., Meteorologist. Henry M. Thomson, B. Sc, Assistant Agriculturist. Ralph E. Smith, B. Sc, Assistant Botanist. Henri D. Haskins, B. Sc, Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Charles I. Goessmann, B. Sc, Assista7it Chemist (Fertilizers). Samuel W. Wiley, B. Sc, Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Edward B. Holland, M. Sc, First Chemist(Fooc]sandYeeding). Fred W. Mobsman, B. Sc, J.ssY C/iemis«(Foods and Feeding). Benjamin K. Jones, B. Sc, ^ss'i C/iemjsf(Food» and Feeding). Philip H. Smith, B. Sc, Assistant in Foods a7id Feeding . Robert A. Cooley, B. Sc, Assistant Entomologist. George A. Drew, B. Sci. Assistant Horticulturist. Herbert D. Hemenway, B. Sc, Assistant Horticulturist. Arthur C. Monahan, Observer. The co-operation and assistance of farmers, fruit-growers, horti- culturists, and all interested, directly or indirectly, in agriculture, are earnestly requested. Communications may be addressed to the Hatch Experiment Station, Amherst, Mass. DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY. C. A. GOESSMANN. I. ANALYSES OF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS AND MANU- RIAL SUBSTANCES SENT ON FOR EXAMINATION. WOOD ASHES. 635-638. I. Received from Orange, Mass. II. Received from Concord, Mass. III. Received from North Hatfield, Mass. IV. Received from Concord, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid, Calcium oxide, Insoluble matter, 639-642. I. Received from Concord, Mass. II. Received from East Whately, Mass. III. Received from Sudbury, Mass. IV. Received from Milford, Mass. I. 16.90 Per II. 7.30 Cent. III. 9.07 IV. 11.42 4.87 4.93 5.12 4.50 1.64 1.28 1.42 1.24 30.44 34.33 46.73 30.70 7.68 28.87 13.60 8.96 Moisture at 100° C, I. 12.33 Per Cent. II. III. 11.65 6.80 IV. .48 Potassium oxide. 4.06 4.29 2.16 7.85 Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide. 1.16 28.62 .99 .69 31.83 9.68 1.61 42.88 Insoluble matter. 22.72 12.53 56.59 5.34 643-646. I- Received from Clinton, Mass. II. Received from Sunderland, Mass. III. Received from Concord, Mass. IV. Received from Concord, Mass. Per Cent. I. II. III. IV. Moisture at 100° C, .20 14.51 10.18 12.47 Potassium oxide. 8.20 6.66 5.91 4.77 Phosphoric acid. 1.98 1.68 1.41 1.37 Calcium oxide. 43.45 26.04 35.55 31.43 Insoluble matter. 16.25 13.76 11.40 16.94 Per Cent. I. II. 14.35 ■ 7.82 6.24 6.68 1.79 .31 35.63 36.39 9.71 14.50 647-648. I. Received from North Wilbraham, Mass. II. Received from Concord, Mass. Moisture at 100^ C, Potassium oxide. Phosphoric acid. Calcium oxide, Insoluble matter. Wood ashes for manurial purposes are in our State subject to official inspection, and dealers in that commodity have to secure a license to sell in Massachusetts before they can legally advertise their articles for sale. This circumstance makes it obligatory to the dealer to state the amount of potash and of phosphoric acid they guarantee in these materials ; and to fasten that statement upon the package or car, etc., which contains it. Some dealers in wood ashes have adopted of late the practice of stating merely the sum of both, phosphoric acid and potash instead of specifying the amount of each of them present. As phosphoric acid and potassium oxide contained in wood ashes are considered in our section of the country, pound for pound of a nearly equal com- mercial value, from 4.5 to 5 cents per pound each, no particular objection can be raised against a joint statement of both as far as the mere mouey value of the sample is concerned ; yet as this mode of stating the guaranteed composition is apt to lead to misconception and abuse, it ought to be discouraged and discontinued. As the dealer is only obliged to guarantee the amount of potash and of phosphoric acid present in a given quantity of wood ashes, no serious objection can be raised on the part of the buyer on account of moisture, etc., as long as the article contains the specified amount of both potash and phosphoric acid. Wood ashes ought to be bought and sold by weight, and not by measure ; for both moisture and the general character of foreign matters present are apt to seriously affect the weight of a given measure. The majority of dealers guarantee from4.5% to o% of potassium oxide in their articles ; from a review of our publications of the last year it will be seen that