^LIBRARY OF CONGRESS J # ., — ,^> t [SMITHSOTTIAN DEPOSIT.] | I UNITED STATES OF AMER1CA.| | ro REPORT OF WORK ck ^kp\m\Uu\ fxwmmi %Mn, ^ T MiDDLETOWN, CONN,, 1877-8. REPORT OF WORK „.-\i,.. ci c %m\\\w^\ C^t o .xpmment ^t«twtt. MIDDLETOWN, CONN., 1877-8, VITH AN ACCOUNT OF . FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH FERTILIZERS. BY PROF. W. O. ATWATER .^^ Taken (in part) from the Report of the Secretary of the Conn. Board of Agriculture for 1878. ^'^/^ #*»I^ #i^*i*^. HARTFORD : -— -- PRESS OF THE CASE, LOCKWOOD & BRAINARD COMPANY. 1879. K ^^-v^ REPORT OF WORK OF THE AGKICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, MIDDLETOWN, CONN. In presenting this report by direction of the Board of Trustees of Wes- leyan University, the following brief explanations are proper. An account of the origin and first year's labors of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station was given in the Report of the State Board of Agriculture for 1876. The earnest efforts of the friends of the enterprise had impressed the people of the State with the value of such afi institution, but the idea was a novel one, and a bill pi'oviding an appropriation for the purpose had been deferred by the Legislature of 1874, only to be rejected by that of 1875. Believing that a concrete example of what an experiment station might do would lead to success in securing one, an enthusiastic friend of the cause offered to become responsible for part of the expense on condition that the Legislature should promise means for making a start, which it accordingly did.* The labor of organizing and conducting the Station was materially alleviated by the united and cordial cooperation of the original pro- moters of the enterprise, and by the encouragement it received from the public. In due time a bill was presented to the Legislature of 1877, providing for the permanent establishment of the Station. The fact that, notwith- standing the loud call for economy, the cutting down of old apjjro- priations, and the utter refusal of new ones, a bill appropriating $5,000 per annum, permanently and unconditionally "to promote agriculture by scientific investigation and experiment," passed both branches of the Legislature unanimously, and with no essential alteration from the * The offer was made by Mr. Orange Judd of Middletown, on his own part, of $1,000 toward the payment of expenses, and in behalf of the Trustees of Wesleyan University, of free use of laboratories and appliances in the Hall of Natural Sciences, donated by him to that institution, and, pro\'ided the Legislature would appropriate $2,800 per annum for two years, to carry on work appropriate to an Agricultural Experiment Station. A bill for the purpose was passed unanimously by the Legislature of 18*75, thus giving to Connecticut the honor of establishing the first Agricultural Experiment Station in America. orifjinal ilrnft propnsed hy the dinrtor iind approvoil l)y the advisory ooininittec, save sucli as was iiccdeil to give it legal form, was to all con- cerned a source of great satisfaction. This part of the trust having been thus fulHIled, and the direction of (he enterjirise placed in older and aliler hands, nothing farther re- mained hut to give an account of the work not yet piildished. To aid in ilefraying the expenses of preparing this for puhlieation an appropriation of two hundred and fifty dollars was generously made In the State Hoard of Agriculture, which has also incorporated the material in its report for 1878. Some of the details, Jiowever, especially pages 111-122, and chapter XI, for which the limits of that re|)ortdid not ])ro- vide space, appear for tlie first time here. There are presented herewith the hitherto uni»ui)lishetl work of the Station proper, and other work which has grown out of it. That this has not been inconsiderable is evinced by the fact that the chemical analyses alone have involved over 1,(500 quantitative determinations. As this report is intended for farmers, in accordance with the wish of the Board, much of the more abstract and technical matter has been ref(!rred to briefly, and the details reserved for j)ublieation elsewhere, their place being filled by explanations and practical applications. A larger proportion of purely scientific research would have been preferable had not the first purpose, that of securing means for scientific investigation and experiment, demanded work of a more j)opular character. The task of which this and the previous report give account was accej)ted by the writer with extreme reluctance, not because of lack of interest in the cause, but because he felt that it belonged to one of more experience, and because his regular duties as professor of chemistry in the College were sufficient to demand all his time and energy, an HaIM.KV, ..... Aiinuiiit of roots, stubble, I'tc, !<■(» in M»il by plantK, Tabular statement of resultfi, Composition of roots of wheat, timntliy, aiiirati(in apparatu.s, Sources and u.'^cs of :ill>uminoids, carI)ohydrates, and fits in the body, .... Food mixtures and rations, Ration.s for uulcli cows, . Elfect of fodder upon milk production, Cban on Kkesh Scbktanc*. A. B. .\verago. Crude •Ash. Pure Anil. Coal . . . 0.70 2.78 0.45 6.94 7.38 12.38 23.68 23.42 16.74 1.50 3.22 5.02 0.72 2.85 0.45 6.96 7.39 12.47 23.46 23.48 16.74 1.52 3.27 5.04 0.71 2.81 0.45 6.95 7.39 12.43 23.56 23.45 16.74 1.51 3.25 5.03 Insoluble matters Iron and alumina Lime 3.09 0.49 7.63 8.12 13.65 25.S9 25.76 18.39 1.66 0.138 0.022 0.33 0.349 0.588 1.118 1.112 0.786 0.075 0.1334 0.0211 0.3251 0.3506 Potash 0.5894 Soda 1.1180 Sulphuric acid Chlorine Phosphoric acid Carbonic acid Water 1.1123 0.7940 0.0717 Oxygen ratio of CI. . . 104.21 3.77 104.35 3.77 104.28 3.77 104.68 4.14 4.518 4 5156 100.44 100.58 100.51 100.54 Summary of Analysis of Rockweed M. 1. Water, Organic and volatile matters. Containing nitrogen, - Equivalent ammonia, Ash, - - - - 0.341 0.414 80.47 15.01 4.52 ingrb:dients of ash. Ash contains of potash, " " soda, " " lime. magnesia, - iron and alumina, sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, chlorine, 0.590 1.119 0.325 0.351 0.021 1.113 0.072 0.796 4.526 17 Estimation of Ammonia and Nitric Acid in two samples of Lysimeter Water. Nos. 1 and 2. Received from Dr. E. L. Sturtevant, South Framingliam, Mass. " No. 1 was water collected from the Lysimeter May 12th. Land had been unmanured for years, and apparently much exhausted. May 14th the chemicals sufficient for 160 bush- els of corn were applied. No. 2 consisted of the first two gallons of water which ran through, collected November 13th." Before proceeding with the analysis Mr. Jenkins tested the reliability of the methods with the following results : Ammonia, by Miller's method, as described in Kubel's Anleitung ziir Untersiichung von Wasser, p. 90. .000070 grams N Hj gave .0000725 grams = 103.0^ .000045 " " " .0000425 " '• 94.4^ .000070 " "• " .0000675 " " 96.4^ .000093 " " " .000095 " " 102.7^ Nitric Acid, by Schulze's method, Kubel, p. 55. .056238 grams N, O^ gave .056850 grams .028119 .028119 .014059 .014059 .007029 .028078 .028041 .013956 .014073 .007019 101.0^ 99.5^ 99.7$^ 99.2^ 100.1^ 99.8^ Analysis. Lysimeter Water No. 1. Distilled the ammonia from 500 c. c. and titred. First, 50 c. c. distillate gave 0.2 c. c. (NH,) CI. sol. Second, " " 0.15 " " " Third, " " 0.05 " " " 0.40 0.4 c. c. standard (NH^) CI. sol. = .010 m. g. NH3. 500 c. c. water contains .00001 grams NH3. 50,000,000 parts of water contain one part NH^j. Determined the nitric acid in 500 c. c. of water. Obtained 0.36 c. c. of gas, at 24° C. Bar. 30.08 in. at 80° = 760. 5 m. m. at 0°. . Equivalent to .00077771 grams of N.^ O5. 3 18 500 grams of water contains .00077771 grams N, Oy 1,000,000 parts of water contain 1.55542 }>arts of nitric o.xytl. (j 12.921 parts of water contain one part of nitric oxyd. Lysimeter Water No. 2. Distilled the ammonia from 100 c. c, diluted to 500 c. c, and titred in 50 c. c. 50 c. c. = 2.1 c. c. (NH^) CI. solution 500 c. c. := 21 c. c. (NH,) CI. solution. 100 grams Lysimeter water = .000525 grams- NH,. 1,000,000 parts of water contain 5.25 parts NH3. 190,476 " " 1 part NH^. Determined the nitric acid in 500 c. c. of water. Obtained 1.1 c. c. of gas at 24° = 1.12 calibrated. Bar. 29.76 in. at 84° = 752 m. m. at 0°. Equivalent to .002379 grams Nj O5. 500 grams of water contain .002379 grams N^ O5. 1,000,000 parts of water contain 5.25 parts " • 210,128 " " 1 part " Analysis of Apples, Rhode Island Greenings. From P. M. Augur, Esq., of Middlefield, Conn. Examined by Mr. Jenkins with following results. Selected only sound apples without regard to size. Thirty-hve apples weighed 4,276.5 grams, average weight = 122.19 grams. The four heaviest weighed The four lightest weighed 151 grams, 86.5 grams. 161 " 95. 163 " . 99. 166 " 106. Several specific gravity determinations were made with the fol- lowing results : Weight of apple. Specific gravity. 161.13 0.817 151.13 0.819 163.59 0.835 165.84 0.835 87.23 0.850 98.53 . 0.853 106.83 0.869 95.50 0.871 ■ 1 ' u 11 ' " 10 9 ' " 18 8 ' " 32 1 ' " 42 6 ' " 30 5 ' " 55 4 ' u 4 3 ' " 3 19 The stems and seeds were rejected before weighing the portion for analysis. The seeds in each apple were counted, with the exception of some rudimentary ones, not as large as a pin-head. 1 apple had 12 seeds, = 12 1 1 2 4 6 5 11 1 1 33 apples, ' 217 = Total No. of seeds. Average number of seeds per apple, = 6.57. Two hundred and fifteen seeds weighed 5.5951 grams. Average weight of 1 seed = .026 grams. Two sprouting trials were made. At the end of 83 days, 53 seeds had sprouted in one trial, and 45 in another, = 45^ and 53y altRrnate extraction with dilute sulphuric acid, dilute alkali an«l water, subsequent treatment with alcohol and ether, (frying, weighing, determining ash and alhu- minoids in separate samples and suljtnu'ting (heir sum from the whole. Fats were determined by extraction of the dried substance with absolute ether. In a number of cases the previous drying was made in a current of hydrogen. Extractive Matters, or carbohydrates, were estimated by differ- ence. The determination of aqueous extract, sugar, starch, gum, etc., which would have been interesting, in the cereal products especially, could not be done for lack of assistance. WHEAT AND MILLING PRODUCTS. From Union Mills, Middletovm, Conn. Wheat. No. I. Michigan White Winter Wheat; milling extra, Detroit inspection, from hopper, cleaned for grinding. No. II. Missouri Red Fall Wheat, St. Louis inspection, from hopper, cleaned for grinding. Milling products. From mixture of above, in equal parts. No. III. Wheat-bran, per Union Mills Circular, called commer- cially Wheat-shorts. No. IV. No. 2 Fine Feed, per Union Mills Circular, called commercially No. 2 Middlings. No. V. No. 1 Fine Feed, per Union Mills Circular, called com- mercially. No. 1 Middlings. per cent, of potassium nitrate, and in young potato plants, from 3.7 to 5.3 per cent. {Vs. St. XII., 164). Schulze found from 0.06 to 3.1 per cent, of nitric acid in the dry substance of beets {Vs. St. XV., 170). Cha- tin likewise reports considerable nitric acid in buckwheat and maize, and but httle in wheat, oats, and bariey {Jbt. Afj. Chfin., 1873-4, 336). The organic non-albuminoid nitrogen compounds, peptones, vegetable bases, nitrogenous glucosides, amides, etc., occur in mucli larger quantities. Schulze and Urich find in potatoes only 65 per cent., and in beets less than one-half in the form of true albuminoids. Wigner concludes that of the nitrogenous constituents of the cereals from 15 to 20 per cent, are other than albuminoids. The proportion of these non-allmniinoid compounds is greatest in tlie bran ; wheat-bran containing from 11 to 58 parts in 100 of total nitrogenous matter. 23 No. VI. Purified Middlings. No. VII. New-Process Flour. No. VIII. No. 1 Flour. No. IX. No. 2 Flour. No. X. No. 3 Flour. Method of grinding. New-process flour. The following description of the methods by which the above- named milling products are obtained, and the percentages they represent of the wheat from which they are manufactured, was very courteously furnished, with the samples, by Mr. Geo. A. Coles, of the firm Coles & Atkins, proprietors of Union Mills : " The cleaning of wheat before grinding is considered very essential to the proper manufacture of flour. There are employed in the mill referred to : 1st, a rolling screen or sieve ; 2d, a Hutchings separator ; 3d, a decorticating machine (Empire) ; 4th, a California smutter, through all of which the wheat passes before arriving at the garners. The first operation after cleaning consists in passing the wheat through the " French burr " — four feet mill stones, — making technically "chop," commercially "gra- ham." This passes directly to a bolting chest of three reels, hav- ing upon the upper reel French bolting cloths, Nos. 11 and 12 ; on the middle reel the same, Nos. 13 and 14 ; and on the third reel the same, Nos. 15 and 16. The flour from this chest is called No. 1 and No. 2, 26 per cent, of the wheat going into the first, and 19 per cent, into the second, leaving the remainder of the chop to pass through ajiother set of reels which separates the bran and No. 2 middlings, giving 15 per cent, of bran and 10 per cent, of No. 2 middlings. The mid- dlings pass from these reels to the Purifier, a machine which is calculated to separate the impurities that are lighter than the farina by lifting them from the sieves by means of an air-blast, leaving the " purified middlings " to fall to a mill-stone below, from which, after being re-ground, they pass to another set of bolts, making 13 per cent, of the wheat into " New-Process" flour, the I'emainder being again re-ground and making 6^ per cent, of the wheat into No. 3 flour, leaving a residue from the purifier and b(Jlts of 5 per cent., called No. 1 Feed, while the remaining 5 per cent, passes to screenings and waste. All the different grades of flour from the mill are used for family purposes. 24 To recapitulate, 100 parts l)y weight of wheat give, by above process — Screenings and waste, - - - H.O per cent. New-Process Flour, - - - l.'l.O " No. 1 Flour, .... 26.0 No. 2 " - - - - 19.5 No. 3 " - - - G.5 No. 1 Feed, - - - 5.0 No. 2 " - - - - 10.0. " Wheat Bran, - - - - l.'i.O It is hni just to remark that at the time these experiments were made, the science of milling was being carried on at the West with entirely different results, especially at mills using spring wheat exclusively, a few claiming to inake (jO per cent, of tlie wheat into middlings, while others, which have attained a reputa- tion for making the highest grades of flour, claim from 30 per cent, to 50 per cent, of middlings from the best Minnesota spring wheat, which is said to make the best Hour for bread. The mill named above, having passed into other hands, is now being altered for tlui i)nrpose of obtaining the largest proportions of middlings from spring and winter wheats, and to make a greater percentage of them into New-Process Flour. The commercial values of the No. 1 and No. 2 flours have always remained at a difference of fifty cents per barrel, while the New-Process Flour has usually brought a dollar more than the No. I flour, and the No. 3 a dollar less than the No. 2, although the latter varies in quality considerably, and is sometimes sold at nearly the same price as No. 2. The relative prices of the feeds and bran have varied considerably, the bran steadily gaining in favor as food for cows during the last seventeen years, the milk- men having adopted it almost universally ; so that at the pres- ent writing, the No. 1 feed brings but 25 per cent, more, and the No. 2 feed but 15 per cent, more than the bran. Formerly the bran rarely brought within 50 per cent, of the No. 1, and 30 per cent, of the No. 2. As a matter of course, the composition made with specimens obtained at this or any other mill, at different times, would be likely to vary somewhat from the fact that the same kinds ^f wheat are not always used and not always treated in the same manner. For instance, it will be noticed that the bran was exceedingly light in weight, only nine pounds to the bushel. 25 This in the different methods of treating the wheat often varies, weighing from nine to eighteen pounds. Also the proportion of middlings from the same wheat could have been run to make 25 per cent, of New-Process Flour by higher grinding, thus varying the entire product, with of course different results from the analysis. The analyses of the above were executed by Mr. Warnecke, with results as follows : Analyses of Wheat, Bran, Middlings, New-Pkocess, and OTHER Flours. No. (D 4) ll < 2 a PL, .2 1 e o Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. I. II. III. IV. V Wheat, Michigan White Winter, Wheat, Missouri Red Fall Wheat Bran (" Shorts ") No. 2 Middlings No. 1 Middlings 12.75 13.52 11.31 12.27 11.32 12.35 12.50 11.98 12.46 10.30 87.75 86.48 88.69 87.73 88.68 87.65 87.50 88.02 87.54 87.90 1.56 1.55 3.94 4.06 1.39 0.50 0.42 0.46 0.50 0.55 11.64 11.79 13.91 13.33 10.48 10.40 10.94 9.25 8.56 9.59 1.83 70.96 1.72 69.95 6.3462.10 7.4560.21 3.8870.86 1.26 1.47 2.50 2.68 2.07 VI. VII. Purified Middlings New-Process Flour none 75.. 50 none 87. 50 none 89.55 none^90.38 none!88.81 1.24 1.12 VIII. No. 1 Flour 0.74 IX. No. 2 Flour. , . 0.56 X. No. 3 Flour 1.05 Leaving out the water, and calculating on dry substance, the analyses would stand : No. Per cent. Per cent. .In 100 Parts Wateb-pbee Substance. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent, rSS Per cent. Per cent. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. Wheat, Michigan White Winter, Wheat, Missouri Red Fall Wheat Bran (" Shorts ") No. 2 Middlings No. 1 Middlings Purified Middlings New-Process Flour No. 1 Flour No. 2 Flour No. 3 Flour. 12.75 13.52 11.31 12.27 1 1 . 32 12.35 12.50 11.98 12.46 10.30 1.79 1.79 4.44 4.63 1.57 0.57 0.49 0.52 0.57 0.61 2.10 1.99 7.04 8.50 4.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.44 1.70 2.82 3.05 2.33 1.42 1.30 0.84 0.64 1.16 20 Tlipro is some confusion of terms in tlie current names of the different refuse products separated from wheat in the manufacture of Hour. Bran, wliidi may be regarded as synonymous vvitli the Frendi Sou and the German Kleie, is api)lied to the refuse from the exte- rior portions of the grain, including the pericarp and more or less of the immediately adhering layers. In the "West and South, and to some extent in tlie Kastern States, the term ".Shorts" is com- monly used for bran. Middlings seems to be a. collective term applied to the parts between the bian and the flour. ' The distinc- tions recognized at the mill between different grades, No. 1 and No. 2 middlings, appear to be little observed in the feed-stores, and lost sight of in current use. " Ship-stuff " seems to be used in the South and "West, and " Mill-stuff " in the North and East, for a mixture of bran and middlings ; that is to say, these terms are applied to all the material, not flour, which comes from the grinding of wheat. "Feed "seems to be a convenient term ap- plied without much rule or discrimination to any of the coarser milling products. COMPARISON WITH OTHER AMERICAN MILLING PRODUCTS OF WHEAT. The figures which follow show how the above analyses accord with others of American milling products of wheat. Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, and 1 1 are reported by Prof. F. H. Storer, Bulletin of the Bussey Institution, I. 25, and Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 by Prof. S. W. Johnson, Report Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 1877, 58. No. 7 was called "Fine Feed" (Ground Bran). No. 11 was a " mixture of shorts and middlings in some unknown pro- portions." III. I 2 3 4 5 6 IV. V 11 Wheat Bkans. Wlioat Bran, Union Mills, St. Louis Shorts, Illinois Shorts, Michigan Shorts, Coarse Wheat Bran, "from White Wheat," Course Wheat Bran, " from Red Wheat," Coar.se Wheat Brau, " Western," Fine Wheat Bran Average, eight Samples of Bran Wheat Middlings. No. 2 Mi(l(llin<;fs No. 1 MiiltUini^s St. Lotii.s Middlings, Illinois Middlings, Wheat Middlings Average of five Samples of Middlings, St. Louis ship-stuff, Water per cent. Pttre^ Ash. Crude I'rot. Crude Fiber. Extr. Mat. Fats, per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. 11.31 3.94 13.91 6.34 62.10 2.50 12.23 4.53 12.06 7.12 60.05 4.01 10.96 4.24 11.13 7.29 62.32 4.06 11.77,4.06 12.75 10.47 56.30 4.05 10 87 5.75 13.