quite a number of the samples are below the lowest guarantees, showing on the whole that the quality of wood ash sold in 1898 as a potash source has been somewhat inferior as compared with the preceding year. Whether this circumstance is due to a general decline of the article or to the management of any particular dealer or importer is difficult to decide on our part as long as farmers do not state the name of the party they have bought of and the cost per ton of the ashes they send on for examination. It is for obvious reasons most desirable to ascertain whether the general character of the wood ash is gradually declining from gen- eral causes or whether some parties in particular handle inferior goods. All parties interested in the solution of this question will confer a favor on us by sending with their samples of wood ashes the names of the parties they bought the article of, and the cost per ton at the nearest depot for general distribution. The large percentage of lime, from 30 to 40 per cent, found in genuine wood ashes, imparts a special agricultural value to them as a fertilizer, aside from the amount of potash and phosphoric acid they contain. Wherever an application of lime is desired, wood ashes deserve favorable consideration, on account of the superior mechan- ical condition of the lime they furnish. LIME KILN ASHES AND MARL. 649-650. I- Lime Kiln Ashes received from Littleton, Mass. II. Marl received from Lincoln, Mass. Per I. .67 Cent. II. 31.71 2.32 1.12 .70 .56 52.90 38.49 * 12.86 1.71 7.14 Moisture at 100° C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid, Calcium oxide, Carbonic acid. Insoluble matter, GERMAN POTASH SALTS. 651-652. I- Muriate of Potash received from Hudson, Mass. II. Sulphate of Potash and Magnesia received from North Hadley, Mass. Per Cent. I. II. .10 7.68 50.20 19.55 Moisture at 100° C, Potassium oxide, NITRATE OF SODA. 653-654. I- Received from Hudson, Mass. II. Received from North Hadley, Mass. Percent. I. II. Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, .03 .10 15.85 14.56 DRIED BLOOD, MEAT AND BONE. 655-656. I- Dried blood received from Milford, Mass. II. Meat and bone received from Milford, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, Total phosphoric acid, Reverted phosphoric acid, Insoluble phosphoric acid, Per Cent. I. II. 10.43 9.98 10.15 7.18 * 14.71 * 3.35 * 11.36 *Not determined. I. 5.57 Per Cent. II. III. 2.75 3.25 IV. 5.67 23.92 26.08 24.44 23.74 7.54 4.58 4.62 4.68 16.38 21.50 19.82 19.06 2.65 2.47 2.27 3.36 FINE GROUND BONE. 657-660. I. Received from Wilbraham, Mass. II. Received from Milford, Mass. III. Received from Milford, Mass. IV. Received from Milford, Mass. Moisture at lOO'' C, Total phosphoric acid. Reverted phosphoric acid, Insoluble phosphoric acid, Nitrogen, ACID PHOSPHATE AND BONE ASH. 661-662. I. Acid Phosphate received from Hudson, Mass. II. Bone Ash received from Hudson, Mass. Moisture at lOO'' C, Total phosphoric acid. Soluble phosphoric acid. Reverted phosphoric acid. Insoluble phosphoric acid, LIQUID FERTILIZER AND PLANT FOOD IN TABLET FORM. 663-664. I- Liquid Fertilizer received from Natick, Mass. II. Plant food in tablets received fi'om Newtonville, Mass. Moisture at 100" C, Total phosphoric acid. Soluble phosphoric acid. Reverted phosphoric acid. Insoluble phosphoric acid. Nitrogen, I. 2.73 Per Cent. 11. .34 11.60 39.14 7.98 « 3.18 * .44 * Percent. I. II. 90.46 3.39 1.24 16.59 1.24 14.58 none 1.67 none .34 1.12 7.65 *Not Determined. 2.79 7.96 1.67 6.19 1.82 4.04 .07 5.30 none. 17.17 .02 6.05 none 14.33 Potassiuin oxide, Sodium oxide, Calcium oxide, Magnesium oxide, Sulphuric acid, Chlorine, Insoluble matter, VELVET BEANS AND TOBACCO DUST. 665-607. I- Velvet Beans (with pod) received from Fitchburg, Mass. II. VelvetBeans (kernel) received from Fitchburg, Mass. III. Tobacco Dust received from Boston, Mass. Moisture at 100® C, Potassium oxide, Phosphoric acid. Nitrogen, Insoluble matter, p er Cent. I. II. III. 1.52 11.13 7.70 1.31 1.23 5.72 .84 .63 .81 1.96 2.66 1.75 .012 .036 * DAMAGED GRAIN. 668-670. I- Received from Littleton, Mass. II. Received from Littleton, Mass. III. Received from Littleton, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Potassium oxide. Phosphoric acid. Nitrogen, I. 14.07 .43 .83 1.97 Per Cent. II- 61.35 .16 .35 .84 III. 51.05 .26 .47 1.52 COMPLETE FERTILIZERS. 671-674. L Received from Wilbraham, Mass. II. Received from North Brookfield, Mass. III. Received from North Brookfield, Mass. IV. Received from North Brookfield, Mass. *Not Determined. Moisture at 100° C, Total phosphoric acid, Soluble phosphoric acid, Reverted phosphoric acid, Insoluble phosphori'c acid, Nitrogen, Potassium oxide, I. 16.18 Per Cent. II. III. 10.55 6.26 IV. 5.38 7.34 8.99 8.12 9.70 4.30 2.78 1.57 .91 2.06 4.36 2.02 3.33 .98 1.85 4.53 5.46 1.72 2.83 2.99 3.11 7.24 7.03 2.62 3.27 watp:r abstract of dry forest leaves. 675. Received from Amherst, Mass. Per Cent. Moisture at lOO'' C, 99.47 Solid residue at 100° C, .53 Nitrogen, .0035 Potassium oxide. .0287 Phosphoric acid. .0220 Calcium oxide, .0249 Ash, .16 COTTON SEED MEAL. 676-677, L Received from North Hatfield, Mass. II. Received from South Deerfield, Mass. Moisture at 100° C, Nitrogen, Per Cent. I. II. 6.10 7.80 7.00 6.37 10 hJ < tf w ^ C=3 O W O 12; 1— ( l-H ^ rv ^ QO c^ w l-H o M t) Q < ,^ k'' fV5 W w U O o H P o I— 1 O ffi M H cc H H SJ ptH H O H H P P5 !z; ffl W W U E=^ r^) < C/J -3l o P5 tH ffi W H o cc fe o O fe W o <1 C/J bH W s CO |H hJ < ^ -< . t« ' o c o ^ Q. a •r -r iiH jj - . i> o — i. 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' N Vy< -^ ^^ ^ . ■ " " '^ £ 5 ^^ I s , oi rt 5 .^ — o — • — O c t^ Ph*^" •- i o ~ 9 , ^ o ?^. o h •:;; -^ oj « ~ e C O ^ .i? E/^ M o ea^ 03 r o = 2 ^ - lOCOt^OOOO — (MCO-t'lOCOt^GOOCOCi cococococor— i^t^t— r^b-t^b-i^cocot- cococococococococococococococqc^ico tl ■Jr o o (1) t- 3 ^ O CO 4) :5 3 S o 5 K 14 TRADE VALUES OF FERTILIZING INGREDIENTS IN RAW MATERIALS AND CHEMICALS. 1899. Cents per pound. Nitrogen in ammonia salts, 15.0 " nitrates, 12.5 Organic nitrogen in dry and fine ground fish, meat, blood, and in high-grade mixed fertilizers, 14.0 " " " fine bone and tankage, 14.0 " " " medium bone and tankage, 10.0 Phosphoric acid soluble in water, 4.5 " " soluble in ammonium citrate, 4.0 " "in fine ground fish, bone and tankage, 4.0 " "in cottonseed meal, castor pomace and wood ashes, 4.0 " "in coarse fish, bone and tankage, 2.0 " " insoluble (in water and in am. cit.) in mixed fertilizers, 2.0 Potash as Sulphate, free from Chlorides, 5.0 " " Muriate, 4.25 The market value of low priced materials used for manurial pur- poses, as salt, wood ashes, various kinds of lime, barnyard manure, factory refuse and waste materials of different description, quite frequently does not stand in close relation to the current market value of the amount of essential articles of plant food they contain. Their cost varies in different localities. Local facilities for cheap transportation and more or less advantageous mechanical conditions for a speedy action, exert as a rule, a decided influence on their selling price. The market value of fertilizing ingredients like other merchandise is liable to changes during the season. The above stated values are based on the condition of the fertilizer market in centers of dis- tribution in New England, during the six months preceding March 1899. HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION "OF THE- MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. BULLETIN NO. SO. INSECTICIDES. FUNGICIDES. SPRAYING CALENDAR. >2VI»I«IIv, 1S90. The Bulletins of this Station will be sent free to all newspapers in the State and to such individuals interested in farming as may request the same. AMHERST, MASS. : PRESS OF CARPENTER & MOREHOUSE, 1899. HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION OF THE Massachusetts Agricultural College, AMHERST, MASS. By act of the General Court, the Hatch Experiment Station and the State Experiment Station have been consolidated under the name of the Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Several new divisions have been created and the scope of others has been enlarged. To the horticultural, has been added the duty of testing varieties of vegetables and seeds. The chemical has been divided, and a new division, "Foods and Feeding," has been established. The botanical, including plant physiology and disease, has been restored after temporary suspension. The officers are : — Henry H. Goodell, LL. D., Director. William P. Brooks, Pu. D., Agriculturist. George E. Stone, Ph. D., Botanist. Charles