()3 7.56 5!».92 3.27 11.14 5.99 12.13 9.31 58.36 3.07 12.12 6.33 13.50 8 79 55.90 3.36 10.47 5.56 13.88 7.98 58.88 3.23 11.36 5.05 12.87 8.08 59.12 3.!)2 12.27 4.06 13.33 7.45 61.21 2.68 11.32|l.39 10.48 3.88 70.86 2.07 12.08:1. .57 1 1 .06 3.57 69.21 2.51 13.30 2.71 10.13 5 35 64.80 3.71 10.56 .3.45 14.22 5.35 62.90 3.52 11.81 2.28 11,40 4.75 66.84 2.92 11.81 2.25 11.12 5.59 66.46 2.77 27 RICE MEAL, BARLEY MEAL, RYE BRAN, OATS. Nos. XI and XII were furnished, Feb. 5, 1876, by H. L. Stewart, Esq., Middle Haddam, Conn. No. XL Rice feed. Is not much used of late in this region, though it was formerly more common. Mr. Stewart infers from his experience that for milch cows this food increases the yield of milk more than corn or barley, and that it possesses fattening propex'ties superior to corn. No. XII. Barley feed. Mr. Stewart has used this for some years to produce milk, and also to keep his animals in good general condition. He thinks the yield of milk is not so large as with a wheat fodder, but the animals keep in flesh better. Both the above were evidently unl)olted, and contained the whole of the grain. No. XXXVII. Rye bkan. Furnished by Messrs. J. H. & H. Fisher, Staddle Hill Mills, Middletown. In grinding rye three products are made, viz., bran, of which this is a sample, cannaille, and flour. Oats. No. XXIX. Sample taken from office of Union Mills, Middle- town, Conn., April 20, 1878. Probably from Illinois. Quality, " No. 1 White oats. Chicago or Peoria inspection. Would pass in New York as No. 1 surely, and perhaps as Extra White. A fair quality of merchantable oats." No. XXXI. Sample furnished by Chester Sage, Esq., Middle- town, Conn., May 1. 1878. Grown in 1877. Soil heavy loam, very poor; hardpan sub-soil. Average crop of oats and straw, i. e., oats about thirty bushels to acre, weighing twenty -nine pounds per bushel. The field on which these oats were grown was the same in which the experiment with corn, " No. S, 1877," and adjacent to the one on which the corn experiment was made, No. C. (See article on Field Experiments with Fertilizers.) It showed a great deficiency of plant food, particularly potash, but with mixtures of superphos- phates, potash salts, and nitrate of soda or dried blood, gave excel- lent yields of corn. The analyses of Nos. XI and XII were executed by Mr. G. Warnecke, those of XXIX, XXXI, and XXXVIII by Mr. C. D. Woods. Fats, per cent. XII. Barley Meal, XI. Rice Meal, XXXVIII. Rye Bran.. XXIX.Oats,No.l White XXXI. Oats, Mr. Sage, Water. Water- Pure Crude Crude Fiber. Extractive per cent. free Sub. Ash. Protein. Matters. per cent. per cent. per cent. cent. per cent. 63.47 9.85 90.15 3.77 12.68 7.00 1.5 11 84.89 6.03 9.25 8.12 59.85 12.88 87.12 2.89 12.58 2..54 66.96 u.a.j 88.77 2.91 11.54 12.18 57.79 12.36 87.64 3.03 8.00 12.89 59.02 3.24 1.61 2.15 5.06 4.70 28 Calculated on dry substance the figures would bp XII. Barley Meal, XI. Ricf Meal XXXVIII Rye Bran.. XXIX. Oats.No.l White XXXI. Oats, Mr. Sage. Water, per cent. 9.85 I. Ml 12 88 11.23 12.36 Water- free Sub. per cent. 90.15 84.89 87.12 88 77 87.64 IN KM) l-AIETS WATEB-rRBB BDBHTANCE. I'll re Ash. per cent. 4.18 7.10 .■5.. 3 2 3.28 3.46 Crude Protein, per cent. 14.06 10 94 14.44 13.00 9 13 f'riitic KilxT. per cent. 7.76 •J !t2 i:!.72 14.71 Fal8. per cent. 3.59 1.90 2.47 5.70 5.36 INDIAN CORN AND COBS. No. XXXII. Eight-Rowed "Yellow" or "Canada" Corn. S;im[)les furnished by Chester Sage, Middletowii, Conn., May 1, 187.S. Grown upon field contiguous to that ou which the oats, XXXI above, were raised. Crop manured with hen manure ; yield about fifty bushels shelled corn per acre. One half bushel of ears, "rounded measure," weighed 19 lbs. 15 oz. This shelled, gave shelled corn 16 lbs. 10^ oz., cobs 3 lbs. 4^ oz. ; total, 19 lbs. 14]- oz. (cobs 16.5;^, corn 83.5;^ of ears). One half -bushel of shelled corn shoveled into a half -bushel measure and struck by straight edge of stick, "three strokes beveling," weighed 29 lbs. 9-^ oz. One bushel would thus weigh 59 lbs. 3 oz. The sample was a good, fair specimen of New England Eight- rowed Yellow Corn. XXXIII. Cobs, from above Corn. Above samples were taken from different parts of a bin in a barn May 1st, a pleasant day, after several days of rain, the air being more damp than usual. Nos. XL AND XLI. From store of Coles & Atkins, Middle- town, Conn., July 17, 1878. XL. Western Yellow. Qualitt/. — Said to be average for ordinary years, rather better than average for this year. Contained some unsound kernels, bits of cobs and other refuse. Bits of cobs and other refuse of one-half bushel were picked out, and weighed 230 grams = 53 ozs. Some fragments of nearly black line prairie soil in the refuse. This quality is ground for feed -meal, and sold whole for feed, but is not fit for family use. Price, 65 cts. per bushel. In two bushel bags, 62^ cts. XLI. Southern White. Quality. — Very fair, not extra, if anything better than average. But few imperfect kernels and lit- tle refuse. Is ground for family use, but mostly used for fodder in this region. Weight, 4 qts. -f- paper = 64 lbs. ; ^ bushel = 27 29 lbs.; 1 bushel = 54 lbs. (Weighed in half bushel measure, which was carefully filled with a scoop and " struck " in ordinary way.) Price, 75 cts. single bushel, $1.40 per bag of two bushels. The following analyses were made by Messrs. Warnecke and Woods: COKN. 1 ll .9 '53 p o O Per Per Per Per Per Per Per cent. cent. cent. cent. cent. cent. cent. XL. Western Yellow 13.93 86.07 1.25 8.82 I.. 59 70.48 3.92 XLI. Southern White 13.82 86.18 1.32 8.80 0.88 71.07 4.02 XXXH. Eight-rowed Yellow.. 15.10 84.90 1.36 10.01 1.24 66.99 5.31 XXXIV. Cobs of XXXII 11.45 88 . 55 1.3 1.2 38.3 47.6 0.1 Reckoned on dry substance, the figures become: V In 100 PART.S Water-free a m Substance. a" 'a> Ut •a 75 per cent. Water. ® a'S per cent. Water. 2,54111)8. IU,164 11)3. 3,300 lbs. Analyses by Mr. Warnecke gave : 100 PARTS WaTEK-PUEE HlINGAK IAN Hay. Jo Substance contain — a j= v 2 TIME OF CDTTING. ■a £5 m 03 & o V."^ H a fa No. XXIV. July 17. Heads partly filled. . . . 12.01 87.99 8.60 12.81 34.69 41.76 204 No. XXV. Aup. 3. Head.s well filled, seeds soft 7.03 93.00 5.13 9.63 33.06 50.35 1.83 No. XXVI. Aug. 18. Ileads ripe, seeds hard, 11.47 88.53 6.34 6.87 34.73 50.36 1.70 The cured bay, with cue sixth water and five-sixths dry sub- stance, would thus contain : Hungarian Hat. ja o (1< 1-^ TIME OF CUTTING. Oi soil 1 gram. Clovek. Sample B, was gathered iu an adjoining field, and from one of the plots from which the clover-tops had been taken for analysis as described in article on Analyses of Foods and Feedijiy Stuffs, page 324, where details as to soil, etc., were given. The roots were taken August 14th, from one of the plots on which the clover had been cut when nearly ripe, July 17th. The first twelve inches of the soil was called "surface-soil," and the next eighteen inches, . "sub-soil." Below this depth of two feet six inches, very few roots could be found. Though there was little else than red clover in the tops as gathered, considerable amount of roots of timothy and other plants and weeds were found in the soil. The sample of roots of which analysis is described below was from the same plot as this. Timothy Roots, A, B, and C. Samples from Maine Agricultural College farm, as above. For descriptions of soil, etc., see Analyses of Timothy Grass and Hay, page ji48. The roots here referred to were from same plots from which the samples of tops were taken for analysis. Wheat. Samples from same farm. Soil, clay loam, heavy clay sub-soil ; seeded to grass in 1870. Turned up, treated with stable manure and ashes, and planted to potatoes. In 1876, manured again, sown in spring with wheat, and top-dressed with small amount of nitrate of soda. Roots taken at different times as per table. The presence of a small growth of weeds whose roots could not be accurately distinguished from those of the clover, helped to make the results unsatisfactory. Barley. Soil and previous treatment not differing essentially from above. For the same i-easons the results are not perfectly accurate. Oat.«;. From same farm, but sandy loam, with sandy sub-soil. Had been in grass until turned up, dressed with manui-e, and sowed to oats. 45 Millet (Hungarian). From same farm; soil, clayey loam. Timothy, Meadow D, Native grasses, Pasture E; and Native Grasses, Meadow F. These samples were taken by Mr. Balentine from the farm of Mr. J. M. Hubbard, Middletown, Conn. They were from contiguous lots of low, moist land, the surface of which was largely made of washings from a neighboring hillside. The soil is a reddish or brownish sandy loam. The timothy was newly seeded. The native grasses had been in for some years. The experiments are very interesting because of the large amounts of roots and stubble found. The sample of roots of timothy was taken close by two plots of one square rod each, whose produce of hay harvested June 29th, early in blossom, averaged at the rate of 4,156 lbs. per acre. Similar plots contiguous to the place where the sample of roots of native grasses was taken, averaged at the same date at the rate of 3,120 lbs. of hay per acre. From the above descriptions, the following table, in which are gathered results of the somewhat desultory observations will, I trust, be intelligible. The variations in some cases are wide; for instance, see Timothy B and C, but the weighings were carefully made, and duplicate notes agree, and I can find no grounds for doubting the accuracy of the work at all. 46 a • OtiOf • OOIO • • '■• M 2 - cMOJIIlUl 1 • -r to ;o • "re* • • '< ffi Bi Ofct u M t: • aa JO ^qapAi | losuns DUO 1 i\ o aoo-^a 00 o;oooto CO .^ . . . . 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Analyses of samples of roots of "Clover B," "Timothy B," and " Wheat 4," skillfully executed by Messrs. Jordan and Woods gave results as follows. The roots were separated from the soil as above described.* IN ONE HUNDRED PARTS OF AIR DRY ROOTS OF— Wheat. Timothy. Clover. Water 8.04 91.96 18.33 0.87 10.97 89.03 9.78 1.23 8.64 Water-free substance Ash crude . 91.36 8.94 Nitrogen . 2.42 Analysis of the crude ash gave : IN ONE HUNDRED PARTS OF CRUDE APH OP ROOTS OF — Wheat. Timothy. Clover. Pure ash 36.66 61.57 1.77 1.07 1.90 60.53 32.75 6.72 2.85 3.34 64.43 26.08 9.49 7.67 Potash 11.48 The pure ash would thus contain IN ONE HUNDRED PARTS OF PURE ASH OF — Phosphoric acid. Potash Wheat. 2.92 5.18 Timothy. 4.70 5.52 Clover. 11.91 17.83 Analyses of Soils and Corrections in Analyses of Roots for Adhering Soil. As stated above, considerable amounts of soil adhered to the samples of roots in spite of the most thorough washing that was felt to be allowable. This is of course to be expected. An attempt to learn approximately how much of the valuable ingredients found in the analysis of the roots could have come from the adhering soil was made, as foUows : It was assumed that all the sand and insoluble substances in the thoroughly burned roots came from the soil, and that the fine soil in which the roots grew would have the sam6 composition as that * For analytical details see the separate Keport of the Station. 48 whit^h adhered to them, and that, consequently, if the fine soil were ignited and treated with acids as had been done with the roots, tlu' i»n)portion of rjitrogon, phosphoric acid, and potash obtained from the soil thus treated would have the same ratio to the insolu- Ijle residue as in the soil which adhered to the roots. The insoluble residue in the crude ash of the roots would thus give a measure of the ingredients therein which came from the soil. These sub- tracted from the total would leave what properly belonged to the roots. This assumption is doubtless nearly correct. The possible error in such small quantities is entirely insignificant. Accordingly, nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, and insoluble residue were determined in samples of soil from which the roots had been separated, by precisely the same methods as employed in the root analyses. The soils were prepared for analysis by passing through a very fine seive — holes 0.5 millimeters diameter — to remove sand and fragments of roots. The soils being of fine clay left very few fragments of sand in the seive. Results of analyses follow: Wheat Soil, Timothy Soil, Clover Soil, per cent. per cent. per cent. Sand and insoluble matters, 77.20 65.88 65.42 Phosphoric acid in acid extract,. . ... 0.115 0.03 0.06 Potash in acid extract 0.135 0.13 0.15 Nitrogen, 0.20 0.15 0.14 The following table shows the original and corrected figures for nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash : Pure Ash. Water- and Sand-pree Roore. ROOTS OP PhoB. Acid. Potash. • Nitrogen. Phos. Acid. Potash. Orig- inal. Cor- rec'd. Orig- inal. Cor- rec'd. 0"?- inal. Cor- rec'd. Orig- inal. Cor- rected. Ori^. inal. Cor- rect'd. Wheat 3.20 4.72 11.95 2.92 4.70 11.91 5.46 5.62 17.91 5.18 5.52 17.83 1.23 1.44 2.73 1.19 I.4.'? 2.72 0.265 0.326 0.772 0.241 0.325 0.770 0.454 0.;588 1.159 0.412 Timothy, Clover, 0.381 1.153 Combining results of analysis with the weights of the soils as roughly determined above, we should have in the soil of one acre to the depth of one foot: 4& In One Acre to Depth or 1 Foot. Wheat Soil,.. Timothy Soil, Clover Soil. . . In Acid Extract. PhoBphoric Acid. Potash. lbs. lbs. lbs. 5772. 3319. 3896. 4537. 972. 4861. 4735. 2029. 5074. Summary of Observations on Roots. The amounts of roots and of valuable ingredients per acre by above figures would be as follows : POUNDS PER ACRE. Roots gathered, air dry. Roots free from sand. Roots free from sand and water. Nitrogen. Phos.Acid Potash. Wheat Timothy B., lbs. 595 2576 1460 lbs. 579.6 2235.8 1310. lbs. 527.1 1982.4 1193. lbs. 6.5 28.3 32.6 lbs. 1.3 6.4 9.2 lbs. 2.2 7.6 Clover B., 13.8 But the roots are only part of what the crops leave behind. The stubble of the crop, stubble and roots of weeds, and the fragments of stems, leaves, and other refuse organic matter that are strewn upon the surface of the ground, amount to a good deal, also. The weights of the different materials, as calculated per acre, are given below. As stated above, the samples were all from clay soil except the oats and the grasses D, E, and F, which came from sandy soils. The last three were from the farm of Mr. J. M. Hubbard, Middle- town, the others from the farm of the Maine Agricultural College. 50 PLANTS. Clover, A., Clover, B., Hungarian, Wlieat, A. 1, just before heiidinj^ Wheat, A. "2, begiiiiiiug to blos'in Wheat, A. 3, stcd in milk Wheat, A. 4, seed ripe, Oats Barloy, A. l.Just helure heading Barley, A. 2, Ix-ginuing to hlos'in Barley, A. 3, seed in milk,. . . . Barley, A. 4, seed ripe, Timothy, A., Timothy, B., Timothy, C. , Timothy, Meadow, D., Native Grasses, Pasture, E Native Grasses, Meadow, F.,. . . WKIUUT8 or AlK-URY SUBBTANOK PSB Stubble Tops. Stubble. RoolH. and rooiH of weedH. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. 1657 .... 869 1273 1460 2881* 6194 341 720 159 2537 224 582 186 4489 394 802- 159 5412 418 735 - 499 7092 595 716 427 5037 216 293 470 2448 187 408 240 3938 240 423 317 4907 509 470 615 7 1 .')5 355 336 749 4250 855 5072 2516 836 5253 2045 5215 3102 2060 2165 3438 3462 4202 ReftiBC orjjanic lutitter. Ib8.~ 715 312 322 206 120 * Mostly timothy. Obskrvations by Dk. V'oklckkk. The following- are results of examinations of roots of clover in various soils in England, by Dr. \^>elcker, from an article in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society for 1869, which has been copied in a number of publications in this country. Unfortiinately Dr. Voelcker's analyses are not expressed in such ways as to per- mit calculations of the amounts of soil which adhered to the roots. It is evident that in some cases the sand must have made a large proportion of the whole weight. ROOTS OP lbs. of water-free ! roots per I acre. Water-free roots contain of Nitrogen. " Good " Clover, 1 st year, ; 4155 " Bad " Clover, 1 st year, { 1 550 " Thin " Clover, 2d vear, J 7026 " Gooil " Clover, 2d year, 6503 " Good " Clover, 1st year, mown twice, 1493 "Good "Clover, 1st year, mown once, , 3622 • 51 Obsehvattons by Dr. Weiske. The following are results of observations by Dr. Weiske on the amounts and composition of roots and stubble gathered to a depth of ten inches, from a soil, probably in a high state of cultivation, on the farm of the Agricultural Academy at Proskau, Germany. ROOTS AND STUBBLE OF Rye, Barley, Oats,' Wheat, Red Clover, Buckwheat, Peas Lupine, 3400 1515 2200 2240 6580 1630 2400 2800 Roots and stubble, water-free, cont'ned Nitrogen. Per cent. 1.26 1.15 0.71 0.68 2.15 2.18 1.76 1.76 lbs. per acre. 62 22 25 22 180 45 53 58 Ash free from Coa] and Carbonic Acid contained: Phosphoric Acid. Per cent. 1.55 3.15 2.08 1.08 3.91 2.35 2.24 2.53 lbs. per acre. 24 11 28 11 71 10 14 13 Potash. Per cent. 1.90 2.59 1.48 1.70 4.26 1.97 1.70 3.13 lbs. per acre. 30 9 24 17 77 9 11 16 From the results obtained of Dr. Voelcker, Dr. Weiske, and our- selves, we gather the following figures for the amounts per acre of roots, and of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the roots of sundry plants.* * Since the above was sent to the printer, my attention has been called to some statements in the Report of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, 1877-8, pages 129 and 153, by Mr. Flint, Secretary of the Board, evidently based upon a misreading of Dr. Voelcker's article. Mr. Flint says : " The amount of nitrogen left by a crop of clover in the soil was carefully inves- tigated by Prof. Voelcker, and he found that it was from two and a half to three tons per acre. He found that on soils where clover had been grown, not only is all that nitrogen collected and stored up in the soil by the clover, but it is left, when spring arrives, in a vastly better condition to take and carry on a grain crop than any fertilizers which can be applied in the spring, — a most important consideration. .... Bear in mind that this nitrogen is changed into nitrates, nitrate of ammonia, nitrate of potash, and other forms of nitrate which are avail- able immediately, when spring opens, for the use of your crops." Dr. Voelcker actually says, (Jour.Roy. Agr. Soc.IV. 1868, page 422,) (1) "Dur- ing the growth of clover a large amount of nitrogenous matter accumulates in the soil." (2) " This accumulation, which is greatest in the surface soil, is due to decaying leaves dropped during the growth of clover, and to an abundance of roots, containing, when dry, from 1)^ to 2 per cent, of nitrogen." Dr. Voelcker found from 31 to 100 lbs. of nitrogen per acre to be left behind in the roots of crops of clover. The finest roots could not be separated from the soil, but allow- 52 ROOTS. I)k. Voelcker, EtJt;lan 100. 1.5.50 31. 7026 66. 29.5 6.50.3 65. 27. 1493 24.5 3622 51. .5 Air-dry. 3400 62. 24 1515 22. II. 2200 25. 28. 2240 22. 11. 6580 180. 71. 1630 45. 10. 2400 .53. 14. 2800 58. 13. Water and fiand-frec. .527 6.5 1.3 1982 28.5 6.5 1193 32.6 9.2 Potash, lbs. 30. 9. 24, 9. 11. 16. 2.2 7.7 13.8 In Conclusion. As I have said, our observations were more for the sake of learn- ing how to conduct the investigations needed than with the expec- tation of gaining from them any conclnsive results. It is evident that results obtained on a few square feet, and so afEected by earth adhering to the roots, are very liable to error. I believe, however, int^ that these, and the leaves dropped on the surface, contained as much nitrofjen as the coarse roots, there would be left behind by a clover crop, from 60 to 200 lbs. of nitrogen. The remainder of the "two and a half to three tons per acre" of nitrogen which Dr. Voelcker found was not " collected and stored up by the clover," but belonged to the .soil, which he also analyzed. Concerning the change to nitrates, Dr. V^oelcker says, (loc. cii., page 409), "Although probably the greater part of the roots and other remains of the clover cro]) may not be decom- posed so thoroughly as to yield nitrogenous food to the succeeding wheat crop, it can scarcely be doubted that a considerable quantity of nitrogen will liccome available by the time the wheat is sown." That is to say, that instead of the whole of the two and a half or three tons of nitrogen of the soil being changed to nitrates, " which are available when spring opens for the use of your crops," part of the 60 to 200 lbs. of nitrogen belonging to the remains of the clover, may, in Dr. Voelcker's opinion, which is doubtless correct, soon become available. The fact that the statements referred to are made by so high an authority, and in .so prominent a place, and have been widely (juoted, seems to demand this correction. 53 that the results here given do at least prove what was to be expected from the start, that — (1.) In a given plant the ratios of roots to tops, and more espec- ially the total amounts of roots in different circumstances of growth, are extremely variable. (2.) Consequently the current statements as to the amounts of plant food left behind by a crop in its roots, based as they are upon few observations, must be accepted with a good deal of latitude. (3.) The stul^ble and refuse organic mat- ter do more to fertilize the soil than is generally supposed. (4.) What is most wanted to clear up the doubtful points respecting the effect of roots upon the fertility of the soil, is a large number of accurate and detailed observations. Although our present knowl- edge is so incomplete, the following facts are worth noting : 1. Clover. The amounts of clover roots (with the adhering soil), air-dry, varied from 1,300 to 6,500 lbs. per acre. The nitro- gen in them ranged from 31 to 65 lbs. per acre, and in one case, where stubble and roots were reckoned together, rose to 180 lbs. per acre. The smallest quantity of phosphoric acid in roots was 9 lbs.; the largest in roots and stubble, 77 lbs. per acre. Potash in like manner ranged from 13 to 77 lbs. per acre. It is easy to see why clover makes such a rich manure, and why some farmers say they " would rather have the clover below the ground than what is on the top." As Dr. Voelcker has shown, clover is an excellent preparatory crop for wheat, because its roots contain so much plant-food. His experiments indicate that when clover is mown for hay there is more development of roots than when it is fed off by sheep, and that when grown for seed the roots are still more -strong and numerous. The enriching power of clover is due to the matter which is stored up in the roots, as well as to that which is left on the ground as stubble, leaves and fine stems when it is mown, or ploughed under. Hence the propriety of letting it stand, rather than to cut early, when it is wanted to enrich the soil for another crop. 2. Timothy and other Grasses. The amounts of roots above varied from 850 to 5,000 lbs. Roots and stubble together came as high as 7,600 lbs. per acre. But timothy roots, like the tops, are not so rich in the valuable ingredients as clover. The timothy leaves nearly as much substance behind as clover, but it does not enrich the soil so much ; at the same time, what it does leave is very valuable. 64 ;-{. The Cereals. Wheat, barley, and oatf* leave less roots behind than timothy, at least if we are to jud^e from th(? above ligures, and have about the same composition. They do comparatively little, therefore, to enrich the soil for followinpj crops. 4. The roots and stubble in the meaduws and pastures, "Tim- othy B and C and D," the " Native grasses," the •' meadow F," and the "Pasture E," amounted to from 1^ to nearly 4 tons per acre. The nitrogen in the soils where the roots of Timothy B grew, taken to a depth of one foot, amounted to 4,500 lbs. per acre. The soil of Timothy B was pretty well run out. None of the others were in a high state of cultivation ; yet they all had large stores of plant food available, and ready to be made availa- ble. The nitrogen in the surface soil varie(] from 4,500 to 5,800 lbs., the phosphoric acid from 970 to 3,300 lbs., and the potash from 3,900 to 5,000 lbs. per acre. Does not this illustrate very forcibly a fact that many farmers forget — that they need not only to manure their soils, but also to use every means to utilize the plant-food they have on hand ? And do not such facts help us the better to understand why tillage, fallowing, lime, and other means for bringing into action the materials the soil can supply, are such important factors of good farming ? METHODS OF ANALYSIS. The roots were ground fine enough to pass through a wire sieve having fifteen meshes to the centimeter. Crude Ash. The crude ash was obtained by igniting at a low heat, extracting the residue with water, strongly igniting the insoluble portion, then adding the water extract, and evaporating the whole to dryness. Pure Ash. The crude ash contained with the ash of the roots; also that of a large (juantity of soil that could not ho separated from the roots. The amount of insoluble matter was estimated by extracting the crude ash with hot aqua regia, and then with a mixture of sodium carbonate and hydroxide. To the insoluble residue thus obtained the carbonic acid, determined by ignition with potassium dichromate, was added the sum subtracted from the whole, and the residue designated as "pure ash," as said above. This quantity does not truly represent the amount of pure plant ash, since it includes all the silica alumina, iron, lime, etc., that was extracted from the adhering soil by the strong acids used. The percentage of pure ash is in this way made to appear largest in the wheat roots, which is doubtless incorrect, and is easily explained by the large amount of soil that adhered to the wheat roots. Corrections for phosphoric acid and potash, extracted from the adhering soil, and remaining in the ash, were made as explained later. Phosphoric Acid. One or two grams of ash were treated with hot concentrated nitric acid, the whole evaporated to complete dryness, moistened with concen- trated nitric acid, and extracted with water. 55 In this solution the phosphoric acid was determined with ammonium molybdate. The residue from the nitric acid solution was afterwards treated with hot aqua regia, but a careful test gave no evidence of the presence of phosphoric acid in the solution thus obtained. Potash. Nearly a gram of the ash was digested with hot concentrated chlo- hvdric acid, afterwards evaporated to dryness, the residue moistened with some of the strong acid, and then extracted with water. In this solution the potash Avas determined in the usual manner by the use of platinic chloride. Nitrogen was determined in the ordinary way with soda lime. AKALYTICAL DETAILS — WHEAT ROOTS. Water. 6.870 airdry=6. 315 w. fr. = 91. 92 per cent. w. fr. 6.9625 air-dry= 6.404 w. fr.=92.00 per cent. w. fr. Average=9l.96 per cent. w. fr. 100.— 91.96 w. fr. =8.04 per cent, water. Ash. 9.3238 air-dry = 1.7238 crude ash = 18.48 per cent, crude ash. 11.6763 air-dry=2.1353 crude ash = 18.269 per cent, crude ash. 8.4357 air-dry =1.5487 crude ash=l8.36 per cent, crude ash. 9.269 air-dry = 1.687 crude ash = 18. 20 per crude ash. Average= 18.33 per cent, crude ash. 3.8591 crude ash =2.376 insol- uble residue=61.57 per cent, of insoluble residue in crude ash. 14.12 crude ash = .0025 C02=1.77 per cent. COg in crude ash, 100— (61.57 + 1.77) = 36.66 per cent, pure ash in crude ash. 18.33 per cent. X. 3666=6.72 per cent, pure ash in air-dry. Pkos. Acid. 1.709 crude ash = .0325 Mg., P, O7 = .0208 Pg 05=1.22 per cent. P, O5. 2.14 crude ash=.037 Mg, P, 07=0237 P, 05=1.11 per cent. P^ O5. Average=1.17 per cent. Pg O5 in crude ash. 1.17^-3666=3.20 per cent. P.^Og in pure ash. Potash. 1.5462 crude ash=. 156 K, Pt C1b=.0301K2O=1.95 per cent. K,0. 1.699 crude ash=.1812 K, Pt Clg=.0349 K30=2.05 per cent. K^O. Average= 2.00 per cent. K^O in crude ash. 2.00-f-. 3666=5.46 per cent. K^O in pure ash. Nitrogen. 20 c. c. H, SO^ Sol. . = 10199 N=38.2 c. c. (N H^) HO Sol.l c. c. (N H J HO=.0026693 N. 1.286 air-dry=33.9c. c. (N H J HO=.10199N. .090509 N=.01148N=0.89 per cent N. 1.2175 air-dry=34.1 c.c. (NH^) H0 = . 10199 N — .09lb2N=.01097=0.90 per cent. N. Average=.90 per cent. N in airdry. TIMOTHY EOOTS. Water. 6.4058 air-dry= 5.7003 water-free=88.99 percent, w. fr. 6.9898 air- dry=6.2265 w. fr.=89.08 per cent. w. fr. Average=89.03 per cent. w. fr. 100. — 89.03=10.97 per cent, water. Crude Ash. 12.2602 air-dry = 1.1 962 crude ash=10.00 per cent. 12.7780 air- dry = 1.2783 crude ash=9.76 per cent. 6.4053 air-dry=.6259 crude ash=9.77 per cent. 6.9898 air-dry = .6693 crude ash=9.58 per cent. Average=9.78 per cent. Pure Ash. .171 crude ash = .056=37.75 per cent, insoluble residue. .0595 crude ash=. 004=6.72 per cent. CO3. 100. — (37.75H-6.72)=60.53 per cent, pure ash in the crude ash. 9.78 per cent. X .6053=5.92 per cent, of pure ash. Phosphoric Acid. 1.199 crude ash=.0533 Mg^ P^ O,=.0341 P^ 05=2.84 per cent. P, O5. 1.2497 crude ash=.0562 Mgg Pg 0, = .0359 P^ Og = 2.88 per 56 cent. Pjj Og. Avorage=2.86 per cent. P„ O^ in crude ash. 2.86 per cent, -f-. 6053 — 4.72 ])er cent. P„ O^, in pure ash. Potash. .6005 criiile a8h = .1052 K„ Pt Clfl=.02027 K„ 0=3.38 per cent. K._, O. .6264 crude ash .1113 K., Pt CI,. --.02145 K„ () 3.42 percent. K„(). Nitrogen. 20 c. c. Hj. S(>^ Sol.. -10199 N -38.2 c. c. {N H ,) Sol.. HO 1 c. c. (NH,) HO 002669 N. 1.7978 air-dry =29.9 c. c. N H^ HO =.10199 N— 07983 N=..02216 = 1.23 per cent. N. 1.7578 airdry--30 c. c. N H^ HO--. 10199 N —.08009 Nr=r.0219 N =1.23 per cent. N. Average=1.24 per cent. N in air-dry. CLOVBR ROOTS. Water. 6.800 air-dry=6.213 w. fr. = 91.37 per cent. w. fr. 5.964 air-dry = 5.449 w. fr.=-91.36 per cent. w. fr. Average-- 9 1.37 per cent. w. fr. 100. — 91.37=8.63 per cent, water. Ash. 9.5642 airdry=.8545 crude ash=8.93 per cent, crude ash. 9.135 air- dry=.816 crude ash=8.93 per cent, crude ash. 9.2935 air-dry = .829 crude a.sh = 8.92 per cent, crude ash. 9.2407 air-dry-- .8287 crude ash = 8.97 per cent, crude ash. Average=8.^4 per cent, crude ash. 1.6705 crude ash = .4355 insoluble res- idue=2G.08 insoluble residue. .079 crude ash=.0075 COo=9.49 per cent. C0„. 100. — (26.08 + 9.49) = 64.43 per cent, pure ash in crude a.sh. 8.94 per cent.X .6443=5.76 percent, pure ash in air-dry. Phosphoric Acid. .8545 crude ash=.1022 Mg, P, O„=.0654 P„ 05=7.65 per cent. P, O.,. .816 crude a8h=.0986 Mg^ P, O,=.0639 Pg 06=7.73 per cent. P., O^. Average=7.69 per cent. P„ O^ in crude a.sh. 7.69 per cent.-r- .6443 = 11.95 percent. P„ O^ in pure ash. Potash. .8308 crude ash=.497 K^ Pt Cl,.=.0958 K„ = 11.53 per cent. Kg O. .826 crude a8h=.4945 Ko Pt Cl«=.093 K„0 = 11.54 per cent. K^, O. Average=11.54 per cent. K.^ O in crude ash. 11.54 per cent.-r.6443= 17.91 per cent. K, O in pure air. Nitrogen. 20 c. c. H.. SO.i = . 10199 N=38.2 c. c. (N H^) H O. 1 c. c. (N HJ HO=.002669 N 1.4705 air-dry=24.9 c. c. (N HJ HO=.10199 N— .07035 N= .03164 N=2.41 per cent. N. 1.291 air-dry=26.35 c. c. (N HJ HO=.10199 N — .07035 N=.03164 N=2.45 per cent. Average=2.43 per cent. N in air dry. Wheat Soil. Nitrogen. 20. c. c. Ho 804=46.3 (N H^) H0 = . 10199 N. 3.340 air-dry= 43.3c. c. (NH^) HO=.10199N.— .09538 N=00661 N = .0.20 per cent. 3.25()air- dry=43.5 c. c. (N H4) H0 = . 10199— .09582 N = 00617 N=0.19 per cent. 3.470 air-dry=43.15 c. c. N H^ H0=. 10199 N— .09505 N=00694 N=0.20 percent. Average, 9. N=0.20. Phosphoric acid. 10.316 grams gave 0.1 18 per cent. Po05 ; 10.326 grams gave 0.1 12 per cent. P^OS. Average, 0.1 15 per cent. V.,05. Potash. 12.326 grams gave .132 percent. K^,0; 11.026 grams gave .138 per cent. K2O5. Average, .135 per cent. KoO. Insoluble residue. 12.33 grams soil gave 9.560 grams, =77.02 per cent, insol- uble residue. 11.026 soil gave 8.45 granis,=76.67 per cent, insoluble residue Average, 77.2 per cent, insoluble residue. 57 Timothy Soil. Nitrogen. 20. c. c. H, S 0^=46.3 c. c. N H^ HO=10199 N. .5.290 air dry = 42.35 c. c. N H^ H0=. 10199 N .09329 N. = .0087 N=0.16 per cent. 5.510 air- dry=42.30c. c. N H^ HO=.10199 N— .09398 N = .0088 N.=0.16 percent. 6.440 air-dry=42.2 c. c. N H^ H0 = . 10199 N.— .09296 N=. 00903 N. = .014 per cent. Phosphoric acid. 11.390 air-dry = . 0055 Mg^ P^ 0=0.03 per cent. Po 0.6 = 12.370 air dry=.0O5 Mg^ P^ 0^=0.03 per cent. P^ Og. Average=0.03 per cent. P^, O5. Potash. 12.730 air dry=102 K^ Pt 01^=0.15 per cent. Ko O. 12.38 air-dry = .085 Kg Pt Cly=0.11 per cent. Kg O. Average=13 per cent. K^ 0. Insoluble residue. 12.370 air-dry=7.976 insoluble residue=66.0 per cent. 11.390 air-dry = 7.490 insoluble re8idue=6&.76 per cent. Average = 65.88 per cent. Clover Soil. Nitrogen. 20 c. cH^ SO^=46.3 N H^ HO = 10199 N. 4.800 air-dry =43.3 c. c. N H4 H0=. 10199 N— .09538 N.=0066l N.=0 13 per cent. 4.6300 air-dry = 43.35 c. c. N H4 HO=.10199 N— 09549 N =.00650 N.=0.15 per cent. 3.140air- dry=44.35 c. c. N H^ HO =.10199 N.— .09769 N.=.0043 N=0.13 per cent. Average =0.14 per cent. Phosphoric acid. 12.440 air dry = .0115 Mgg P^,0, = 0.06 per cent. Pg O^. 12.500 airdry=.012 Mg^ P2 0^=0.06 per cent. P, O5. Average=.06 per cent, v., O5. Potash. 11.640 air-dry =.0835 K^ P Clg=0.14 per cent. K^ O. 10.190 air- dry=.0815 K^ Pt CI, =0.15 per cent. K2 O. Average=.15 per cent. K^ O. Insoluble residue. 12.500 air-dry = 8. 200 residue=6.5.60 per cent. 12.440 air- dry 8. 114 residue=65.23 per cent. Average=65.42 per cent. VI. Notes on the Amounts of Water in American Feeding Stuffs. The fodder tables rapidly coming into use in this country are taken from European sources. The few analyses of feed- ing stuffs thus far made on this side of the Atlantic have usually shown less water in the air-dry materials than is found in the corresponding European products. It is probable that this difference is a general one, and due to the dryer atmos- phere. Some light is thrown upon the subject by the follow- ing data, which will at least suffice to show the need of more. Timothy and other Grasses and Hays. European. Wolff {^Mentzel & v. Lengerke Landio. Kalendar, 18Y8) and Dietrich & Kunig (^Zusammensetzung d. Fidterstoffe, 1874) give figures as follows : 8 58 woi-pp. Average. Timothy yriisij, 7O.0 'riinotliy hay, I4.3 Mixed hay, poor to fair, 14.3, very f^ootl, 15, oxtra f,'oo(l, 16, 1 5.1 UIETItK'll & kAnki, 1871. Mixed grasses (37 samples, maximum 20.0, miniiiuim 1 1.'29), 14.6 Aftermath (6 samples, maximum 15.6, minimum 12.3), 13 9 A7nerican. The following determi nations were made on samples of timothy gathered on the farm of the Agricultural College at Orono, Maine, in 1876 (see descriptions in full under ^^ Analyses of Feeding Stuffs"'). Tliey were weighed when freshly cut, July 1st to Aug. 9th, cured under cover and weighed again, Sept, "id, at which time samples of one kilogram each were put in small bags and sent to Middletown. Here they were kept in a laboratory storeroom, which was not warmed except by heat from adjoining rooms. Portions were taken for analysis, and the remainder weighed and returned to the bags. May 17, 1878, some of the bags were hung in the loft of a barn, and weighed from time to time. The bags (of tliin cotton cloth) were weighed at the start, and when the samples were taken for analysis a similar empty bag was kept in the barn- loft witli the samples and weighed with them, and its variations, which were slight, calculated on the weights of the bags holding the samples. From the different weighings and the moisture once determined, the percentages of moisture were computed. Of course the small samples hung in the barn loft must have varied more than hay lying in the mow would have done. Results were as below : Water in Timothy cut at Different Periods of Growth. Just Full Just out Ripe, headed bloaa. ofbloss. . _ Av'ge. PERIODS OP GROWTH. OUt. Jul.l3. Jul.32. "S' '^• Jul.l. perct. perct. perct. perct. per ct. Freshly cut, .somewhat wilted, 58.85 57.06 .56.50 57.47 57.47 Freshly cured, Sept. 2, 1876, 11.90 13.22 12.99 13.90 12.82 Feb. 23, 1877, in laboratory storeroom, 6.06 7.34 7.02 7.7(1 May 17, 1878, in barn, alter ,>arn, after 3-4 days dry weather, " 7.46 9.69 8.58 June 11, 1878, in barn, rainy day, after 3 days' rain, 13.51 13.34 13.43 July 17, 1878, in barn, moist day, after some days hot weather, " 11.93 11.99 1196 Range of cured samples in barn, 13.90 to 7.46 Average per cent, of water in cured hay, 1 1.33 59 The freshly-cured samples. Sept. 2d, doubtless came nearer the average conditions in practice than the others. The following determinations were made in samples of hay taken from barns in Middletown. They came from some distance below the surface of the piles of hay. Moisture, per cent. Timothy, from Loveland's livery stable, May 26, 1878, after period of rain, 15.45 Timothy, from Steele's livery stable, May 26, 1878, after period of rain, 15.68 Timothy, from private barn, March 10, 1877, in moist weather, 9.99 Mixed hay, from private barn, March 10, 1877, in moist weather, 10.10 Average, 12.81 Prof. Storer (Bulletin of the Bussey Institution, I. 347) notes a sample of hay taken from a barn in Rochester, Mass., March, 1875, as containing only 7.80 per cent, moisture. Averaging the results obtained with samples as actually found in the barn, we have : WATER, PER CENT. Largest. Smallest. Average. Four samples of timothy, freshly cured, Sept. 2d, 13.90 11.90 l-i.82 Five samples of timothy and other hays from barns, in March and May, " 15.68 7.80 11.80 Average of 9 samples from barns, 12.34 Of course more observations are needed to determine range for different seasons, places, etc. Probably it will be found not far from right to assume 12.5 per cent., or one-eighth of the whole, as a fair average for water in timothy and mixed hay in barns in New England. Clover grass and hay. European. The figures of Wolff and of Dietrich & Kcinig are: WOLFF, 1878. Moisture, Aver- per cent. ages. Green clover, before blossom, 83.0 Green clover, full blossom, 80.4 DIETRICH A KONIG, 1874. Green clover, before blossom (4 samples ; maximum 86.09, minimum 77.27), 82.83 Green clover, full blossom (9 samples ; maximum 85.14, minimum 70.51), 80.41 WOLFF, 1878. Clover hav (poor, 15.0; medium, 16.0; very good, 16.5; extra, 16.5),* 16.00 DIETRICH & KONIG, 1874. Clover hay (17 samples; maximum 22.9, minimum 16.00),* 18.38 * {2}^ lbs. each.) 60 American. Samples of clover from Orono, Me., cut June 22- July 26, 1S75, and treated as those of timothy, above, gave the following : i a o . S s 2?5 o 3« S WaTKU in Cl.OVEK Cl'T AT DiFFEIlENT PERIODS £2 O • oi;' OP UUOWTH. <2 2 "5 ^ aiH^ "^ s i"^ •-S tr .fl^ S>-i o «B It a « 6 •? a 3 -•-3 a < Aug. !l-19. 1875. Freshly cured, - - - - 14.42 14.59 14.77 15.55 14.83 June 16, 1876. In Ptofe-room, - . . - 11.06 12.62 11.25 13..55 12.35 Feb. 33, 1S77. '» " . . . . 7.16 7.26 7.50 766 May 17, 1878. In barn, after eome days dry weather. 10.79 10.4i 10.60 May 20, 1878 " damp day, slightly rainy. 11.08 10.23 10.66 May 24, 1878. " after feveral days dry weather, - - . 9.84 9.47 9.66 June 11, 1878. " rainy, after three days' niin. 14.1.3 13.59 13.86 July 17, 1878. " moist day, after sev- eral very hot days. 13.33 12.54 12.94 Kanj,'e in barn, from 9.47 to 15.55. Mean, 12.51. The freshly cured samples averaged 14.83 per cent, moisture against 12.82 per cent, in the timothy. So the samples in the warm barn-loft averaged higher in water content than the timothy samples. The European figures likewise give more mois- ture in clover than in timothy. Wolff assumes 14.3 per cent, for moisture in ordinary hays, in which 12.5 per cent, seemed a fair average here. He assumes 16 per cent, for clover. Probably 14.3 per cent., one-seventh water, would not be far out of the way as a general average for cured clover hay in barns in New England. Hungarian Grass and Hay. Three samples of Hungarian grass, of which analyses were given under "feeding stuffs," gave, when freshly cut, 78.30, 71.70, and 70.24 per cent., and freshly cured, seven to twelve days'after cut- ting, 23.24, 21.87, and 22.23 per cent, of water respectively. The largest percentages of water were in the earliest cut, and the smallest in the latest cut samples. Wolff gives for Hungarian green fodder 75 per cent, water, and for the hay 13.4 per cent., evidently from a very small number of samples. In lack of the needed data I have assumed for the green fodder 75 per cent, and for the hay 16. 7 per cent., one-sixth water. 61 Fodder Corn. European. Wolff assumes for the green fodder 84-85 per cent. Dietrich & Konig give analyses of eight samples varying from 81.14 to 87.19 per cent., and averaging 85 per cent. For the dry fodder Wolff assumes 15 per cent. American. Messrs. Johnson and Jenkins found in two samples as gathered, 85.04 and 87.18 per cent, in the same field cured, No- vember 11th, 27.92 and 27.59 per cent., and in the same from barn, February 10th, 54.95 and 53.76 percent. We found in samples that had been kept in the laboratory store-room some months, 11.55, 9.00, and 8.81 per cent. In this wide range I have selected 25 per cent, as the basis for computations in analyses reported herewith. To resume. — With the data thus at hand, the following seem to me proper proportions of water to assume for feeding stuffs in New England : Timothy hay, 12.5 per cent. Clover hay, 1 4.3 per cent. Hungarian hay, 16.7 Corn fodder, cured, 25.0 Hungarian grass, 75 Corn fodder, green, 85 American and European Products Compared. The following comparison of percentages of water in American products reported herewith, and in corresponding European ones from the tables of Dietrich & Konig, shows that ours average dryer than those on the other side of the Atlantic. It is to be noted that the American analyses were all made in Massachusetts and Connecticut : American. European. Hats. Meadow hay, - - - - 9 15.60 7.80 13.34 46 20.00 11.59 14.59 Clover hay, - ... 4 15.55 9.47 13.51 20 22.80 16.00 18.38 Grains, etc. Maize, 14 15.10 8.08 11.67 12 19.14 9.16 12.;38 Wheat, 2 13.52 12.75 13.04 9 14.60 11.32 13.16 Wheat bran, middlings, etc., 15 13.30 10.47 11.64 20 13.80 10.04 13.80 Thanks are due to Mr. B. V. Tompkins for important aid in carrying out the above investigations. 