A. Goessmann, Ph. D., LL. D., Chemist (Fertilizers). Joseph B. Lindsey, Ph. D., Chemist (Foods and Feeding). Charles H. Fernald, Ph. D., Entomologist. Samuel T. Maynaro, B. Sc, Horticulturist. J. E. OsTRANDER, C. E., Metcorologist. Henry M. Thomson, B. Sc, Assistant Agriculturist. Ralph E. Smith, B. Sc, Assistant Botanist. Henri D. Haskins, B. Sc, Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Charles L Goessmann. B. Sc, Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Samuel W. Wiley, B. Sc, Assistant Chemist (Fertilizers). Edward B. Holland, M. Sc, i^jrs^ C7tem(".sf (Foods and Feeding). Fred W. MosSMAN, B. Sc, Ass'i C/«eHus<(Foods and Feeding). Benjamin K. Jones, B. Sc, ^ssV C/ieHus?( Food.-. and Feeding). Philip H. Smith, B. Sc, Assistant in Foods and Feeding. Robert A. Cooley, B. Sc, Assistant Entomologist. George A. Drew, B. Sc. Assistant Horticzdttirist. Herbert D. Hemenway, B. Sc, Assistant Horticulturist. Arthur C. Monahan, Observer. The co-operation and assistance of farmers, fruit-growers, horti- culturists, and all interested, directly or indirectly, in agriculture, are earnestly requested. Communications may be addressed to the Hatch Experiment Station, Amherst, Mass. Horticultural Division. S. T. MAYNARD. Spraying for the Destruction of Insects and Fungous Pests. Farmers, fruit growers and gardeners are coming more and more to see the necessity of spraying tht ir crops to protect them from insects and fungous pests, and as a rule those most successful in the above lines practice spraying systematically and have as complete equipment for this work as for the work of cultivation. The results of spraying the past season have shown many inter- esting features and have led to some slight changes in the spraying calendar for 1899 accompanying this paper. Many kinds of pumps and nozzles are in use, and some new features have been introduced, the most important of which perhaps, is the combined kerosene and water sprayer (kerosprayer). These pumps are made with two cylinders, one for the water and the other for the kerosene. These are worked by the same lever or handle, the kerosene being forced into the hose with the water and distrib- uted from the same nozzle in a very fine mixed spray. The pump can be so regulated that 5, 10, 20, 25 and even 50% of kerosene may be used. With these pumps the kerosene may be used with the copper sulfate solution or the Bordeaux mixture, though with the latter it has not given as satisfactory results as with the former. Whatever the kind of pump purchased it is important that it be used carefully, that the spraying material, if containing coarse particles, be carefully strained before use, that all parts be kept well oiled and after using, that the pump be cleaned by pumping sufficient water through it to clear it of corroding materials. Good judgment and considerable mechanical 8kill must be exer- cised to get the best results with any complicated machine, and only those persons possessing these qualifications should be allowed to use the pumps. insecticidp:s. While there are many new insecticides offered, there is so little exact knowledge of their effect upon farm and garden crops that until further trial is made we can only recommend for general use Paris green, arsenate of lead and hellebore for chewing insects and keroseiie and water and kerosene emnlsion for sucking ineects, with pyrethrum or insect powder in a very few cases. PARIS GREEN. This insecticide needs no description. Special care however should be taken that only pure Paris green be used. A much larger per cent of this may be used without injury to the foliage if mixed with the Bordeaux than if applied in water alone. The cherry, peach and Japanese plum cannot be sprayed with Paris green with- out injury to the foliage. ARSENATE OF LEAD. Formula. 