62 VII. Investigations of Seeds. Investigations of thirty-two samples of seeds herewith reportefl were made by Messrs. Jenkins and Warnecke. The following table gives (1) kind of seeds; (2) name of party from whom sample was obtained ; (3) name of person furnishing sample; (4) per cent, of pure seed ; (5) per cent, of the latter whicli germinated; (6) agricultural value: INVESTIGATIONS OF SEEDS. Si 0.0 go „1 «0 u ,J3 CQ a « o a Names. From. OOLLECTED BT. -o St 5g. l-o 3 2 g§ as o ^ ft< a, » tc <'- S P 1 Red CloTer, Southmayd & Gardner, Mid. W. Atwater, 97.2 73. S 71.7 2 White Clover, 11 11 G. Warnecke, 99.6 93.3 90.1 3 Timothy, R. B. Bradley, New Haven, E. H. Jenkins, 97.4 89.2 86.9 4 Red ClOTer,' " " " 97.2 82.7 80.4 5 Broccoli, Dept. Agri., Washington, T. S. Gold, 100. 89.5 89.5 '3M' 6 Cabbage, =■ " " " 100. 88.2 88.2 3.83 7 • • 3 11 11 " 100. 95.0 96.0 2.77 8 Red Clover,'' S. D. Crosby, N. Y., N. Hart, 93.4 82.76 77.3 1.33 9 1 " ^ U 11 " 94.6 81.5 77.1 1.6192 10 Timothy, K 1( " 97.2 89.8 87.3 3187 H Medium Clover, Pratt & Foster.W. Cornwall, T. S. Gold, 86. 82.0 67.7 1.530 12 " 11 11 " 94. 87.3 82.1 1.523 13 Timothy, 11 11 " 97.6 87.0 84.9 0.315 14 Carrot,' 11 119 " 91.1 12.3 11.2 0.915 16 Celery,' 11 ll» " 98.2 43.0 42.2 0.315 16 Broccoli, 11 llil " 100. 52.8 52. S 17 Onion," 11 110 " 100. 82.0 82.0 3.'528 18 '• 10 11 119 11 1(X). 77.0 77.0 3 275 19 • ' 11 11 im " 100. 60.0 60.0 3.883 20 11 12 11 119 " 100. 55.3 55.3 3.610 21 Carrot,' 3 • 1 mi " 94.7 21.0 19.9 1.128 22 11 14 11 119 •' 92.2 34.7 32.0 1.128 23 Tumip.iii 11 119 " 100. 60.6 60.5 2.868 24 11 16 11 119 " 100. 74.5 74.5 2.248 26 • I 17 11 119 " 100. 58.0 68.0 2.943 26 11 18 11 11 " 100. 73.0 73.0 1.939 27 Barley,' 9 Dept. Agri., Washington," " 100. 97.7 97.7 21.786 28 VVheat,2" " " " 100. 97.0 97.0 36.760 29 Timothy, S. D. Crosby, New York, N. Hart, 98.8 98.75 97.6 0.373 30 Red Top, " " " 20.9 49.3 10.8 31 Carrot,^' Dept. Agri., Washington. T. S. Gold, 96.8 47.8 46.3 0.936 32 Tumip,22 100. 95.5 95.5 1.666 1 Mammoth red clover. 2 Bacalam late (imported). 3 Large Brunswick (imp'd). * " Western Clover." •■' " Extra Clover need.'' " Early French Short-horn. ' Incomparable Dwarf White. » Yellow Dutch. " Bore label of Bri9;gR & Bro., Rochester, N. Y. '" Yellow D.anvers. ' ' Westfield Large Red. '-' White i^ilver-skinned. '^ Large White Belgian. '^ Large Orange. '•'* Yellow Swedish (imp'd). ' " Large white flat Norfolk. " Russian. "■ Purple-top, strap-leaved (imp'd). '" Chevalier (imported). ■-" Karly Spring Tonzelle (imp'fl). "' .lames' Intermediate (imp'd). '-"- Early white flat Dutch, strap- leaved. As the methods employed are still somewhat new in this country, I repeat briefly some of the explanations previously made of the ways by which the examinations were made. They are the same as used by Dr. Nobbe, of the experiment station at Tharaud, Saxony. 63 The sample, which should have been selected in such way as to insure a fair average of the lot to be tested, is thoroughly mixed, and a small part of it withdrawn, with very special precautions to make it represent the average quality of the whole. This portion, of from 2 to 50 grammes* according to the kind of seed, is next carefully weighed, and then picked over by the examiner, seed by seed, with the aid of magnifying glasses and other instruments designed for the purpose. Each seed passes under the eye, the genuine seeds, those corresponding with the label under which they were sold, are put by themselves in one place, and all foreign matters, whether seeds, chaff, dust, or sand, in another. The pure seeds are weighed by themselves, and the impurities also. In this way we learn the per cent, of pure seed. For instance, suppose we take four grammes of seed and find, after picking it over, one gramme of impurities and three grammes of pure seed. We make then the proportion, 4: 3 : : 100 : 75 ; i. e., our sample contains 75 per cent, of pure seed and 25 per cent, of impurities. The foreign seeds are examined botanically to see if there are among them any which would produce parasitic plants, or weeds poisonous to cattle. If there are, such an article should be at once rejected by the farmer. The germinating power of the pure seeds is next ascertained, as follows : Two lots of two hundred seeds each are carefully counted out, and, after being weighed, are allowed to soak in distilled water twenty-four hours. They are then trans- ferred, the one lot to an apparatus of porous earthen ware, where they can be kept moist and protected from dust, the other to a wrapper of bibulous paper which is also kept moist. From time to time the seeds are examined, and those which have germinated are counted and removed. The date of the counting and the number which had germinated at the date are entered in a book kept for the purpose. At the expiration of ten days, or two weeks in most cases, the trial is con- cluded. The number which have sprouted, all told, is found, and to it is added one-third of the number which have remained sound during the experiment, and yet show no diposition to sprout. The sum is divided by two and the quotient taken as the number of seeds in one hundred, i. e., the per cent, which will sprout. The object in making two sprouting trials, is to provide a check on any possible mistake which might pass unnoticed in a single experi- ment. * l-15th to 1 3-4ths ounces. 64 As was said, these four hundred seeds were weighed previous to the sprouting trial. From this we calculate the weight of one thousand kernels. This is not an unimportant item in judging of the good quality of the seed. Heavier seed, other things being equal, is to be preferred to light seed. From the per cent, amount of pure seed in the sample, and tlie per cent, of pure seed capable of germination, we calculate its " agricultural value," which expresses the percentage amount by- weight of the sample which may be expected to furnish plants of the kind indicated by the label. VIII. Notes on Analytical Methods and Apparatus. As an agricultural report is liardly a proper place for descriptions of apparatus and methods of analysis used in the chemical laboratory, 1 omit accounts of a not inconsidei-able amount of work performed with the purpose of getting new light on some of these matters which are of importance to the chemist, referring briefly to the main results. THE QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF FATS. In the " Proceedings of the American Chemical Society," Vol. II, 1S78, p. 84, were published accounts of some investiga- tions on the methods of estimating fats with ether, from whicli it appeared that the use of commercial ether involved error by bringing foreign substances into the extract ; ti)at the most accurate results were obtained with pure ether and dried substance, and that substances that alter in composition or solubility on heating in air, should be dried out of access of air. It was stated that the effect of drying on the solubility and the amount of the extract was being investigated. Further work in this line has shown that drying in air may cause a considerable loss of fats, whicli is probal)ly due, in the main at least, to their assuming an insoluble form by oxidation. I hope soon to publish results of several hundred determina- tions bearing upon these and allied points. 65 ESTIMATION OP MOISTURE. By use of a common drying-cylinder, in which zinc is sub- jected to the action of dilute acid slowly admitted at the top from a reservoir above, and the hydrogen allowed to pass out through the doubly-perforated cork through wliich the acid enters, the zinc sulphate solution escaping through an exit-tube from the tubulature at the bottom, we find it easy to keep up a flow of hydrogen, fast or slow at will, and continuing for days and weeks, without taking the apparatus apart. By passing the purified hydrogen into bottles made for the pur- pose, and heated in a drying-bath, we are able to make esti- mations of water, as it seems to us, more conveniently than by the ordinary methods. Details of the apparatus pro- cesses will, I trust, be published before long. I may add, that by use of this apparatus, and one for fat extraction, simi- lar to one described in the article in the Proceedings of the Chemical Society above referred to, but arranged to hold more condensing-tubes, and to stand on a shelf, it is not difficult to make twelve dryings with as many fat extractions daily. IX. Report on Farm Experiments with Fertilizers. The report of the Connecticut Board of Agriculture for 1877 contained an account of experiments by a number of farmers with fertilizers procured for them by the Experiment Station. The experiments were also reported in some of the Agricul- tural Journals, and awakened considerable interest. Several of the experimenters wished to continue their trials, and others expressed a desire to undertake like work the next season. At the request of the American Agriculturist, I drew up some plans and directions for experiments, which that journal proposed to its readers, arranging to provide samples of fertilizers for the purpose, of tested quality and at prices just covering cost. The plans were altered from those of 1877, as the season's experience had suggested. With each lot of fertilizers was sent a pamphlet, containing explanations and directions for the experiments, and blanks on which any one 9 66 who might cure to take tlie needed trouble were requested to report the results. Tiie Mapes Formula & Peruvian Guano Company, by whom the fertilizers were put up, supplied num- erous sets to their customers ; the Vermont Agricultural Col- lege distributed a iiuml)er among the farmers of that State; the Maine Agricultural College made several series of experi- ments with them. Representatives of Agricultural Societies and prominent farmers in various parts of tlie country joined in the enterprise, so that the trials were mad6 from Canada to Florida, and from Maine to Wisconsin. Purpose ok the Experiments. The ostensible object of these experiments was to work upon farmers' soils. Underneath tin's lay, in my own thought, a deeper purpose, to work upon their owner's minds. And in this regard, at least, the outcome of botli seasons' experience has been most gratifying. The principle upon which these experiments is based is briefly this : The chief oflQce of fertilizers is to supply the plant-food that our crops need and our soils fail to furnish. It is not good econ- omy to pay high prices for materials which the soil may yield in abundance, but it is good economy to supply the lacking ones in the cheapest way. The most important ingredients of our common commercial fertilizers are nitrogen, jjhosphoric acid, and jiofash, because of both their scarcity in the soil and their high cost. It is in furnishing these that guano, phosphates, bone manures, potash salts, and most other commercial fertilizers, are chiefly useful. To test the needs of the different soils with reference to these sub- stances was the special, and the action of the different fertilizing materials with different crops the general, object of the experiments. As an application of science to farming by practical men, who get their living from the labor of their bi-aiiis and hands upon their farms, and who have found in them a means of testing the needs of their soils, and the ways of supplying them, and who have made an important addition to the sum of our knowledge of the ways in which soils furnish plant-food and crops use it, I am sure the accounts of their experience will be widely welcomed. I may say that both the paper which proposed them and the parties who put up the fertilizers displayed a great deal of enthusi- asm in the undertaking, doing this, as I happen to know, at 67 ■ pecuniary cost to themselves, and with no prospect of gain other than would come with the credit for encouraging the enterprise. The details of the experiments may best be explained by the following extracts from the pamphlets sent with the fertilizers. The Fertilizers used in the Experiments Were as shown in the list below, which is taken from the A77ieri- can Agriculturist for March and April, 1878. FERTILIZING MATERIALS. Bag No L II. in. IV. V. VI. VII. Kind. Amount. Valuable Ingredients, per 100 lbs Nitrate of Soda Dissolved Bone-Black Muriate of Potash . . . . Nitrate of Soda Dissolved Bone-Black Dissrlved Bone-Black Muriate of Potash Nitrate of Soda Dissolved Bone Black Muriate of Potash . . . . Phister Set a. Nitrogen, Phos. Acid, Potash, ( Nitrogeu, I Phos. Acid, Phos. Acid, Potash, Nitrogen, I Piios. Acid, ( Potash, 15 per cent. 1.5 " 50 5 10 " 9 " 20 3.46 " 6.92 " 15.38 " 1.40 Cost of Set A. EXTRAS. la. lb. Ilia, lllb. lYa. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. Sulphate of Ammonia. . . Dried Blood Sulphate of Potash .... , Kainit Dried Blood Dissolved Bone-Black . . , Pure Bone- Meal Fine Bone Dissolved . Dry Ground-Fish No. 1 Peruvian Guano . . . . Rectified Peruvian Guano, . " Oneco," 15 lbs, 25 " 20 " 30 " 20 I " 30 ( " 50 " 50 50 40 50 ( Nitrate of Soda, |15 )" I Muriate of Potash |20 ) " Nitrogen, Nitrogen, Potash, Potash, etc., ( Nitroixen, ( Phos. Acid, i Nitrogen, / Phos^Acid, Nitrogen, Phos. Acid, S Nitrogen, } Phos. Acid, ! Nitrogen, Phos. Acid, Potash, ( Nitrogen, < Phos. Acid, i Potash, \ Nitrogen, I Potash, 20 per cent.l 10 " I 37 " 13 " 4 " 9 3.25 '- 20 " 2 " 16 " 7 " 6 8.24 " 12 " 2 " 2.80 " 16.90 " 3.40 " 6.42 " 28.57 " .95 .80 .85 .35 [ 1.25 I 1.25 I 1.25 i 1.20 } 1.40 1.50 1.30 The composition and costs of the fertilizers are more fully stated below. It is assumed that the contents of each bag are applied to one-tenth of an acre. The " price per ton" covers cost of the ma- terials unmixed, in ton lots, at market rates, plus $5.00 per ton for freight. 68 EXPERIMENTAL FERTILIZERS. Fertilizbk Used. FuRNiBUiNo Valuable Imqredients. a a jg I, II, m, IV. VI. vn. la. 16. ma. niA. IVrt. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. xni. Kind. Nitrate of Soda Dissolved Bone-Black . . Muriate of Potash f Nitrate of Soda \ Dissolved Boiie-Black . . ! Dissolved Bone-Hlack . . Muriate of Potash Nitrate of Soda Dissolved Bone-Black... Muriate of Potash Plaster Sulphate of Ammonia.. Dried Blood Sulphate of Potash Kainit (Dried Blood ( Dissolved Bone-Black. . . Pure Bone-Meal Fine Bone Dissolved. . Dry Grouud-Fish No. 1 Peruvian Guano, "Standard," Rectified Guano, "Oneco," Lbs. per Nitrate of Soda 1501 Muriate of Potash i200 i 200 .300 200 150) .300/ noo I 200 I 150) 300 J 200) 200 150 250 200 300 2001 800/ 500 500 500 400 500 39.00 40.00 10.00 42.00 42.00 52.50 10.50 10.50 58.00 11.60 13.13 Kind. Nitrogen Phosphoric Acid. Potash f Nitrogen I Phospliqric Acid. / Phosphoric Acid . I Potash '..... ( Nitrogen < Phosphoric Acid . ( Potash .58.00 10.13 Nitrogen Nitrogen Potash Potash f Nitrogen ( Phosplioric Acid . ( Nitrogen I Phosphoric Acid. (Nitrogen ... 1 Phosphoric Acid. ( Nitrogen ) Phosphoric Acid. (Nitrogen < Phosphoric Acid.. (Potash ( Nitrogen -! Phosphoric Acid. / Potash / Nitrogen I Potash ^ e o Z^ 3 O «■-; O u • 2 1- 3- 16.0 32.0 16.0 48.0 60.0 loo.o 5.3 24.0 10.7 48.0 9.6 48.0 20.0 100.0 3.7 24.0 7.4 48 15.4 100.0 20.5 .31.0 10.5 26.0 4.0 80.0 12.5 37V^ 4.2 21.0 9.6 48.0 3.5 17.5 22.5 112.5 2.0 100 14.0 70.0 7.7 .39.(1 7.5 37.5 8.3 ■Vi.'2 15.5 6.2 3.7 14.8 2.8 14.0 16.9 aj.5 3.4 17.0 6.6 24.0 28.6 10.(1 §5 $7.50 5.2.^ 4..50 5.68 5.25 5.2.''' 4..50 5.(;3 5.25 4.50 6.75 5.63 (;..50 225 4..50 5.25 2.37 7.113 2.(13 8.47 2.93 7..56 5.88 4.71 l.(K) 2.70 9.30 1.13 5.63 4..-.0 Plans for the Experiments. 1 give herewith plans for experiments, dividing them, for convenience, in three classes, some extremely simple, inex- pensive, and easy ; others more complicated and costly, but ail useful. , 1. EXPERIMKNTS ESPECIALLY FOR TESTING SoiLS. Suppose a farmer, wishes to ask his soil : What fertilizing mate- rials do you most need in order to bring me crops ? " Or, to state it more fully : " Of the ingredients of plant-food tvhich my crops must have, tohat ones can you furnish from your oivn stores, and what ones must I give you to make up the deficiencies in your supjjly .^" For this, I suggest an experiment in which the three ingredi- ents of plant-food most important from the agricultural point of view, viz., Phosphoric Acid, Nitrogen, and Potash will be used, each by itself, two by two, and all three together. 69 SET A. I. Nitrate of Soda, - - 20 lbs. Nitrogen. II. Dissolved Bone-Black, - - 30 " Phos. Acid. III. Muriate of Potash, - - - 20 " Potash. Y-y ( Nitrate of Soda, - - 15 ) " (Nitrogen. ■^ * •'j Dissolved Bone-Black, - - 30 } " J Phos. Acid. -y j Dissolved Bone-Black, - - - 30 / " ( Phos. Acid. • \ Muriate of Potash, - - - 20 j " J Potash. i Nitrate of Soda, - - - 15)"^ Nitrogen. VI. } Dissolved Bone-Black, - - - 30 [ " ] Phos. Acid. ( Muriate of Potash, - - - 20 ) " (Potash. VII. Plaster, - - - - 20 " That is tu say, on one plot a complete fertilizer would he used, contained in bag No. VI; on another, the same, without nitrogen (bag V) ; from a third potash would be omitted ; while on others the ingredients would be applied each by itself. Nitrate of soda is chosen as the best single material, except, possibly, sulphate of ammonia, which could be used also to test the specific effect of nitro- gen ; and because nitrate of soda, like sulphate of ammonia, is a thing that our farmers ought to become better acquainted with. For phosphoric acid (soluble), dissolved bone-black, and for potash the " muriate " is selected, as these are among the cheapest and best forms in which the respective ingredients can be bought. The seven bags of Set A, for one-tenth of an acre each, will, with one other fertilizer and two unmanured plots, suffice for an acre. For the other fertilizer I would suggest yard-manure, unless "Extra" No. XIII, nitrogen, and potash with no phosphoric acid, can be bought. This would have been put in Set A but for the cost. Set A, with No. XIII, makes the same series as is recom- mended by Wolff " as a test, both of the needs of the soil, and of the height to which the yield at harvest can be raised under existing conditions." He says : " It is of the greatest importance to the farmer to find out which of the more important ingredients of plant-food his soil, in its actual condition, fails to sup- ply in suflBcient quantity for the production of the largest possible crops, and which when directly added, would therefore exercise an especially favorable and profitable influence. This can be done, practically, only by properly conducted fertilizing experiments The trials should be made on land which is exhausted, in the agricultural sense of the word, and would, in ordinary practice, have been again dressed with stable- manure." In addition to the regular set, it would be well to try several " extras," partic- ulai'ly Peruvian guano and fish, and with them, other fertilizing materials. The value of Mr. Bartholomew's experiment, described on page 27, was very much increased by the trials with ashes, leached and dry, and the manures produced on the farm. THE "NATURAL STRENGTH" OF THE SOIL TO BE TESTED. Let me repeat that experiments of this sort should be made on poor or " worn-out " soils. 70 The soil is not like a cistern, wliicti wc may jmiiip dry, and must then rill up iifjain before it can i)e of use. It is rather like a pond, which may he drained very low, hut whose supply Is l)einf^ continujilly renewed. This continual re-sup- ply of plant-food in the most important feature of its "natural strength." The natural strength of most of our soils suffices only for very small crops. The crop cannot rise above the level of the lowest ingredient in the food supply. The proper use of commercial fertilizers, like guano, phosphate.', potash, salts, and the like, is to fill up the ga])s. In a soil that has a store of available plant- food, accumulated by natural ijrocesses, or left over from previous manuring, tlie specific effect of the experinieutal fertilizers will not he so clearly marked, and we shall not be able to tell so well what we may expect from it hereafter. But when the soil has only its natural strength to depend upon, it may be expected to do next year, and for sometime to come, under favorable circumstances what it does this year with the proper fertilizers. 2. — Experiments to Test especially the Action of Fektilizeks. Some may wish an answer to such a question as this : " Of the different fertilizers to be had in the markets, what 07ies, if any, can J use to advantage, and which tvill he most profitable ?" For this purpose, Set A entii'o, or Nos. I, U, III, and VII, sep- arately, any of the extras, and other articles can be used. But where calculations in dollars and cents are wanted, the utmost care should be taken to make the experiments accurate. I wish to call especial attentiou to nitrate of soda, Peruvian guano, fish, bone, and potash salts. Nitrate of soda furnishes nitrogen, about 16 per cent., in form ready for immediate use by the plant. It is excellent for top-dressing for grass and grain, especially in spring, to bring up backward winter wheat, or encourage the growth of grass ou pastures, meadows, and lawns. It is u.sed in immense (juan titles in Europe. A gentleman whom I happen to know as one of the best farmers in Germany, says that he considers it "a sin to try to grow oats without nitrate of soda." Sulphate of ammonia is similar inaction to nitrate of soda, and less exposed to loss by leaching out of the soil, but on the whole, I think no better, if as good, in its practical effects. Peruvian guanos, as now sold, taking into account composition, quality, and price, are the cheapest class of fertilizers in the market. There are different grades, furnishing nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and ])Otash, in varying proportions, and adapted to the varying wants of different soils and crops. Fish rivals guano in cheapness of nitrogen and phosphoric acid, and when rightly jjrepared, is often preferable to anything else. I hope that numbers of experimenters will try Peruvian guano and fish. FERTILIZERS FOR SPECIAL CROPS. Hundreds of farmers near cities and villages grow potatoes, onions, and other vegetables for market. Very often the addition of some special fertilizer, like potash salts, to the other manures used, will increase the crops wondei'fully. 71 A gentleman recently told me of a case in point from his own experience. A nearneighbor and himself were raising onions last season on similar soil. Each one of them treated his crops in the same way, except that he used sulphate of potash, his neighbor did not, and he got several hundred bushels more of onions on the same area. A few dollars invested in the potash salts increased the market value of his onion crop by $200 or $300. Cases like this are very common with potatoes and other vegetables. I would recommend experiments on such cro])S with potash salts, either with Sulphate of Potash (la), " Muriate" (I), and Kainit (U), side by side, to test the action of each, or with the Sulphate alone. Similar experiments will be useful on grass, corn, and clover. For these the "Muriate" (I) may do as well as the Sulphate (I"), and is cheaper. In like manner, bone, raw and superphosphated, Nos. VIII and IX, can be tried wherever the farmer may desire. These experiments, whose object is more to test the fertilizers than the soil, may be made on soils in better condition than would be appropriate for those of the first class. THE EXPERIMENTS TO BE CARRIED THROUGH SEVERAL, YEARS. But it must be borne in mind that in no experiment will the first year's crop tell the whole story ; that the after effects are im- portant ; that the crops of succeeding years will have something to say, and perhaps something different. Indeed, this is true of all the experiments, and to make them complete they should be con- tinued through a series of years and crops. At the same time, a good deal may be learned from the first season's results, and I think those who do them rightly, will be more ready for the repetitions than they were for the first trials. 3. Exi^ERIMENTS FOR OBTAINING MoRE GENERAL INFORMATION. The inferences from field experiments are of general value in proportion as the questions are specific, the plans appropriate, and the trials made under known and specified conditions, in varying circumstances, with different crops, and through series of years. To the large amount of useful information obtained from field experiments, a great deal more can be added. In response to the solicitations of several persons prominently connected with agiicultural institutions, and of a number of pub- lic spirited farmers as well, the writer has suggested plans for more complicated experiments. Should the result be of sufiicient interest to warrant, they will, in due time, be made public* * SfC Experiments on Effect of Nitroyenous Fertilizers on Corn. 72 DIRECTIONS FOR THE EXPERIMENTS.* HAVE YOUR PLANS COMPLETE BEFORE STARTING. 1. Read carefully the explanations, and have your plans com- plete and clearly in mind before starting. Proper plans at the outset, uniform soil for all the experiments, and poor or " worn- out " soils for the soil tests, plots of proper size, shape, and accii- rately laid out, right application of the fortilizers, good seed, careful measurement of crops, full notes of details, and careful observation of the effects of the fertilizers on succeeding crops, are essential to the best results. SELECT UNIFORM SOIL. 2. Select soil as nearly uniform in quality as possible. There will be more or less variation in different parts of the same field at best. The less there is of this the more reliable will be the experi- ments. Level land should be chosen if practicable, but if it be sloping, let the plots run up and down the ascent so that any wash by rains will not transfer the materials from one plot to another. Of course the portion chosen for experiment must be a fair sample of the whole field. "WORN out" soils FOR SOIL TESTS. 3. For soil tests select 'poor or " worn out " soils. You want to learn what the soil itself can do by its own natural strength, not what it will do with the aid of a store of plant food, which has been either accumulated by natural processes or left over from pre- vious manuring, and will obscure the action of the experimental fertilizers. For the fertilizer tests soils in a better condition may be taken. LAY OUT PLOTS ACCURATELY. 4 Lay out the whole experimental area and the individual plots as accurately as you can. Drive good strong stakes firmly into the ground at the boundaries so that you may be able to tell in this and coming seasons where the divisions are. Measure with chain or tape, if you have it, otherwise with pole marked in feet and inches. * More concise " Directions to be Taken into the Field " accompanied each lot of fertilizers sent out. 73 LONG NARROW PLOTS. 5. Make the plots as long as practicable, so as to make up as far as possible for the unevenness of the soil. To this end let the whole area be as long and nai'row as convenient, and the plots run lengthwise through it. If the seed is to be planted in rows the length can be adapted to the distance of the rows apart. If this space is less than two and one-half feet an unmanured row had better be left between each two strips. In general an unmanured strip at least two or three feet wide should be left between each two plots, so as to prevent the crop of one from being affected by the manure of another.* For one tenth acre plots, i^X32 rods are good dimensions. If the field will not allow such long strips, they may be made shorter and wider. The following figures will aid in calculating the dimensions ; the first column gives the width, and the second the corresponding length of plots of one-tenth acre for which the bags are intended. For half-size plots, one-twentieth acre, divide either length or width by two. ONE-TENTH ACRE PLOTS— LENGTH AND WIDTH. Width. Length. Width. Length, RODS. FEET = KDS. FT. ROD8. FEET. = RDS. FT. One-third, 792 = 48 Two-thirds, 396 = 24 Two-fifths, 660 = 40 Three-fourths, 352 = 21 K4 One-half, 528 = 32 Four-fifths, 330 = 20 Three-fifths. 440 = 26 11 One, 264 = 16 ft. FT. = RDS. FT. FT. FT. = RDS FT. 6 726 = 44 »1>^ 379 = 23 6)^ 670 = 40 10 12 363 = 22 7 623 = 37 12 12>^ 349 = 21 2 T}4 581 = 35 3 13 33.5 = 20 5 8 545 = 33 13)^ 323 = 19 9 81^ 513 = 31 1 14 311 = 18 14 9 484 = 29 5 14)^ 300 = 18 3 9>^ 459 = 27 13 15 290 = 17 10 10 436 = 26 7 ^^}4 281 = 17 10^ 415 = 25 2 16 272 = 16 8 11 396 = 24 16)^ 264 = 16 For instance, if the seed is put in rows three feet apart, two rows will make a plot six feet wide. This, to make one-tenth acre, should be forty-four rods or 726 feet long. Comparatively few farmers will have such long fields as this in one crop however. Three rows three and ahalf feet apart would make plots ten and a half feet wide and twenty five and one-eighth rods, or 415 feet long. * With corn, either leave one unmanured row between each two plots or culti- vate between the rows deep enough to cut the roots and prevent them from feed- ing on their neighbors' fertililizers. This " intercultural tillage " will do no harm and may be a decided benefit. 10 74 Few appreciate the importftticc of lonp narrow strips. If the soil is even, small, short plots will do. But generally it will not he even, and lonfj strips are therefore safer. Wolff and Grouvon, who speak from many years' fxpi'rience and ohservation, say the whole area should be tix times as lomj as it is wide. F'or an area of one acre, 32 rods X 5 rods (— 160 rods) will make the lent^th jnst about six times the width. The ten plots of one-tenth acre, would thus be each 32 rods X % rod. KERTILIZKU.^ WELL DIFFl^'SED THROUGH SOIL. 6. The fertilizers may be applied broadcast, qr if more con- venient, they may be put in the hill or drill, provided, the;/ are well diffused throu£ »£ 1 Pound ggls-ig .t: -' .i OT 3 C! Z C S p- ^ $15.38 « m'O -)- -d a Z< =2 (NO o o. M H Nj^ ^-^-S pSi EXPEI h o§2 3s B S£ (2 m Corn. Stalke. Com. g s ^ hu. lbs. bu. 84.0 51.7 10.0 13.5 27.4 56.0 18.5 30.0 20.0 27.5 31.0 2,172 2,200 2,90b' 3,849 225 "1,310 Chester W.I. B Emmor Buel La G. Gilbe J. H. St J. J. De David E W. C. F Nathan Z. E. Ja (J B 1 2 3 4 5 H 7 8 9 "sio 14.4 10.6 9.0 9.4 17.5 7.0 7.5 15.0 36.0 11.3 j A 10 11 12 13 14 16 Ifi Prof. J. E. F. Sn L. W. S Halsev 1 Seth H. C. Mille Charles Jonatha, 39.8 32.5 51.2 86. 1 53.7 70.5 41.1 31.0 3,300 2,870 2,450 "27!5' 32.5 55.6 40.0 23.0 33.0 26.0 50.7 33.9 17 A. B. CliolO 32.0 IS M. W. I 42 7 31.0 19 H. Brad 'lO.O 27.0 20 William 72.3 8,550 39.0 57.5 32.2 91 James I TO -3 42.6 09 Cicero I 64.0 53.0 93 Ora Pau 80.6 65.7 24 Edward 76.0 48.3 72.7 52.4 Tot 48 6 28.9 *InEsp EXPli"^^^*^^ (charred bones) adc of AfiirintP erage of 27 different expe^ the applicati phate and Mur late of Pot^ TABLE I. CORN EXPERIMENTS. YIELDS OF SHELLED CORN PER ACRE WITp DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS. 1 Acre 1 Bashel 1 Pound (avoidupois) ' 1 Bashel per Acre ' 1 Posnd per Acre ' = (about) 0.40 Hectare. 0.36 Hectolitre. " 0.45 Kilogramme. 0.9 Hectolitre per Hectare. '* 1.12 Kilogramme per Hectare. No. of FertUizer. Fertilizers per Acre. 1 Nitrate of Soda 200 w lbs.* II. 3 n if n ni. IV. xin. .a ^ s .lili V. i 1 (S >22£ 'a"s 1 Nitrate of Soda, 150 lbs. Dissolved Bone-black, < 300 lbs. i^ Muriate of Potash, 200 Ibs.t vn. 1 s a a 00 1 1 KINDS AND AMOUNTS OF FARM MANURE. S. M. = Stable Manure. H. M. " Horse Hn.M." Hen Y.M. " Yard Hg.M." Hog yield op corn IN bushels witu extras. la. Sulphate of Ammonia, 112 pounds. Ilia, nib. Cost per Acre*. $7.50 $5.25 $4.50 $10.88 $10.13 $9.75 $15.38 $0.80 Variable. 1 2 s NAME OF EXPERIMENTEB. STATE. GROUPING OF SOILS. Valuable Ingre- dients PER Acre. i f 1 3 < M 1^ III II i2£ 3 •a s So < 6 oS |l "at: '1^ ,v» J Dried Blood. *""' 1 Dissolved Bone-black. Z Corn, bu. Stalks. lbs. Corn, bu. Stalks, lbs. Corn, bu. Stalks, lbs. Corn, bu. Stalks, lbs. Corn, bu. Stalks, lbs. Corn bu. Stalks, lbs. Corn bu. Stalks, lbs. Com. bu. Stalke. lbs. Cora bu. Stalks, lbs. Corn bu. Stalks, lbs. Corn bu. Stalks lbs. c B 1 i 3 4 3 6 7 8 9 Chejter Sage W.I. Bartholomew.. Emmor K. Haight. . . Buel LandOD G. Gilbert ChUds •I.H. Stiles J- J.Dearing David B. Wertz W. C. Holman N'athan B. Lewie Z. E.Jameson Connecticut... XewTork...'." Vermont Virginia New Jersey. .. Georgia Pennsylvania.. No. Carolina.. Rhode Island. . Vermont PooitEST Soils. Yielding under 20 bush- els of Shelled Corn per Acre with No Manure. Ranging from heavy clay loam. No. C, to sandy, ' No. 9. 11.3 17.7 6.4 11.0 5.5 'i6!6' 7.5 5.0 507 2,250 'l,24s' 190 " " 520 21.5 18.7 6.9 17.5 3.2 18.0 7.5 B.2 9.0 5.6 11.0 722 1,160 ■ 3,6'ob' 1,408 121 ""570 16.5 39.9 6.5 10.3 23.0 n.o 10.7 ao.o 17.5 20 7 8.5 597 1,640 '2.800 'l',i's4 154 " " 790' 02,3 19.1 6.5 9.2 5.8 42.0 7.8 12.5 7.5 7.6 19.5 1,598 1,210 '2,400 's.im 116 " " 'e'l'o 11.2 41.9 8.2 10.5 26.6 16.0 18.4 32 5 22.6 28.8 17.0 566 1,600 3,550' 'l,.3'44" 223 " " 990 68.9 21.1 8.7 15.0 1,784 1,300 "'4,'o"50 70.3 43.1 8.2 18.6 22.2 48.0 14.5 25.0 10.3 23.8 26.0 1,904 1,920 '3,84'o' '3,744' 212 " " s's'o' 84.0 51.7 10.0 13.5 27.4 56.0 18.5 30.0 20.0 27.6 31.0 2,172 2,200 '2,'9'ob' 3,849 225 'l','3'l0 ""5.0 14.4 10.6 9.0 9.4 17.5 7.0 7.6 16.0 '3,000 '"I'.iKO 138 ■■"350 43.3 49.8 "48!6 10.4 60.0 "26:6 32.5 23.5 2,118 2,350 '5,500 '2,'9'44' ""770 7.0 ■ "eie 8.0 ' ' '7.'6 7.6 398 "i.bsb ""43b Hn. M. Y. M. 9 cords. Manure 20 loads. S. M. 6i cords. Manure 600 bushels. la, 6.7. lb, 5.5. Ilia, 5.5. Illb, 5.5. IVa, 7.5 bush la, 11. Ill, duplicated 41. Ashes 40 bushels, 5.6. " 25 " 35.0. 28.0 Average. ^ 8.8 11.8 17.6 19.3 23 32.2 31.0 36.0 11.3 36.3 8.5 A 10 Prof. J. R. Farrington. E.P.Smith.. .... Maine Vermont Pennsylvania . Rhode Island Vermont New York.'.'.. Medium Soils. Yielding 20-30 bushels of Shelled Com per Acre with No Manure. Ranging from heavy clay loam to sandy and ■ gmvelly. 20.3 27.5 28.7 26.3 27.5 20.2 20.5 24.0 2,210 1,610 1,550 19.3 35.0 35.6 35.1 51.9 40.5 43.7 18.5 2,980 1,950' " "2,'300 29.1 35.0 .37.5 49.5 40.0 57.2 43.7 30.5 3,180 '2.00'o' '2,000. 32.9 32.5 35.6 35.1 49.1 30.0 39.9 20.5 3,080 '2,300' '2,200' 37.0 35.0 38. 7 67.4 47.1 67.9 2,900 'i'lVo 42.9 32.5 3,720 39.0 85.0 41.9 67.4 47.4 71.0 33.4 32.0 3,220 '2,'3'4"o' ' '2,22b' 39.8 32.5 51.2 86.1 53.7 70.5 41.1 31.0 3,300 '2,870' 'iib'o' 34.8 40.0 32 5 4,690 25.5 31.9 'l,f)8b' Manure 16 loads. Hn. M. 15 bushels. Y. M. 26 loads. " 30 " " 18 cords. Manure 20 loads. Hn. M. J handful in each hill. 27.5 32.5 55.6 40.0 23.0 33.0 26.0 "'i,28b' 'l',8b'o' 11 12 U 14 K 16 Jj.W. stone & Son.... Haliey p. Clarke SethH. Rising C. Miller & Son Charles B. Gale Jonathan Danham 48.1 52.6 60.0 29.6 86.6 "2,34b' 26.3 Leached Ashes 10O bushels, 46. 2,350 52.4 2,500 Hg. M. 18 cords 69.6. Hg. M. 6 cords 24.3. 46 3 32.0 26.0 38.4 _ Average. 24.4 2.7(X)' 84.9 40.3 34.5 46.4 46.9 50.7 33.9 44.2 27.9 17 18 19 » A- B.Clarke New York Vermont Rhode Island. Better Soils. Yielding 30^0 bushels of ShelletT Corn per Acre with No Manure. Stony and sandy loams. .35.2 30.5 .33.0 .32.8 41.0 .37.2 32.0 41.8 3,600' .34.0 36.6 31.0 32.8 '3,600 45. 2 35.0 39.3 45.3 '4,b'5'o' 42.3 39.3 34.4 48.5 44.1 42.7 39.6 64.8 '5,850 51.0 42 7 40.0 72.3 '8,550 32.0 31.0 27.0 39.0 39.5 47.5 45.0 32.0 Y.M. 10 loads. Hg. M. 7J cords. Y.M. ^•W.Ladd '4,500' 'ab'.o Guano 400 pounds, 41. I-Bradley n lUiam F. Segar Unleached Ashes 40 bushels, 44. ^ Average. 32.8 38.0 33.6 41 2 41.1 30.0 47.8 57.5 32.2 44.0 32.0 » u James K.Toby Cicero Blake.: Vermont Ohio Best Soils. YicWingover40 bushels of Shelled Com per Acre with No Manure. Gravelly and sandy loams. 48.7 47.0 64.9 49.2 58.3 58.0 635 60.0 62.6 56.0 M.7 54.0 70.2 68.4 64.3 37.8 68.5 49.9 59.2 63.0 69.3 57.3 70.3 61.0 80.6 76.0 42.6 53.0 65.7 48.3 45.2 65.0 76.7 66.8 41.5 62.5 S. M. 8 cords. Y. M. 40 loads. S. M. 9 cords. 2"P»?1 Vermont New York 65.9 69.1 Mward Hicks 41.3 Rectified Guano 892 lbs. 62. Bone Meal 208 lbs., 51 Average. 52.4 59.9 59.3 67.7 63.0 59.5 62.2 72.7 52.4 63.4 45.1 Total Average of Twenty-Seven Exneriments wltl 24.6 30.4 33.5 33.3 39.1 39.6 42.9 48 6 28.9 45.9 24.4 ' •In Experiments I. It, and HI, 1.50 pounds costing $5,624. + In I, II, and III, 160 pounds costing $3.37^. , j onn ^ "' Miri., *'^?*'"®'*--" "■'" ^'« noticed, for example, in Experiment B, the 150 pounds per acre of Nitrate of Soda, costing $5.62i, increased the yield of corn 1 bushel ; .300 pounds of dissolved Bone-black (charred bones) added over 22 bushels at a cost of $5.25 ; while the two together (IV) added 24.2 bushels at a <;°»'of *'";»=; '"i*'%e°'J^^^^^ lie annul .P' '^"•**'' «■•'•> ""e'e ^VI) increased the yield by 34 bushels, at a cost of $1.5.38 In Experiment C, 150 pounds of MuSate of Potash, costing $3 .37*, increased the yield by 51 bushels. In the average of 27 difterent experiments on as many diflerent farms, the greatest mcrease-a double crop-over no manure, is shown unuer jno. vi, wim W'lcation of 150 pounds Nitrate of Soda, ;«)0 pounds dissolved Bone-black, and 200 pounds of Muriate of Potash. But the greatest average profit was with No. V, where 200 pounds each of Superphosphate and Muriate of Potash mcreased the average yield of corn 18j bushels, at a cost ol $9.75. )UNTS OF ORES." YIELD IN BUSHELS WITH EXTRAS. Manure. " la, Sulphate of Ammonia, 112 lbs. it ( Dried Blood, 200 " '1 Dis. Bone-black, 300 " d u 1 it •c (D O, M 1^ ] EXP O ^ a s !z; 25 Jamef IVa = 125. 26 J.H. la = 24.8. ni duplicated = 60.4. 27 W.I. 28 R. P. 29 s. w. Lime, 500 pounds = 63.3. 30 J. R. Ground Bone, 440 pounds = 162. 31 Mood; 32 "' 33 Hiran 34 i A. P. 35 Ill duplicated = 140. 36 M. Ch Ashes, 40 bushels = 212. 37 Charlj Y. M. = 290. 38 Prof. 39 Jamei R^a = 523. 40 t Henrj 41 J J. J.] 42 Willa TABLE II. EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES, TURNIPS, AND OTHER CROPS. YIELDS PER ACRE WITH DIFFERENT MANURES. No. of Fertilizer. 1. n. m. IV XIII. V. VI. VII. 00 Fertilizers per Acre. o CO Is g ll (5 1 "S a,' .Hi Nitrate of Soda, 150 lbs. Muriate of Potash, 200 lbs Dissolved Bone-black, ?m lbs. Muriate of Potash, 200 lbs. Nitr'eof Soda, 150 lbs. Dissolved Bone-black, 300 lbs. Muriate of Potash, 200 lbs. 1 i S fa £ 1 KIND AND AMOUNTS OP "FABM MANURES." S. M. — Stable Manure. Y. M. " Yard H. M. " Horse Hg.M." Hog Hn.M." Hen YIELD in BUSHELS WITH EXTRAS. la. Sulphate of Ammonia, 112 lbs. 1 1 o NAME OF EXPERIMENTER. STATE. General Character op Sou,. Valuable Ingre- dients PEE Acre. i 1 < •p 1" .a" 1 Ms So 13 •G ,; < 5 •H 1 .a^_-.- Nitrogen, 24 lbs. Phosphoric Acid, 48 lbs. Potash, 100 lbs. o <6 '§3 H CD IS j Dried Blood, 200 " ' 1 Dis. Bone-black, .300 " Z Cost per Acre. . $7.50 $5.25 $4 50 $10.88 $10.13 $9.75 $15..38 $0.80 Variable . . 2.5 26 27 James K.Toby J.H. Stiles W. I. Bartholomew.... R. P. Wolcott Vermont New Jersey Connecticut New York Heavy clay to sandy loam. POTATOE.S. Bush, per Acre. 134.0 31.2 130.0 120.0 60 133,0 141.0 121.0 30.0 127.0 30.8 162.0 102.0 76 6 13.9 1:^3 117.0 40.0 127.0 28.4 200.0 105 100.0 138.0 165.0 168 80.0 130.0 69.0 125.0 140.0 93.3 160.0 2(19.0 214.0 20.0 154.0 37.2 210.0 150.0 106.6 149.0 206.0 176.0 100.0 122.0 115.0 76.4 220.0 162.0 150.0 165.0 247.6 145.C 100.0 138.0 75.6 250.0 185.0 170.0 200.0 270.4 167.0 140.0 1.32.0 31. B 150.0 100.0 93.3 129.0 74.8 141.0 S. M. 8 cords. Y. M. Y. M. 30 loads. S. M. 6i cords. S. M. 25 loads. S. M. 20 " Y. M. IVa = 125. la - 24.8. Ill dui>licated - 60.4. 2.S 115.0 146.0 90.0 60.0 2f) S. W. Crocker J. R. Kinerson Moody P. Marshal] Hiram A. Cutting.. ... :w Tei-mont New Hampshire. Vermont 137.0 Ground Bone, 440 pounds - 102. 32 158.6 123.0 60.0 215.4 170.0 80.0 "35!6' 33 60.0 Average 100.0 103.0 123.4 129.6 143.2 106.0 153.4 177.3 106.0 132.9 81.5 34 A.P.Arnold New Jersey Florida .....'.'..'. Sandy loam to fine sand. Sweet Potatoes. Bush, per Acre. 68.0 "nii'.s 73.0 91.0 120.0 150.0 141.0 77.0 130.0 79.0 73.0 110.0 140.0 1S9.0 194.0 93.0 120.0 92.5 145.0 166.0 140.0 92.5 218.0 177.0 170 212.0 290.0 60.0 S.M. :« in duplicated = 140. 3fi M. Chesebro 53.0 73.0 Ashes, 40 bushels = 212. 37 New Jersey 194.0 290.0 3S Prof. J. R. Farrington . James K. Toby Heavy clay and loose loam. Turnips. , Bush, per Acre. ( 225.0 516.0 285.0 565.0 315.0 615.0 240.0 588.0 428.0 593.0 203.0 661.0 413.0 656.0 518.0 785.0 263.0 673.0 300.0 580.0 'mi'.o S.M. S. M. 8 cords. 39 Vermont 40 Vermont Clay loam. Sugar Beets, j Bush, per Acre.) 1,174.0 851.3 1,116.0 988.3 1,090.6 1,118.6 960.6 803.3 41 Red clay. Cotton. i Pounds per Acre.) 104.5 38.5 242.0 66.0 599.5 457.0 693.0 44.0 ■I' WillardR. Hall Sandy. Cow Peas. < Bush, per Acre. ( 5.0 6.