11 oz. Acetate of Lead. 4 oz. Arsenate of Lead. 150 gallons water. This insecticide has th's advantage over Paris green that when used in large quantities it will not injure the foliage of the peach, cherry, Japanese plum or other trees of delicate nature. It is how- ever more expensive and its effectiveness in destroying the common insects attacking our fruit and garden crops is not so well proven as that of Paris green. It should be given a thorough trial especially on those crops where Paris green is known to be injurious. "*This insecticide is easily prepared by putting 11 oz. acetate of lead in 4 qts. of water in a wooden pail and 4 oz. arsenate of lead (50 per cent strength) in 2 qts. of w^ater in another wooden pail and when entirely dissolved mixing in a hogshead or tank con- *Prof. C. H. Fernald in 45tb Annual Report of Mass. State Board of Agricul- ture, 1S97. HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION, HORTICULTURAL DIVISION. Correction f^or Bulletin No. 60. The formula and direction for the use of the Arsenate of Lead should be changed as follows : Formula. 11 oz. Acetate of Lead. 4 oz. Arsenate of SODA. 150 gallons of Water. This insecticide has the advantage over Paris green that when used in large quantities it will not injure the foliage of the peach, cherry, Japanese plum or other trees of delicate nature. It is how- ever more expensive and its effectiveness in destroying the common insects attacking our fruit and garden crops is not so well proven as that of Paris Green. It should be given a thorough trial especially on those crops where Paris green is known to be injurious. '''*This insecticide is easily prepared by putting 11 oz. acetate of lead in 4 qts. of water in a wooden pail and 4 oz. arsenate of soda (50 per cent strength) in 2 qts. of water in another wooden pail and when entirely dissolved mixing in a hogshead or tank containing 150 gallons of water, when a chemical reaction will take place forming arsenate of lead as a pure white powder in suspension in the water." If the common 50 gallon barrel or cask is used the formula would be 3f oz. acetate of lead and 1-| oz. arsenate of soda.) " If cold water be used the solution of acetate of lead will require a little time, but however, if the water be hot it will dissolve quickly. It is customary to add from 1 to 4 qts. of glucose to the above amount of water to make the poison adhere more firmly, but this may not be necessary. If it is desired to use larger proportions of the arsenate of lead it is only necessary to use more acetate of lead and arsenate of soda, but always in the proportion given above." *Prof. C. H. Fernald in 45th Annual Report of Mass. State Board of Agriculture, 1897. taining loO gnllons of water, when a chemical reaction will take place forming arsenate of lead as a pure white powder in suspension in the water." (If the common 50 gallon barrel or cask is used the formula would be 3f oz. acetate of lead and 1-| oz. arsenate of lead.) " If cold water be used the solution of acetate of lead will require a little time, but however, if the water be hot it will dissolve quickly. It is customary to add ftom 2 to 4 qts. of glucose to the above amount of water to make the poison adhere more iirmly, but this may not be necessary. If it is desired to use larger proportions of the arsenate of lead it is only necessary to use more acetate of lead and arsenate of lead, but ahvays in the proportion given above." KEROSENE EMULSION. Formula. ^ lb. common bar soap. 2 gals, common kerosene. Cut the soap into thin pieces or shavings and dissolve in about 2 gallons of hot water. While still hot, as nearly boiling as ^wssihle, pour in the kerosene and with the hand pump or syringe, pump it back and forth until a thick cream-like substance is formed. In this condition the kerosene is divided into very minute globules and will be readily diluted or suspended in water. Before using, add water enough to make (A) 10 gallons of emulsion (B) 20 gallons of emulsion. Formula A, to be used when the insects are in large numbers and the foliage is known not to be easily injured by it. Formula B, under other conditions. KEROSENE AND WATER. It has been found by numerous experiments that clear kerosene mixed with water if applied upon a bright clear day and in a condi- tion of fine mist so as not to form drops may be used without injury to the foliage of most of the trees attacked by aphides and other sucking insects, the pear tree psylla and scale insects. This insecti- cide however cannot be recommended unless it is applied with an atom- izer or with a pump by which a definite quantity can be applied. The amount* that may be used must depend upon the condition of the atmosphere. During a bright, dry, windy day a much larger quan- tity may be used than on a still day when the atmosphere is moist. It should never he xised in cloudy or rainy weather, and this applies in a greater or less degree to the kerosene emulsion. Pyrethrum Powder and Hellebore should be obtained in a perfectly fresh condition and be kept in sealed tin cans or glass stoppered jars. FUNGICIDES. BORDEAUX MIXTURE. Formula. 