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 4.0 ... ' •That is, the soils ranged from heavy clay, No. 25, to sandy loam. No. 33, etc. 87 Some of the reports give still more cogent illustrations of the great usefulness of the potash salts. In Mr. Stiles's experiments with both corn and potatoes, Nos. 4 and 26, every plot with potash salts brought a large yield; every one which had no potash failed. Besides the regular set, Mr. Stiles had an extra bag of muriate of potash, which was put on adjoining plots, and brought the same results as in the regular set. < It is noticeable that the potash salts increased the yield of pota- toes in nearly every experiment, while they frequently failed to show much effect on corn. Nitrate of Soda — Plaster. Nitrate of soda seldom produced much effect. Indeed, it was but little more efficient than the plaster. The latter, by the way, though generally of little avail, sometimes showed very marked results, as in the experiments of Mr. Clarke, No. 12, and Mr. Crocker, No. 29. Cases in which All the Fertilizers Failed. Cases in which none of the manures were particularly useful ai-e common. Mr. Smith's experiment No 10, is such a one. Mr. Lewis, No. 8, likewise got scarcely any benefit from either the artificial fertilizers or the stable manure. Mr. Haight, No. 1 , had an e(]ually uniform and much worse success. Indeed, these experiments illustrate very forcibly a fact that few farmers appreciate, namely, that there are a great many soils which will not pay for the use of artificial fertilizers, at least not until they are better tilled, irri- gated, drained, or otherwise improved. We have found these tables rather unsatisfactory, especially because they do not bring out clearly the Specific Effects op the Different Fertilizing Materials on Different Soils. To make this plainer, Mr. Jordan has prepared what he calls a "Table of Differences," Table III, herewith, which shows very clearly the effect of each material — nitrate of soda, superphosphate, and muriate of potash — both when used alone and when mixed with the others; and also presents in a very clear light the uniformity or irregularity of the action of each one on the different plots of each experiment. For instance, the effect of nitrate of soda alone is ^8 found Ijy subtracting the averaj^o yield with no nuinuie fium that of the nitrate of soda plot. To find its effect witli superphosphate, the yield of the phosplioric acid plot is sulitracted from that which had the mixture of the two. The increase with tlie complete fer- tilizer over that with the superphosphate and potash salt, gives the effect of the nitrate of soda again, and so on. Of course it is understood that these differences in a given case do not express exactly the effect of the nitrogen, phosphoric acid, or potash, nor even that of the fertilizer containing them. The indirect action of the fertilizer counts for something, and the irregularities in the different plots often a good deal more. From this table we may note that: 1 . The effects of the different materials on the poorer soils were generally very uniform. On the better soils they are more varied. This fact supports the view that the experiments are generally relialjle as tests of the wants of worn-out soils, those which have only their natural strength to rely upon, but are not to be de- pended upon as tests of the needs of rich soils, those that have an accumulated store of plant-food to draw from. 2. While the effects vary in individual cases, the agreement in the general averages of all the experiments is very striking. Thus in the average of the twenty-seven corn experiments, the increase caused by the nitrate of soda on the different plots ranges from 5.6 to 5.8 bushels ; that with the superphosphate from 8.7 to 9.6 bushels, and so on. 3. Nitrate of Soda did best, where it was used with the other materials, on potatoes. Alone on potatoes, and alone or with other materials on corn, it was not often profitable. 4. Superphosphate was'profitable for corn, usually, and for pota- toes in nearly every case. It was most useful on the poorer and medium soils. With corn, on the rich soils it had less, and some- times almost no effect. 5. Plaster. — The efl'ect was variable, but generally amounted to httle ; though considering its small cost, at the rate of 200 lbs. per acre, on the average, it considerably more than paid for itself. The increase with corn was from none to 29, average 4^ bushels; with potatoes none to 33, average 12| bushels. It is clear that some, though in most cases probably not much, of the effect of the super- phosphate was due to its sulphuric acid and hme. 6. Muriate of Potash proved profitable with corn, frequently, and with potatoes in every case but two. Tlie benefit, if any, was TABLE III. EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL INGREDIENTS OF FERTILIZERS, NITROGEN PHOSPHORIC ACTT) fWTTTT qttt PHURIC ACID AND LIME), AND POTASH. ^vviin »ui.- EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN. 1 0. M W a S c D > < INCREASB WITH NiTBOGEN. Increase with Puosphorio Acid.* Increase with Plaster (= Sul- phuric Acid and Lime), over No Manure. Increase with Potash. GROUPING OF SOILS. (By yields without manure. Heav- iest soil of each group above, and lightest below.) • Q M S + 1 •° ■§ il t ti°l 2" K S + 1 1 1 £ Nitrogen, 24 lbs., + Phos- phoric Acid and Potaeh, over Phosphoric Acid and Potash. s £.1 < "0 ^ ^ 1=1 S ll + i ■as? a l«M £ K + i < ai ■r . oja a ■3.1 g-S |£°-s p< a, Phosphoric Acid, 48 lbs., -|- Nitrogen, + Potash, Nitrogen -f Potash. S i ■ it 1* s ^ £ ll + is f -■o S S Potash, 100 lbs., -f Phos- phoric Acid, over Phosphoric -\cid alone. Potash, 100 lbs,, + Nitro- gen + Phosplioric Acid, over Nitrogen -I- Pliosphoric Acid. a .£ ii r a ff =0 n C B 2 3 4 5 (i 7 8 9 9.2 17.5 7.0 6.5 9.5 5.5 17.5 8.7 7.5 5.0 10.1 1.0 10.5 -3.3 8.5 1.0 2.4 0.3 -2.0 6.0 —5.3 2.0 6.2 2.6 5.0 7.7 12.5 5.0 8.0 7.5 6.6 2.0 5.8 ■■"sis' 13.7 8.5 -5.1 5.2 8.0 4.0 5.0 3.7 4.0 5.0 6.3 3.4 4.3 1.0 7.0 3.2 6.6 2.9 3.3 6.8 5.1 22.2 3.3 16.5 1.5 5.2 16.0 S.8 13.S 3.5 —10.3 32.2 -1.0 22.4 -2.0 16.9 26.3 13.6 23.2 6.0 8.0 24 9.4 16.4 6.0 6.7 12.5 8.8 16.2 6.5 15.1 30.5 —1.5 6.0 25.0 2.6 18.5 1.3 9.5 18.2 10 2 17.5 4.8 11.3 7.9 3,3 6,1 29,2 1.5 34,7 6,9 10.2 51.0 1,4 2,2 -0,7 325 2,3 8.5 —1.2 0.1 14.0 47.4 2.4 -2.5 ■"■24!6' 53.8 3.2 8,2 -0,8 37.0 3.8 5.0 —1.2 3.1 17.6 72,8 9.7 —0.3 —1.8 40.0 2.1 —2.5 -2.5 1.3 16.0 56,3 POOREST SOILS. 7.4 4.1 —0.5 3.9 1,3 0,1 Yielding under 20 bushels -1.7 05 10.0 1.8 13.8 Average. A 10 11 12 13 14 15 IB 9.4 20.9 29.7 28.7 26.3 27.5 ■JO. 2 20.5 24.0 3.5 -3.6 5.3 7.0 8.8 24.4 20.3 23.2 -1.5 5.1 17.7 (5.6) 10.0 5.2 2.8 -2.5 9.3 18.7 6.3 —0.5 7.7 -1.0 4.5 6.7 1.3 5.8 13.1 10.3 9.3 7.8 -0.2 9.5 6.2 7.5 5.3 23.2 12.5 37.0 32.2 6.6 16.2 0.4 6.1 —1.0 12.7 17.7 3.'i 32.3 —4.8 27.4 2.6 13.5 11.5 7.4 2.5 6.3 32 3 —1.7 41.0 -6.5 11.5 (14.7) -2.1 11.1 10.0 5.0 2.8 8.8 22.4 10,0 19,4 —3.5 17.7 23.6 —25.0 13.0 10,9 4.'4 17.9 9,9 13.8 —10.3 13,5 13,6 2,8 -2.5 13.5 18.7 6.6 2.6 —5.2 -1.0 11.5 12.4 -2.4 3.8 29.3 12.5 2.8 12,5 2,0 8.6 -1,6 0,5 —6,0 6.2 1.2 16.9 7.1 10.5 2.6 1.5 '"'s's' 7.0 —13.0 8.3 "'isio' 33.5 15.1 MEDIUM SOILS. Yielding 20-30 bushels of . shelled Com per acre with -0,5 —2,5 —17.7 9.9 6.0 —3.4 3,0 Average. 17 18 19 20 Average. 21 22 2.3 24 24.9 33.6 .30.5 33.0 32.8 32.5 46.1 49.7 64.9 45.7 10.5 7.4 6.9 —1.0 9.0 6.6 8.3 2.7 3.3 17.7 (3.0) 5.4 10.0 6!4' 7.6 6.8 8.0 3.2 1.2 11.4 11.5 1.2 2.1 2.4 6.7 11.7 —1.1 7.7 0.3 19.5 (14.9) "'io^o' 12.6 -.3 6.3 29 8.7 9.4 11.6 4.6 6.3 12.5 0.1 7.5 3.0 6.1 8.6 32.0 4.4 9.3 3.4 5.6 26.8 6.4 7.4 BETTBK SOILS. „K Yielding .30^0 bushels of J §5 shelled Corn per acre with 5^"< ■■-2.6' 4.7 6.2 22.7 DO Manure. g 5 6 13.2 82 —1.8 14.7 8.0 6.0 7.3 1.2 0.3 -20.3 ""i.S 4.5 11.0 1.0 11.3 18.7 6.0 1.6 6.4 4.0 10.1 1 4 17.5 6.2 —0.2 8.7 8.1 3.1 10.0 4.7 2 4 —6.3 6.6 -11.0 4.6 4.8 19.6 (10.0) 20.6 4.2 8.4 fi.l 6.2 6.0 —0.2 —2.5 3.3 0.8 2.6 1.1 8.7 ,25.1 8.6 -0.6 —7.5 -2.0 -8.4 ■ 's^e 12.4 —3.4 7.0 4.6 33 11,3 12.0 7.0 14.0 21,7 10.3 3.7 6.3 Yielding over 40 bushels of J iK'g shelled Corn per acre with 5 2. no Manure. ^ ~. 11.5 4.4 Average. 51.3 8.6 3.7 (-7.8) 10.5 5.6 2.7 15 3 (16.1) 6.7 5.1 -1.4 2.9 11,4 6.1 Total Averages of 26 Experiments. . . 5.8 6.6 5.7 5.7 8.9 8.7 9,6 (9.0) 9.0 4.3 8.7 9.2 9.4 9,5 9.2 EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. Soils ranging from heavy clay to sandy loam. Total Averages of 9 Experiments. 137.6 31 2 130,0 105.0 60 1.33.0 141.0 121.0 32.5 —10.6 —0.4 32,0 11,0 41.0 8.0 20.0 ■40.6' 23.0 -0.8 30.0 23,0 20,0 35,0 22.9 22.0 40.0 6.4 2.5 24.0 22.6 14,4 7.0 18.6 8.7 26.9 700 40 5.0 24.0 47.0 47.5 27.0 6.4 48.0 48.0 30.0 10.0 73.0 59.0 60.0 5,0 38,5 —69.0 80.0 63.0 'solo' -65 4,0 11.0 23.3 42.2 20.8 45.2 12.3 66,9 —1.5 37.8 —5.0 35.0 33,3 16.0 65.0 .W.O 67.5 -5.0 —12.0 48.0 20.0 57.0 50.0 27.0 82.5 -'23.0 20,0 —16.0 38.4 40.0 .35.0 63.4 51.0 6-1.4 -9.0 40.0 —8.6 41.4 1Rfi 42,3 '■■— 2!6' 48.9 23,0 70.6 ■■■'2o!6 7.7 49.2 12.1 33.7 29 9 34.1 32.6 * That is, with Superphosphate whicli had also some Sulphu KXPLANAXIOtV.— This lable' ' ' ; Acid and Lime. , ,n^ ,1,0 ..„„,.ifir pfl'cct" of ttic substauces furnishing Nitrogen, itv of the action of I lie different materials and (2), '^VP^^ ,"''=. „ni,v;rnilv efficient. In No. 21, the results arc i^^iE Mj/«i'«.r& ■ M^'if . — jiiiin luuic lt^ iiut^micu i,u piiww va;, IMC ici^uioiiLj w. .i,v,ii>..". ity 01 luc UCLIUII wi ■'"- „,,^ in Vo C the Muriate of Potaf*h. Is UnlIornil> cuiv. -...,,]„,,„ ininue phoric Acid, Potash, and Plaster in the different plots of each experiment. Thus, in No. B, the Superphosphate and ° ^f>' ',7^5' t\vas used. Thus the .neld with Supen.hosnhaealoue minus irregular. The ligures are found by subtracting the yield without each ingredient in each case from the yields 'f '^e '■a^ej m ^™^^,;^,'™„ "^,,ee the effect of Superphosphate with Potash salts, acu with nothing, gives the efl'ect of Superphosphate alone. That of mixture of Superphosphate and Potash salts '*-" '""^„, "" 1. Averagingthe results for each material on the several plots gives the effect of that material in the experiment as a wuuic. 91 apt to be striking. I am persuaded that in the heavy clay its good effect must have been due, in good part at least, to its indirect action; e. g., in loosening the soil by precipitating the gelatinous clay, or otherwise improving its mechanical condition, and by rendering other plant food available. Contrary to the common doctrine, the potash salts did not prove more efficient with other fertilizers than when used alone. Of course the crops were larger when other materials were added. 7. The complete fertilizer brought by far the largest average crops, excelling by a considerable the farm manures. But the most profitable fertilizers were the partial ones, which fitted the demands of the special cases. 8. Kind of Soil. — The experiments do not give data for many reliable inferences as to the kind of soil most benefited by the fer- tilizers. It may be said that on the heavy soils of the poorer classes the muriate of potash seemed to have a better effect than on the lighter soils of the same classes, and that the superphosphate pro- duced a decidedly larger average increase on the two poorer than on the two better classes of soils. Though the superphosphate showed its best effects on corn, yet on soils yielding, unmanured, over twenty-five bushels per acre, the crop was seldom increased to any amount, and generally got little or no good from it. In other words, the superphosphate generally helped corn very decidedly on poor soils, but did little good on rich soils. 9. Kind of Crop. — While corn seldom got very much help from the nitrate of soda, and often failed to respond to the potash salts, potatoes brought paying returns for these in almost every case. But the number of potato experiments (7) is too small to allow any decided generalizations. The results with corn will be discussed farther on. 10. The dominant factor of the growth of the crop, of the good it gets from the manure, is the soil. Next to this come climate and season. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. In short, the reports justify the following statements : 1. Soils vary widely in their capacities for suppljring crops with food, and consequently in their demands for fertilizers. 2. Some soils will give good returns for fertilizers. Others, without previous amendment, will not. 3. The "complete" chemical fertilizer brought on the average 92 larger crops, ami wa« fully as safe as the farm manures. How tlie after effects of the two will compare, the future must decide. Hut while the complete fertilizer brought the largest average crops, the most profitable results in each case came from the particular fertilizer that fitted best. Sometimes it was the superphosphate; sometimes the potash salt, and sometimes a mixture of two or all three materials. 4. The experiments illustrate the truth of the doctrine that the proper policy is; first, to make as much and as good manure as possible on the farm, then to piece out with superphosphates, bone, guano, potash salts, or other materials, such as the experiments and experience show to be most profitable. 5. The only way to find what a soil wants is to study it by care- ful observation and experiments. FERTILIZERS FOR CORN. How to grow corn profitably is getting to be one of the impor- tant questions of our Eastern farming. The main factor is the manure. What are the best and cheapest fertilizers for corn, is a question that deeply interests nearly every farmer in New Eng- land. The Feeding Capacity of the Corn Plant. The first thing to be learned is the power which the plant has to gather its supplies of food from natural sources, and the specific effect of different materials upon its growth. Can corn gather its nitro- gen from soil and air, Hke clover, or does it, like wheat, require large quantities in fertilizers? Is it especially helped by phos- phoric acid, like turnips, or is potash more important to aid its growth ? Opinions differ widely on these points. There is urgent need of more light upon them. Mr. Harris on Corn Fertilizers. In his excellent little book, " Talks on Manures," Mr. Joseph Harris devotes ten pages to the discussion of manures for corn, making especial reference to the nitrogen supply. He says : " We know less about the manurial retiuiremcnts of Indian corn, than of almost any other crop we cultivate. Wo know that wheat, l)ar]ey, oats, and grasses require for their maximum growth a liberal supply of available nitrogen in the soil. And such facts and experiments as we have seem to indicate that the same is also true of Indian corn. It is, at any rate, rea- sonable to suppose that, as Indian corn belongs to the same botanical 93 order as wheat, barley, oats, rye, timothy and other grasses, the general manurial requirements would be the same. Such, I presume, is the case ; and yet there seem to be some facts that would incline us to place Indian corn with the leguminous plants, such as clover, peas, and beans, rather than with the cereals, wheat, barley, oats, etc. * * * "As we have shown, clover can get more nitrogen out of the soil than wheat, barley, and oats. And the same is true of beans and peas, though probably not to so great an extent." Mr. Harris cites some of the facts of common experience relative to the growth of corn and wheat, and continues : "Now, it would seem that Indian corn can get more nitrogen out of a soil than wheat, barley, or oats, and to this extent, at least, we may consider Indian corn as a renovating crop. * * * When we feed out the corn and stalks on the farm, we have more food and more manure than if we raised and fed out a crop of oats, barley, or wheat. If this idea is correct, then Indian corn, when consumed on the farm, shoiild not be classed with what the English farmers term ' white crops,' but rather with the 'green crops.' In other words, Indian corn is what old writers used to call a ' fallow crop, ' or what we call a renovating crop. "If this is so, then the growth and consumption of Indian corn on the farm, as is the case with clover, should leave the farm richer for wheat, rather than poorer. I do not mean richer absolutely, but richer so far as the available supply of plant food is concerned. * * * * * * * * " If these are facts, then the remarks we have made in regard to the value of clover as a fertilizing crop, are applicable in some degrefe to Indian corn. To grow clover and sell it will in the end impoverish the soil ; to grow clover and feed it out will enrich the land. And the same will be true of Indian corn. It will gather up nitrogen that the wheat crop can not appropriate ; and when the corn and stalks are fed out, some ninety per cent, of the nitrogen will be left in the manure. On the whole, Mr. Harris regards the problem as undecided, be- cause experimeutal data are lacking. " Indeed, we believe no satisfactory experiments have been made on Indian corn in any country that throw any definite light on this interesting and important question." Mr. Lawes on Fertilizers for Corn. Mr. Lawes of Rothhamsted, England, is inclined to class corn with the cereals, wheat, oats, etc., because they belong to the same botanical family, but at the same time urges the need of experi- ments to test the question. Trials on his own farm have failed because in the cool English climate the corn did not mature. In a letter to the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture,* he says : "It is of very great importance to know to what extent Indian corn * Fourth Annual Report of the N. Jersey State Board of Agriculture, 1876,39. 94 follows the same law, [us the cereals,] that is to say, on a soil which will, under a liberal supply of potash and phosphoric acid, yield 20, 30, or 40 bushels of corn, what increase is obtained hy a liljeral supply of ammonia and nitrates." Since writing th(! above, 1 have been greatly interested in a let- ter on "The position of Maize as an Agricultural crop," written by Mr. Lawes to Mr. Harris, and published in the American Culti- vator, Dec. 28, 187S. Corning from the foremost field experimenter in the world, and bearing on so important a subject, it is worthy republication in full: " There seems to be some doubt in ihc mimls of yoiii-sclf and lanncis generally in the United States with regard to this important crop, maize or Indian corn. You are divided in yonr opinion whether it shuuhl rank as a cereal or a legimiinous crop. I do not, of course, mean that you (piestion its botani(;al position, but you say, ' In its cajtacity to obtain ma- nure from tlie soil, it resembles a leguminous ratlier than a cereal crop.' Your argument is this: Take a field in equal condition, divide it into two portions, sow maize on one-half and wheal on the other, and you will ob- tain say thirty bushels per acre of maize and fifteen of wheat. "The average yield of maize in the States for ten years is twenty-six bushels per acre ; of wheat, twelve bushels. This shows rather more than twice. as much maize as wheat, and as maize geuerallj' precedes wheat in ordinary farming, and consequently has some advantage in regard to the condition of the land, we may accept your figures, and say tliat with equal condition of soil, the produce of maize will be double that of wheat. How is this to be explained? "As an unfavorable climate has prevented me from experimenting in maize, the remarks I am about to make must be accepted as suggestions to elicit thought in others, rather than as opinions of my own, upon which too raucii confidence should not be placed. Maize belongs to the great family of graminacete, which supplj' the food of almost the whole of the human race. Botany, in advance of chcmistrj^ settled tlie natural order; later on, chemistry, by showing that all the plants in their natural order resembled each other in their chemical composition, confirmed the arrangement. The large amount of silica which is found in the ash of the maize proves that it has no connection with a leguminous phiut: it may also be distinguished from the latter plant by the low amount of ni- trogen and large amount of starch which its seed contains. " This, however, does not explain why it can appropriate so much more food from the soil and atmosphere than tlie Avheat plant. Assuming tliat maize and wheat live upon the same soil food, which I am quite disposed to think is the case, we must not lo.se sight of the cajnicity of one plant, as compared with another, of collecting and assimilating food. Even in two different varieties of the same species of plant this propert}' is shown in a very distinct manner. 95 "Every year we grow for experiments above twenty varieties of wheat. They are all sown the same day, side by side, and manured exactly alike. One sort of wheat, called Rivitts, generally exceeds all the others in its produce ; it is a very coarse wheat, disliked by millers and bakers, and commands a very low price. This year (1878) it jaelded sixty-six bushels per acre; while an old-fashioned variety, called Red Lammas, of high quality and well adapted to the soil and climate, yielded forty-six bushels, or twenty bushels less. "It may possibly be supposed that, although Rivitts wheat produced nearly one- third more produce than the other wheat, it might not have removed more manure ingredients from the soil in its large crop than the other did in its smaller crop. So far from this being the case, although we have not made special analyses to prove the fact, it may, I think, be taken for granted that the coarse, inferior wheat removed from the soil, in the same weight of produce, much more manure ingredients than the wheat of high quality. Many years ago we investigated the composition of wheat grains and of their various products, as separated in the mill by grinding. We found that the value of the product increased in propor- tion to the absence of soil-ingredients. The finest flour contained com- paratively minute quantities of nitrogen or mineral matter, while the bran contained the largest amount of these substances. The objection toade against Rivitts wheat is that it contains so little fine flour. We may therefore conclude that it contains too much husk and ofl'al, and also much of the food of the soil. "It is possible that maize may, from its vigorous habits of growth, pos- sess a greater capacity for taking up food from the soil than the wheat, but maize has other distinctive properties which require to be noticed. Compared with wheat, the active life of maize extends far longer into summer and autumn. In the south of France, maize sown in the begin- ning of May is ripe at the end of October ; in the same locality wheat is ripe in July. The most active growth of maize takes place after the wheat has ceased to collect its food. During the summer and autumn nitric acid is largely formed in the soil, and is taken up by both wheat and maize ; but the early ripening of the wheat stops further collection by that plant, while maize continues to collect until late in the autumn. The formation of nitric acid goes on in the soil after the wheat is removed, but much of this is washed out of the soil by the winter rains. We see, therefore, that maize, by its habits of growth, has access to more nitrogen, in the form of nitric acid, than wheat. "And we have, also, in this fact an explanation of the action of min- eral manures. Superphosphate is said, by you, to be a better manure for maize than for wheat; both require phosphates and nitrogen, but the maize gets more nitrogen, and, consequently, can take up more phosphate. In all soils exhausted by corn crops, you may predict with certainty that ammonia or nitric acid applied as manure will increase a wheat crop, there being a large balance of mineral food which cannot be taken up by the wheat in the absence of nitrogen. ' ' One other point may be noticed. Maize contains a smaller amount of nitrogen than wheat; I have seen analyses which only showed one-half as 12 96 much; i>r<)l)al)ly ono-fourtli less wouhl be ncunr the :iv<,'ra;;L'. Takiu.L^ all these matters into consideration, if wheat and maize were grown continu- ously for experiment, I should expect that maize, if manured with manure such as wood ashes and superphosphate, would give a larger produce than wheal. But to produce full crops, both would require, in addition, large quantities of nitrogen to be supplied as ammonia or nitric acid." In brief, Mr. Lawes would expect that corn, during its longer period of growth, would, with the aid of mineral fertilizers, pro- duce a larger yield, and, of course, gather more nitrogen than a wheat crop; but he is at the same time inclined to^lass it with the cereals. Formulas for Corn Fertilizers. In a letter to the treasurer of the Massachusetts Society for Pro- moting Agriculture,* Mr. Lawes says: "The best possible manure for all graminaceous crops — wheat, barley, maize, oats, sugar cane, rice, pasture-grass — is a mixture of superphosphate of lime and nitrate of soda. . . . Potash is generally found in sufficient quan- tities in soils, and the artificial supply is not required." The Ville Formula for Corn. Ville urges what he calls "complete" fertilizers, containing nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, and sulphate of lime, and regu- lates the proportions by the assumed power of the plant to get its food from soil and air, and the special effects of the different fertilizing substances upon it. He classes corn with sugar cane, sorghum, turnips, rutabagas, and artichokes, for which he makes phosphoric acid the "dominant." I give his formula for an acre of corn, with amounts of the valuable ingredients and their cost, both as he recommends and as they may be bought in the equally good and cheaper materials, like nitrate of soda, giiano, bone, and potash salts, which, with a good many important facts in agricultural chemistry, his system curiously ignores. Materials. Ingredients. Nitrate of potash, 180 lbs., \ Nitrogen, 24 lbs., Acid phosphate of lime, 540 > Phos. acid, 81 lbs., lbs., - - . ) Potash, 79 lbs.. Sulphate of lime, 360 lbs., .... $27.09 $19.2.5 * Bulletin of the Bussey Institution, I, 181. From other writings of Mr. Lawes, I am iaclined to think he would not insist upon the general application of tlie above statement concerning potash to soils in this country. For results of the use of potassic fertilizers in England, see statements J)y Dr. Voelcker in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, 1878, U, page 829. Cost in formula. In cheap- eft form. $9.20 $4.80 9.45 9.45 7.00 3.56 1.44 1.44 Cost in formula. In cheap- est form. $15.20 $12.80 434 4.34 3.46 3.46 97 The Stockbbidge Formula foe Corn. Professor Stockbridge's formulas are calculated to furnish the amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash which the crop is found by analysis, on the average, to contain. Thus he recom- mends for Indian corn,* "to produce fifty bushels of the grain, and its natural proportion of stover, to the acre, more than the natural yield of the soil, and in like proportions for other quanti- ties, use " materials as below. To the formula, as given by Prof. Stockbridge, I append costs of materials as recommended, and of the same ingredients in the cheapest forms in which they can be bought, basing estimates here, as elsewhere, on current market rates, plus $5.00 per ton for freight and handling. Materials. Ingredients. Sulphate of ammonia, 320 lbs. Nitrogen, 64 lbs. Superphosphate, 248 lbs. Phos. acid, 3 1 lbs. Muriate of potash, 154 lbs. Potash, 77 lbs. $23.00 $20.60 Prof. Stockbridge differs from Yille in that he ( 1 ) ignores the feeding capacity of the plant and the specific effects of the differ- ent materials upon it, (2) considers only the composition of the plant, (3) accordingly gives nitrogen the dominant place, putting- very little phosphoric acid in the formula, but so much nitrogen as to make its cost over three-fifths of the whole, and (4) omits the plaster. Does Corn Demand Nitrogenous Fertilizers ? The most important part of the problem is whether corn, like wheat, needs manures rich in nitrogen and hence very costly, or whether, like clover, if it have the mineral fertilizers, which cost comparatively little, it will gather its own nitrogen from soil and air. Eastern farmers must buy fertilizers to raise corn. If, as Prof. Stockbridge has recommended, they must advance $15.00 cash in the spring for nitrogen for an acre of corn, run all the risks of soil and season, and wait until winter for the return, the future of corn growing is not bright. But if, on the other hand, we may omit the nitrogen, apply only the mineral fertilizers, reduce the )rield but little, have the corn gather the nitrogen itself, feed it to stock, enrich the manure, and help bring up the land, that capacity of this grand staple will go far to establish it in the place for which nature seems to have designed it, — next to grass, the sheet anchor of our Eastern farming. * Report of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, 1876, 35. 98 In the accounts of experiments a year ago,* 1 ventured the follow- ing remarks: " Wo liiivc vcT}' littk! definite knowledge about the capacily of corn for getting its suji])!}' of nitrogen. The experimental data necessjiry to a just opinion arc sadly lacking. But it is reasonably certain that the full amount demanded by the formula is not required by the plant grown in ordinary soils. The large crops continually obtained with fertilizers with but little nitrogen is proof of this. The indications of the experiments I am about to report to j'ou, so far as they go, are in the same direction. In one case, for instance (Mr. Sage's experiment), without manure, and with different .special fertilizers, as dried blood, su])erposphates, potash salts, plaster, etc., the yield was generally about twenty bushels of corn in the ear to the acre, and that so poor as to be scarcely worth saving. The only good crops were witli complete fertilizers. A mixture of dried blood, superphosphate, and potash salt, brought one hundred and twenty bushels of excellent corn (ears) and a fine crop of stalks. The increase over the yield without manure, and with different partial fertilizers, was at the rate of one hundred bu.shels of ears, or fifty of shelled corn, per acre. This mix- ture contained two-thirds as much potash, one-third as much phosphoric acid, and only one-seventh as much nitrogen as the formula for the increased yield of fifty bushels would require. The rates that brought the cost of the foruuda at $24.59 would furnish this mixture at $16.00. The nitrogen in the formula would come to $15.40. It cost in the mixture used, $5.33. " I do not cite this case as a proof of the principle in discussion. One swallow does not make a summer. Natural laws are not discovered by single experiments, least of all by such incomplete ones as these." Special Experiments on the •' Effects of Nitrogenous Fertil- izers ON THE Growth of Corn." To get more light upon the effects of nitrogen in different pro- portions and combinations, several special experiments were made with corn on the plan detailed in Table IV. The fertilizers were ap- plied to 1 8 plots of one-tenth acre each, three being left unmanured. The mineral ingredients, phosphoric acid and potash, were sup- plied in about the proportions contained in a crop of 50-56 btishels, the nitrogen in ^, ^, § the amount in the same crop. To test the effects of the individual ingredients, and conversely the capacity of the soil to supply them to the crop, the nitrogen, phos- phoric acid, and potash were applied singly and two by two, thus seeking the effect of each, on the one hand by using it alone, and on the other by omitting it from a "complete " fertilizer. To test the effect of nitrogen in different combinations, nitrate of soda was * Report of Connecticut Board of Agrinnlturp, 1877, page 349. EFF EXPERIMENT FOR STUDYING THE CA] Potash and Phosphoric Acid (' N No. of Expt. A. B. C. Experi Prof. J. R. ] W. I. Barth Chester Sag' M ClasBification. 1 Kinds a Group I. f 1- 2. Nitrate of Sulphate oti'7^ Valuable Ingredients , , 3. Dried blo( a t-> one by one. 00. No manul lo'S.'t; Nitrogen in different 4. Superp's.j S-Pg. Combinations. 5. Mur. pot.i 31-1.3 Group II. r 6. j Nitrate 1 Superpl 'sr.s Valuable Ingredients, 7. J Nitrate 1 Mur. ( Superpl ( Mur. pi two by two. 8. 00. No manu: to O M a ila §2-2 Group III. Nitrogen las nitrate of soda) in differ- ent proportions. Group IV. Nitrogen in mixture in different pro- portions. Group V. Nitrogen, f Ration, in different combi- nations. {Mixed I Nitrate ( Mixed I 1 Nitrate J Mixed I I Nitrate ( Mixed E ") Nitrogei ( Mixed II 1 Nitrogei j Mixed n j Nitrogei 000. No mam ( Mixed il ( Sulphat ( Mixed D \ Dried bl ( Peru, gu I Muriate / Stable w \ cured, 1 It will be remembered that superphosph mineral ingredients of plant-food th; ^ Nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, a ^ In No. II hog manure, and No. 3 ben m TABLE IV.-SPECIAL CORN EXPERIMENTS. .xP™NT.oRST.z,™ox?forp!;?Jo?L^™S°'^^'^°''^ FERTILIZERS ON CORN. " 0. ?0- ™^--- -^^^^^^^ ....CXS 0. BIKKBRENT ™UZERS UPON „ ,„ i\^/fro5.e« »« o»e.^Azr(f, ie^o-^/uVcfs, and full amount contained in same crop ^ ^ ''^ *"'''''"■ wo. ofExpt. Experimenter. . -^ ' b' W°T R»^h^f """"^'"t?" O'ono. Maine. Soil : Clay loam, heavy, moist, underdrained,-worn.ont meadow O PV,;»; c Hr.T; P"'"*"'. Conn. Soil : Hill land, dark loam, compact subsoil -worn-out meaZw O. Chester Sage, Middletown, Conn. Soil : Heavy loam hardpan subsoiJ.Lworn ;ut meldow FERTILIZERS. Kinds and amounts per acre. \ Nitrogen per acre. f 1. Nitrate of soda, 150 lbs., 2. -2. I L, , ,^, , 2. Sulphate of ammonia, 112 lbs IValuableTngredients,) 3. Dried blood, 225 lbs.,. one by one. 1 00. No manure, I Nitrogen in different 4. Superp's.,.3001bs.,(Phos.ac.V48il)s.y '""= \ 5. Mur. pot., 150 lbs., (Potash, 75 lbs.,) I Nitrate of soda, 150 lbs., / Superphosphate, 300 lbs., j Nitrate of soda, 1,50 lbs., 1 Mur. of potash, 150 lbs., ISuperphos.,3001bs., [Mix.min.,i I Mur. pot., 150 lbs., (fertilizers.. Combinations. Grocp II. Valuable Ingredients, I two by two. 00. No manure., 22.6 24 lbs.,. 24 lbs., . 24 lbs.,. YIELD PER ACRE. 24 lbs., . 24 lbs.,. 3S 11.3 19.3 2,980 " " 20,3 1,750 18.9 2,940 2,210 29.1 GRonp III. Nitrogen (as nitrate of soda) in differ- ent proportions. Group rv. Nitrogen in mixture in different pro- portions. {Mixed min. fertilizers {as No. \ Nitrate of soda, 160 lbs., {Mixed mineral fertilizers, Nitrateof soda, 300 lbs., I Mixed mineral fertilizers, I Nitrate of soda, 450 lbs. , ( Mixed mineral fertilizers, i Nitrogen mixture,' 160 lbs.,- i Mixed mineral fertilizers, 1 Nitrogen mixture, 300 lbs ,■ J Mixed mineral fertilizers, } Nitrogen mixture, 450 lbs.,' 000. No manure,. Group V. Nitrogen, ? Ration, in different combi- nations. 24 lbs. =" J Ration," 48 lbs. = " 5 Ration," . 72 lbs. = " Full Ration,' 24Ibs. =" } Ration,".. 48 lbs. = "f Ration,".. 72 lbs. =." Full Ration, ( Mixed mineral fertilizers, I Sulphate of ammonia, 225 lbs., ' • ( Mixed mineral fertilizers, i Dried blood, 450 lbs., ( Peru. guano, "Standard, "o501bs., I .0,1^ _ , 1 Muriate of potash, 160 lbs., »oios. — "f Stable manure, good quality, well -9,1,0 /?, t cured, 15,000 lbs.3 . | """s. I-' 48 lbs. _ " I Ration,''.. 48 lbs. — " j Ration,".. IS. — " S Ration,". . 41.9 21.1 3,220 I 431 2,730 1,160 15.2 670 6.3 1,010 1,660 1,300 1,920 Average. 46.9 33.4 I 44.8 8.1 2.7 1 84.8 3 300 3.210 4,690 4,n50 4,090 3, 3,600 2,280 2,400 2. 3,280 550 2,490 55.3 2,390 4,590 i 49.8 2,350 11.0 16.6 16.8 15.8 13.4 12.4 7.2 12.2 13.2 11.4 15.2 710 19.8 491 I 13.8 404! 13.7 1,698 566 1,784 1,904 16.2 1,617 1,304 1,451 1,358 1,806 1,963 1,709 2,268 2,016 1,559 2,172 2 610 2,058 2,089 2,205 2,164 632 2.269 1,629 2,323 2.118 58.5 2,557 56.9 I 2,703 3,009 3,023 2,998 2,908 10.1 68.7 I 8,063 56.3 2,573 60.8 2,878 42.6 J 3,019 ^11 be remembered that superphosphates (in this case from bone-black) contain phosphoric acid, ^ ' ingredients of plant-food that are commonly deficient in soils, itrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, and dried blood, in equal parts, and containing sixteen jwrcent. "• No. 11 hog manure, and No. 3 hen manure, was used instead of stable manure. silliliurioo'di "Id lime. This mixture will, therefore, furnish all the ogen. • 101 r/) - (-« rt w S.^ o < 1/2 o o Eh M S S: p^ N s oj w iJ en EH ^ o . m w f^ -73 OS o as- O i^ w o B P5 > s ^ O S t- (M — 02 '3 Sri4 ■§13 o " ' OP5 p^ rfi O HP^ No On® ^^ O ^4 « a ^o OPh o o H o S S • '^ - CO O S 42 M aj ►J a 5 - ~ o o o CI (M O ^ 00 "g o -t to HH l-l •^Z ^ P^ Uh g-ll^ 00 w l-l Pi h-l w "l"^ o S=;J- i 04 H O a; o 5 — CO "3 o c^ o g « 1 1- n » '3 a ° s-i - ,. S 1— t ^ ^ I— ( o O jQ -O s Eh Eh 1—1 (—1 "ro ^ CO a o c a. 1— 1 C/5 •2 ci © Ph otoa? oe4i- CO id CO ^11 + 1 1 1 1 1 Ct-l OS »0 05 T-HOIO (M t-O) O CiOO^ «Cr-;i-; COlMrt ^ •^MOJ r-io-* poo-* 1 1 1 1— ( S + 1 1 1 1 1 — S » s i! 0t~05 cooo f-HO-* ' COlOCO Oi-ICO IMiO-* p I-H 1 oi-^cq OQid n 1 eqtHid s ^ + 17 + 1 1 « m o e© 1 hJ u -i o o ■*coco COCO'* iN-cnao ^ + a 'S a OJTOCI OSrPQO r-jcjlri; ri r-icOC-i cjidoi 2 1 1 1 + 17 7 1 1 I? t© 1 1 d Wvj -VN Hoi-fc.Hn c0l~; rirlCO s g lOrHto idoid 000 — *rHr-l i-lrHi-1 ^ Hw Hoi-*MHri t»H IC1--0 I~(M1~ lOiOC-1 O fS, doo »o OOfHCO t-t-CO "S o Tjici to COOJ-J< cooooi CI Sr-iC-l i-l>-IC-1 o «© a ^ 03* «Or)i«0 '^ 0^ 00 00 CO «3 J3 OlO"* CO COOT CTiaooo (33 10 CO S3 l-.r-ltD 01M05 03 lOiC c ja i-^cood CO 03 03 i-idoi § O m C5 ^ • l~COC5 CO0OC» CO CO 00 a X! lOOO 010 CO -^ ti 000 05 OiOCO 02 '"' a . t:--*rH 00 CO CO OSt^N ? o 2 eooisD r-icO-* r-iot-^ 5-° r-li-H i-H ^ oo' OOO 000 000 — t-t~ 'S ^ CSIOTCO ■*C0 03 COU3^ b: [»'"' '"' K f-1 a t-toco Ol^Tjl r-jOOO od-*-* •^'-"S idiM'cd . CO OOO 000- 000 OOrHl- cot^co t-ooo c3 J2 1 "" THOOCO ■"iicoi-- r-1 tc~' h-i Sa OOOi OS •*U3rH f-HCOl-l = 5 o'-w-* ojcdc^' cdidoi '"' 1 r r r : r r r r r •O X! .^ .0x1 JS S S ■S A ^OOC-1 TjlOOlM oooocc IM^t-- (M^l~ ■*.*^ M . a' a" a s be bc^ Ml S- - ' z „ u h -fe- ■* ■t^ O H z '£ iz; - a ■ To- a;: £5£ •°££ •^ ^ u -<3 a g OOO l-l CO-* ■§: = g OOo 2" 3. - in 3 o i £ 1= = a CJ o i 1 , ^ 1 . l§2 g 1 1 (^ 1^ 1 1. 1 1 I 1 £ cioi-i' NCO-* •"SJ^ i-(rH i-li-li-t d d d odd d d d 12i;zi» S5ie;a iZilZiSS 102 used on plot 1, sulphate of ammonia on plot 2, and dried blood on plot 3; thus using nitrogen as nitric acid, ammonia, and organic nitrogen. No. 4 had phosphoric acid in dissolved bone-black, and No, 5 potash in German muriate. Nos. 1-5 constituted "Group I." The same three materials in three mixtures of two each, Nos. 6, 7, and 8, constituted "Group II." The mixture of supeiphosphate and potash salt " Mixed Minerals," No. 8 contained some 50 lbs. of phosphoric acid and 75 lbs. of potash, about the amounts in a 50-56 bushel crop, and constituted the basis for all the mixtures containing nitrogen. To test the effect of nitrogen in different proportions, three mixtures, Nos. 9, 10, and 11, were made, con- taining in addition to the " mixed minerals," nitrate of soda in successive proportions of 150 lbs., 300 lbs., and 450 lbs., which gave nitrogen 24 lbs., 48 lbs., and 72 lbs. per acre, or one-third, two-thirds, and full "ration" for the crop. These constituted " Group III." The same tests were then repeated in a duplicate series, " Group IV," Nos. 12, 13, and 14, in which the nitrogen was supplied in the same proportions but in mixture of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, and dried blood. The comparative effect of nitrogen in different combinations was tested further by Group V, furnishing nitrogen in the "two-thirds" ration, 48 lbs. per acre, No. 15 with sulphate of ammonia, No. 16 with nitrate of soda, and No. 1 7 in Peruvian guano, which supplied nitrogen and phosphoric acid, the deficient potash being made up with muriate of potash. Finally, the last plot was to be treated with farm manure. It will be noted that the fertilizers in this experiment correspond very nearly with those in the regular experiments, " Set A," so far as the latter go. Two Sets were placed by the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College in the hands of prominent farmers of that State; one was taken by the Maine State College at Orono, and applied by Prof. Farrington; one by Mr. W. I. Bartholomew of Putnam, Conn., and one by Mr. Sage of Middletown, Conn. The experiments in Vermont were both vitiated by accidents; the other three were conducted with the utmost pains and thorough- ness, as I can attest by personal observation of each on the ground. The fertilizers were put up with great care by the Mapes Formula & Peruvian Guano Company of New York, who supplied them at considerably less than wholesale cost. The results are given in the tables IV and V. 103 Summary of Effects of Nitrogenous Fertilizers upon Corn. As regards the effects of nitrogen in different combinations, in these special experiments, the Peruvian guano brought the largest increase; next came the mixture of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, and dried blood; then in order, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ainmonia, and last and poorest of all, the dried blood. The Peruvian guano appears at a somewhat unfair advantage, because it had more phosphoric acid than the other mixtures, though this is partly counterbalanced by the fact that the guano furnishes the valuable ingredients more cheaply than the other articles. Of course a great many trials would be needed to settle what the different compounds may do for corn, and under what circum- stances each will have the best effect. Estimating a bushel of corn with its stover to be worth 80 * cents, and to contain with the roots ItV lbs. of nitrogen, the effects of the nitrogenous fertilizers in all the corn experiments, general and special, may be summarized as follows: In niunber of trials. 39 With Nitrogen Amount. Contained in crop of 34 lbs. 18 bushels Tlie average increase of corn was 5.9 bushels The increase of nitro- gen in the crop was 7.9 lbs. 15 48 lbs. 36 bushels 7.6 bushels 9.1 lbs. 9 73 lbs. 54 bushels 9.3 bushels 13.4 lbs. The crop was but little helped by nitrogen in the fertilizers, and evidently gathered a good deal from natural sources. This appears more clearly if we look at it another way, remembering that the •' mixed minerals" furnished the amounts of phosphoric acid and potash in a crop of 50-56 bushels, which would also contain about 72 lbs. nitogen. With The crop averaged and contained Mixed minerals alone, 43.9 bushels 57.3 lbs. nitrogen. Mixed minerals + 34 lbs. nitrogen, 48.8 bushels 65.0 lbs. nitrogen. Mixed minerals -I- 48 lbs. nitrogen, 50.5 bushels 67.3 lbs. nitrogen. Mixed minerals + 73 lbs. nitrogen, 53.3 bushels 69.9 lbs. nitrogen. Or from the pecuniary standpoint: In trials with nitrogen, The nitrogen paid Failed to pay The average Total number. Amounts. for itself in trials. for itself in trials. loss was. 29 24 lbs. 8 21 $0.90 15 48 lbs. 1 14 $4.45 9 73 lbs. 9 S8.51 The nitrogen increased the crop enough to cover the cost in 9 * Probably 75 cents would be nearer the actual average. This would make the case against nitrogenous fertilizers still worse. 