4 lbs. Copper Sulfate, {Blue Vitriol). 4 lbs. Caustic Lime (Unslaked Lime.) Dissolve the copper in hot water. If suspended in a basket or sack in a tub of cold water it will however dissolve in from two to three hours. The lime is then slaked in another vessel adding water slowly that it may be thoroughly slaked, then add enough water to make 5 to 10 gallons of the liquid. When both are cool, pour the lime into the cop- per solution straining it through a fine meshed sieve or burlap strainer, and thoroughly mix. Before using, add water enough to make 50 gallons of the mixture, and strain again when poured into the pump. Many persons make the mistake when preparing the Bordeaux mixture of straining the lime mixture while too thick, under which condition much of its value is lost. Five to ten gallons of water should be added to the lime wash before it is strained into the vessel contain- ing the copper sulfate solution. The fine particles of lime hold the copper and Paris green to the foliage and prevent injury, and if properly strained nearly all of this fine material will go through the nozzle without clogging. Stock solutions of both lime and copper i. e. 20, 36 or 48 lbs. of * It is best to begin with 10 to ISj^laml increase unless some injury is noticed. each, may be prepared atone time and they will keep in good con- dition for a week or two but they should never be put together until ready to be used. Before mixing, the lime solution should be thoroughly stirred and diluted. The copper solution will retain ils strength and value indefinitely, but the lime mixture is never as good as tinthin an hour or tivo of the time it is made and we would caution those purchasing the prepared Bordeaux mixture, not to expect as satisfactory results as from the fresh home-made mixture which is also much cheaper. The active agent in this mixture is the copper, the lime being used simply to hold it in place upon the foliage and branches of the plants sprayed. Here it is given up with each rain, destroying the spores of the fungi as they are brought in contact with it by the surrounding atmosphere. Should the lime be air slaked at all more than four pounds may be needed as it will have lost much of its strength. This fungicide is recommended as more satisfactory than any other, from the fact that it adheres a long time to the branches, buds and leaves and seldom causes any injury to the foliage. It has been found more effective if made up fresh for each appli- cation. Two or three thorough applications give better results than many light ones. When both fungous growths and insects attack a crop, Paris green should be applied with the Bordeaux, as in a combined state both are as effective as if used singly, one-half of the labor being saved and the lime preventing injury to the foliage by the Paris green. DILUTE COPPER SULFATE SOLUTION. After the fruit has nearly matured it is often disfigured by the adhesion of the Bordeaux mixture especially the plum, peach, cherry and grape and in place of this we would advise the use of copper sulfate 2 to 4 oz. to 50 gallons of water. The foliage of many plants will stand a much stronger solution, but this is as concentrated as can be generally used. It must be remembered that this -solution will be washed off by every hard rain, and to keep the copper on the foliage or fruit during frequent rains will sometimes require spraying every day. This has been done in some cases and with profit, for often without it the 8 crop is a total failure. The expense of this work however, for the few clays or a week when cherries, peaches and plums are near ripen- ing is not so great as at first appears for only the simple solution is used and there can be no clogging of the nozzles to delay the work. SPRAYING CALENDAR. SPRAYING CALENDAR. PLANT. APPLE (Scab, codlin moth, bud moth. Tent caterpillar, can- ker worm, i>lu7n curculio.J BEAN (Anthracnose, leaf blight. J CABBAGE ( Worms.) CHERRY* (Rot, aphis, slug, curcu Ho . Black knot.) CURRANT ) GOOSEBERRY ( • •■ ■ {Worms. Leaf blight. J GRAPE ( Fungotis diseases. Hose bug.) NURSERY STOCK ... (Fungous diseases.) PEACH, NECTARINE*. . (Rot, mildew.) PEAR (Leaf blight, scab, psylla, codlin math, blister mite.) PLUM* t (Cnrculio. Black knot, leaf blight, brou-n rot.) FIRST APPLICATION. SECOND APPLICATION. When buds are swelling,' If canker worms are Bordeaux. abundant just before blos- soms open, Bordeaux and Paris green. QUINCE (Leaf and fruit spot.) RASPBERRY ) BLACKBERRY} . . . DEWBERRY ) (Rust, anthrucnose, blight.) STRAWBERRY (Rtist.) leaf TOMATO (Rot, blight, Jim beetle.) POTATO ( Flea beetle, Colorado beetle, blight and rot.) When third leaf expands, Bordeaux. Insect powder 1 lb. to 25 lbs. of plaster or cheap flour dusted into the head. As buds are breaking, Bordeaux; when aphis ap- pears, kerosene emulsion or kerosene and water. At first appearance of worms, hellebore. Thor- ough application in watev. In Spring when buds swell, Bordeaux. When first leaves appear, Bordeaux. As the buds swell, Bor- deaux. Arsenate of lead for plum curculio. As buds are swelling, Bordeaux. When buds are swelling Bordeaux. When blossom buds ap- pear, Bordeaux. Before buds break, Bor deaux. As soon as growth begins, with Bordeaux. Before appearance of blight or rot, Bordeaux. Spray with Paris green and Bordeaux when about i grown. 10 days later, Bordeaux. 7-10 days later, repeat. When fruit has set, Bor- deaux. If slugs appear, dust leaves with air slaked lime or hellebore. Try arsenate of lead for plum curculio. 10 days later, hellebore. Bordeaux. Just before flowers un- fold, Bordeaux and Paris green. 10-14 days, repeat first. When fruit has set, Bor- deaux. Arsenate of lead for curculio. Just before blossoms open, Bordeaux. Kerosene and water or kerosene emulsion when leaves open for psylla. When blossoms have fallen, Bordeaux and Paris green. Begin to jar trees for curculio. When fruit has set, Bor- deaux. Bordeaux, just before the blossoms open. When first blossoms open, spray both young antl old plantation. Bordeaux. Repeat first if diseases are not checked. Fruit can be wiped if disfigured by Bordeaux. Repeat before insects be come numerous. *Paris green cannot be used on foliage of cherry, peach or Japanese plum with- out injury. fBlack knot on plums or cherries should be cut and burned as soon as discovered. 11 THIRD APPLICATION. When blossoms have fallea, Bordeaux and Paris green. 14 days later, Bordeaux. 7-10 days later, repeat. FOURTH APPLICATION. 8-12day9 later, Bordeaux and Paris green. 14 days later, Bordeaux. Repeat in 10-14 days if necessary. 10-14 days if rot appears, 10-14 days later, weak Bordeaux. Arsenate ot|SOlution of copper sul- lead for plum curculio. fate If worms persist, helle- bore. When fruit has set, Bor deaux and Paris green. 10-14 days repeat first. When fruit is one-half grown, Bordeaux. After blossoms have fal- len, Bordeaux and Paris green. Kerosene emulsion, if necessarj^ or kerosene and water. 10-14 days later, Bordeaux. Paris green cannot be safely used on Japanese varieties. 10-20 days later,Bordeaux. (Orange or red rust is treated best by destroying the plants attacked in its early stages.) Spray young plantation Bordeaux. Repeat first when neces- sary. Repeat for blight, rot and insects as potatoes ap- proach maturity. 2 to 4 weeks later, if any disease appears, weak solu- tion of copper sulfate. 2 to 4 weeks later, Bor- deaux. 10-14 days repeat first. 5-7 days later, weak solu- tion of copper sulfate. 812 days later, repeat third. 10-20 days later, Bordeaux, 10-20 days later, Bordeaux, Spray after fruit is gath- ered with Bordeaux. Repeat third if weather is moist. Try weak solution of cop- per sulfate. FIFTH APPLICATION. 10-14 days later, Bordeaux. Spraying with Bordeaux after the pods are one-half grown will injure them for market. Repeat after every rain when fruit begins to color. After fruit is gathered, Bordeaux. Weak solution of copper sulfate. 5-7 days later, repeat. 10-14 days later, weak solu- tion of copper sulfate. 10-20 days later, weak solution of copper sul- fate. 10-20 days later, copper sulfate solution as fruit is ripening. *For aphides or plant lice use kerosene emulsion or kerosene and water. 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