104 trials out of 53. The loss was larger or smaller in proportion as more or less nitrogen was used. General Results of the Experiments with Corn. Tables I and III give results of 27 experiments with corn last season with nitrate of soda, superphosphate, and potash salts, alone and in combinations, and on soils good, bad, and indifferent, but mostly very poor. The average results are given below. Those of the nine trials with potatoes in Table JI are appended for comparison. The proportions per acre varied in some cases, as may be seen from the details in the full report, but not enough to materially affect the general result. FERTILIZERS AND PRODUCE PER ACRE. o Fertilizeks Used. Valuable Ingrkdibnts. Ave'gb Prodocb. o 6 Kind. Lbs. Cost. • Kind. Lbs. Cost. * Sh'd Com. ba. Pota- toes. ba. No Manure, Nitrate of Soda Dissolved Bone-Black,. Muriateof Potash, . ... 1 Nitrate of Soda, 1 Dissolved BoueBlack,. (Nitrate of Soda ( Muriate of Potash J Dissolved Bone-Black,. 1 Muriate of Potash (Muriate of Soda < Dissolved Bone-Black,. ( Muriate of Potash,. . . . Plaster m" 300 20U 1501 300 J 150) 200 (■ 3001 200)' 1.50 300 V 200) 200 9 32' 48 100 24 48 ^ 100 48 100 24 48 100 $7.50 5.2.5 4.50 5.63 5.25 5M 4.50 5.25 4.50 5.63 5.25 4.50 at.4 30.4 33.5 33.3 } 39.1 1 39.6 1 42.9 48.6 S»".9 45.9 24.6 81 5 T $7.50 5.25 4.50 10.88 10.13 9.75 15.38 .80 Nitrogen, 103.0 II. TIT Phosphoric Acid,. Potash 123.4 129 6 IV. XIII. v. 1 Phosphoric Acid, . ( Nitrogen, (Potash J Phosphoric Acid,. 1 Potash, 153.4 VI. Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid, . Potash, 177.3 VII. 106 Farm Manure, 132 9 No Manure, 100 The variations with the same fertilizer were of course very wide. On the whole, the complete fertilizer, No. VI, brought the largest average yield, 48.6 bushels per acre, excelling even the farm manures, which, varying, of course, in amount and composition, brought, on the average 46 bushels. Next came the mixture of superphosphate and potash salts, with 43 bushels. Taking into account the cost, $9.75,* this was the most profitable of all. Tlie complete fertilizer brought, on the average, 5.7 bushels more per acre, but this was hardly enough to cover the extra cost of the nitrate of soda, $5.63.* The complete fertilizer seemed to be * These estimates are on basis of market prices plus ^S.oo per ton for freij:ht and application. 105 fully as reliable as the farm manures, the mixture of superphos- phate and potash salt but little less so. The mixture of nitrate of soda and superphosphate failed much oftener, and averaged less in product, only 39 bushels. The superphosphate, by itself, frequently brought fair crops. The muriate of potash sometimes brought a very marked increase, but oftener failed. Nitrate of soda alone seldom had much effect. The Special effects of Phosphoric Acid, Potash, and Nitrogen ON Corn Are plainly shown in Table III. Taking into account the 27 ex- periments of 1878, and Nos. Bl and B2 of 1877, in all 29 corn experiments, and averaging in each trial, the effects of the same material on the different plots, per Table III, it appears that: 1. Effect of Phosphoric Acid^ i. e., of Superphosphate. — In 8 experiments, Nos. B, 3, 6, 7, 8, 14, Bl, and B2, phosphoric acid was decidedly the regulating ingredient, the crop responding uni- formly to it, and paying comparatively little attention to the others. In 13 experiments, Nos. A, C, 5, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, the phosphoric acid, though not holding relatively so im- portant a place, was more or less useful. In 6 experiments, Nos. 2, 4, 10, 13, 17, and 19, the phosphoric acid produced Kttle or no effect, the average increase of the several plots of each experi- ment being less than 4 bushels per acre. 2. Effect of Potash, i. e., of Muriate of Potash. — In 4 experi- ments, Nos. C, 4, 15, and 20, potash was decidedly the regulating ingredient, the crops responding imiformly to it, and paying com. paratively little attention to the others. In 14 experiments, Nos. A, B, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, and 24, potash, though not holding so important a place, was more or less useful. In 10 experiments, Nos. 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 15, 16, Al, and A2, potash produce little or no effect, the average increase of the several plots of each experiment being less than 4 bushels per acre. 3. Eff^ect of Nitrogen, i. e., of Nitrate of Soda. — In no experi- ment was nitrogen the regulating ingredient. In 1 6 experiments, Nos. A, B, 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 22, 23, and 24, ni- trogen, though not holding a very important place, was more or less useful. In 10 experiments, Nos. 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 16, 18, 19, and 21, nitrogen produced little or no effect, the average increase of the several plots of each experiment being less than 4 bushels per acre. 13 106 The general inference from these data would seem to me to be that — 1. The most important factors of the growth of the crop and the effect of the fertilizers were, first, the soil ; next the season. 2. These apart, and taking the soils as they came, the most effi- cient of the fertilizing materials was phosphoric acid, next potash, and last of all, nitrogen. 3. The indirect action of the fertilizers must count for a consid- erable. I do not see how it is easy to explain the good effect of the muriate of potash on heavy clays that doubtless have a good ■ deal of potash, simply on the ground of its supplying potash to the plant. It doubtless does much good in other ways, in improving the texture of the soil, e. g. by coagulating the clay and in setting other plant-food free. The sulphate of lime in the superphosphate is serviceable for plant-food, and doubtless both it and the nitrate of soda have an indirect action in various ways also. 4. As regards the nitrogen question, these experiments imply that nitrogenous fertilizers help the crop but little, and that some how or other, corn can, in most cases, get a fair supply of nitrogen for itself, provided the minei'al food is supplied in the fertihzer. With mineral fertilizers alone the crop gathered, by the above estimates, on the average 57 pounds of nitrogen per acre. If the corn were fed out on the farm, most of the nitrogen (according to Mr. Lawes' estimate, nine-tenths) would go into the manure. Al- lowing one-fourth to be lost, and three-fourths to be saved and used in the manure, the amount thus returned to the soil would, at ordinary market rates, cost as much as the fertilizer that brought the crop. Effects of Different Fertilizers on Quality of Corn. The effects of the different fertilizers on the proportion of good to poor corn and of corn to stalks, are worth noting, before we close.* A number of experimenters reported the amounts of "good" and "poor "com; only eight, however, had made thor- oughly accurate weighings. The percentage of "good" corn, i. e., the number of pounds in 100 lbs. total corn, were: *It is of course mulorstood that these li;;uies arc not al)soliilely iiccursitc. See " Details of the Experiments," in full report. 107 No. op potr^^DS op "good corn" in 100 pounds op total corx, with the different IcUTILIZEKP. 0) ■ ■og to o 1 o o u 1 SI O o^ H II ■il a 6 4 75 50 50 90 66 95 90 85 9 75 78 86 94 81 93 90 92 88 88 11 48 50 60 56 59 70 70 40 82 21 69 85 84 80 82 75 86 71 63 56 22 85 83 91 93 92 94 97 92 93 24 52 81 76 63 75 78 84 84 84 A 80 54 90 87 85 ro 88 90 C 34 54 42 80 37 85 85 88 Average, 65 67 72 ^"o 72 86 86 85 73 81 The figures accord with common experience that the largest crop has the largest percentage of good corn. The phosphoric acid and potash, which were most efficient in increasing the crop, had a cor- respondingly good effect on the quality. Ratio of Stalks to Shelled Corn. * The weighings of corn and stalks were made at different stages of dryness. In some cases the stalks were cut above the ears, (Expt No. C,) in others close to the ground. The results are consequently discrepant. The averages are interesting as showing the relative effects of the fertilizing materials. The figures represent the num- ber of pounds of stalks to 100 pounds of shelled corn in 10 ex- periments. No. OF POUNDS OF STALKS TO 100 LBS. OF SHELLED CORN. og da si a o t o o"3 ■^< .d O 03 a . o.a gp- 0-5 gSi 03 a C 80 59 64 46 90 47 48 46 89 B 111 73 113 71 110 80 76 84 3 574 367 486 466 384 482 374 384 372 202 18 202 140 192 131 150 151 123 208 106 15 61 29 26 26 22 26 22 26 8 93 113 81 145 77 91 117 90 A 200 276 195 163 140 155 148 148 236 6 100 98 100 116 100 100 100 60 7 100 80 82 80 89 85 84 81 80 79 13 147 154 195 160 165 169 211 173 143 149 145 129 [176] 128 131 139 133 108 The proportion of stalks to shelled corn is smaller in the larger crops, and conversely the poorer crops have more stalks for the same amount of corn than the better crops. Contrary to what is com- monly supposed, the nitrogenous fertilizing materials do not seem to have increased the amount of stalks as compared with shelled corn. I am too well aware of the imperfections of this system of experi- menting, and of the danger of basing conclusions upon insufificient data, to attempt to formulate any theories froju these experiments. It may not be amiss, however, to note some of the ways in which the experiments agree or disagree with the principles quoted above, and what they have to say as to The Best Fehtilizers fok Corn. This, in any given case, depends first of all upon the soil and season. Leaving these out of account, and judging by the average results of the experiments; (1,) we should expect the largest crops with complete fertilizers. The mixture of Peruvian guano and mu- riate of potash brought the largest crops. Next in order came the mixture of Superphosphate and potash salts with the three nitro- genous materials, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, and dried blood. Then came the mixture of superphosphate, muriate of potash, and nitrate of soda. (2,) The mixture of 300 lbs. of super- phosphate and 200 (or 150) lbs. muriate of potash, was the most profitable one used. The Experiments and Mr. Lawes' Recipe. (3) The mixture of superphosphate and nitrate of soda, as recommended by Mr. Lawes, often did well, but often failed, espec- ially on the poorer soils. It was made safer by addition of potash salts, and more profitable by omission of the nitrate of soda. Pot- ash in about the amounts demanded by the Ville aud Stockbridge formulas brought profitable returns in rather more than half the cases. The Experiments and the Ville Formula. (4) Phosphoric acid, which Ville makes the "dominant" for corn, was often, and potash occasionally, the most effective ingre- dient. It is questionable whether so much of superphosphate or of plaster, as the Ville formula requires, would be generally profitable. Though potash was often, and nitrogen occasionally profitable, the idea of using such costly material as nitrate of pot- ash to tarnish them, is economically absurd. 109 The Experiments and the Stockbridge Formula. (5) 111 the experiments, a larger proportion of phosphoric acid than the Stockbridge formula furnishes was generally profitable. The potash was often and the nitrogen generally used at a loss. In every trial where as much nitrogen was used as the Stockbridge formula requires, a large loss was the result. (6) Finally, as regards fertilizers in general and formulas in particular, the experiments illustrate the facts, that a great many soils want something besides manure to make them yield good crops of corn, or anything else ; that a formula to fit all cases is simply out of the question and must be so as long as soils and seasons continue to differ, but that on soils adapted to the crop, in a fair season, the fertilizer* that fits the case will bring a large profit. At the same time there are a great many cases in which a man does not know what his soil needs, and can better afford to use a " complete " fertilizer and pay the penalty of his ignorance in the purchase of superfluous materials, than to run the risk of losing his crop. Formulas are irrational, but they mark the first step in the progress toward rational manuring. Chemical Corn Culture. The experiments certainly speak well for chemical fertilizers for corn. Of course one important question is the after effect. Upon this we may expect light from the gentlemen who continue their trials through a series of years. A single experiment bearing upon this point, but the most extensive one ever made in this country, has now been carried on for four years on a field of 91 acres, on Waushakum Farm, South ii'ramingham, Mass., by the Sturtevant Brothers, who report results in the Scientific Farmer, November, 1878, as follows: "The field was in sod from 1872 to 1875. . . . The 1874 crop of hay was scarcely half a ton per acre, and the expeiiment on continuous corn growing was commenced in 1875. During these four years of harvest, 1875 to 1878 inclusive, we have removed per acre two hundred and forty-three bushels of corn and sixteen tons of stover, and have applied per acre in round numbers the Stockbridge formula for two hundred and eighty bushels of corn and its corresponding amount of stover. We hence have applied the elements nitrogen, pliosphoric acid, and potash, and removed in crop approximately as below : Nitrogen. Phosphoric Acid. Potash. Have applied 359 lbs. 174 lbs. 432 lbs. Have removed 348 " 196 " 576 " 110 "... For the four years of croppin;,' wc liuvo l»t'en at an cx])enf«c per acre as l)C'lo\v : Labor and manure account, four y<-'ars, - - $221.41 Cr. IG tons stover at $8, ----- *128.00 Total cost of 243 bushels of corn, - ^'.(3.41 or 38iVo cents per bushel. "In the presence of these figures who shall say tliat clieniical farming has not been successful in this experiment ? " Estimated by the acre, the amounts of valuable ingredients in the Waushakum experiments were : nitrogen, 90 lbs., phosphoric acid, 46 lbs., potash, 108 lbs. The amounts of phosphoric acid and potash were just about the same as ir the farm experiments above detailed. But while the nitrogen in the latter ranged from 24 to 72 pounds, the Stockbridge fertilizer on the "Waushakum field supplied 90 lbs. per acre. In the experiments as above detailed : With nitrogen Costing The nitrogen paid for itself in The average loss wa? 24 lbs. I 5.63 8 trials out of 39 $0.90 48 lbs. $10.53 1 " " 14 $4.45 72 lbs. $15.95 " "9 $8.51 What the result would have been with 90 lbs. of nitrogen was not tested. The Waushakum field brought, on the average for four years, 61 bushels of corn per acre. The experiments of last season, here reported, gave, under favorable cii'cumstances, from 30 to 80 bushels or more per acre. Mr. Sage, of this place, got (Expts. C. & S.) on small plots, during two seasons, from 60 to 84 bushels per acre, with the smallest proportion of nitrogen. Of course the Waushakum experiments and these are hardly com- parable. But in view of the facts that the mineral fertihzers alone succeed so well, and the nitrogen helped so little, is it not probable that the results on the Waushakum farm would have been more profitable with less than .$18.00 to $20.00 worth of ni- trogen per acre? When gentlemen as well versed in the principles and profits of corn culture, and as prominent in the good work of its encourage- ment as the Messrs. Stuitevant, can teach so cheering a lesson with a system of fertilizing that ignores both the feeding capacity of the crop and the plant-food the soil can supply, is there not ground to hope that the economy which allowance for these factors must bring, may insure success in com growing with chemicals? I con- fess 1 have hardly enough caution to check the belief that with commercial fertilizers to supplement their farm manures, the Ill farmers of the Eastern and New England States may yet find in corn one of the main stays of their husbandry. DETAILS OF THE EXPERIMENTS. To withhold the details of these experiments on which so much careful and intelligent labor has been bestowed, would be wrong. A faithful statement of these observations of earnest and enlightened farmers, in their own language, will be valuable : to the experimenters, to show what their fellow-workers have done, and how; to other farmers who, in applying the results to their practice, will find profit in comparing the experimenters circumstances with their own ; to help in general, to juster criticising and valuation of the experiments, interpretation of the results, and improvement of plans and methods, and finally, and most of all, to show what good work farmers can do in applying science to practice and aid to the doing of more and better work hereafter. The details of the reports have been transcribed under my direction with only such alterations as accuracy allows, and omissions as the space demands. 1. E. K. Haight, Freehold, N. J. Soil. — Situation, high ground a little roll- ing. Kind, inclining to clay, part lightish yellow, and part a little darker. Dry or wet, holds water after a large rain for two weeks before it is fit to jdow. Depth of surface soil, about 5 inches. Subsoil very retentive. Other remarks, underdrained last spring previous to planting. Previous Treatment and Yield, no manure, for some years in grass. 1875-6, just paid for mowing, 1877, neither mowed nor pastured. Weather during Experiment, did not lack for moisture at any time. Fertilizers applied broadcast and harrowed in. Tillage, plowed [cultivated?] both ways, twice with two furrows in a row, and well hoed. Plots, 13 rods X 20 feet, [= 16 square rods.] Rows, three, feet four inches apart. Planted June 6. Harvested September 18. — The reason there were no unmanured plots was that I knew there would be no corn unless there was sotrething to start it. Although the corn will not pay the expense of the fertilizers, I feel myself paid in what I have learned of their nature. 2. BuEL Landon, South Hero, Vt. Soil. — Situation, upland with gentle slope. Kind, clay loam, light brown, with very little vegetable matter left in soil. Ttxture, moderately light, finely pulverized, not drained. Dry or wet, no surface water, stands drought remarkably well. Depth of surface soil, ten inches. Char- acter of subsoil, compact, clay and gravel. Previous Treatment and Yield. Previous to 1875 in grass. 1875, manured, ten loads, seventy-two cubic feet per load, plowed, planted to corn, crop 40 bushels per acre. 1876, oats, 45 bushels, and grass seed which failed. 1877, oats, 30 bushels. Weather, April, first part dry then wet. May, very wet. From June 1st to July 20th, hot and dry. July 20th until Sept. 1st, very wet. Fertilizers applied broadcast, having been mixed with saw-dust, worked in with a harrow. A space 3}^ ft. was left between plots and planted to beans. Tillage, corn planted with a Hoeg Corn Planter, cultivated and hoed. Plots, dimensions 16 ids. X 1 rd. = 16 sqr. rods. Kind of crop, yellow 8 rowed corn. Rows, 3 ft. 4 inches apart. Hills, 30 inches apart. Seed, 7 quarts per acre. Planted, June 1st. Harvested, Sept. 10th. Pounds allowed for a bushel, 72 lbs. ears. Appearance and Quality of Pro- duce. Where yard manure was used the stalks were of good height, the corn sound and ears well filled. In all the others, save V, the stalks and ears were small. Other remarks. I should have received greater benefit from the fertilizers 112 if thtTP had been more rain. The day after jilantinij the com there waj< a lifjht shower causing the seed to t:orriiiniit<' finely. Then Ite^'an one of tiie moat destructive drouths I ever knew in this section, continuinp ficven weeks without rain or dew, killing vegetation outright in niiiny instances, and forcing a prema- ture ripening of the grain. When the rain came the com did not Bceover. The manured plot did not suffer so much as those where the fertilizers were used. [The good effect of the yard manure in this case of drouth is very noticablc.] 3. G. GiLnKRT CniLD, Swoopes Depot, Va. Soil. — Situation, hilly-upland. Kind, clayey loam, lime stone land, commonly called "chestnut land," somewhat stony, color grey, little vegetable mutter. Texture, compact, well drained. />ry or wet, dry. Depth of surface soil. 8 to 12 inches. Suhsoi/, redclay, porous, drain- ing readily. Other remnrks, limestone 4 to 10 feet below the surface. The for- est growth on land of this de.>;cription is very large chestnut, white oak, and hickory timber. Previous Treatmknt and Yikld. Previous to 187.5, old fields exhausted by cropping, and afterwards used for sheep and cattle pasture. Had a slight sod of blue-grass with some brown sedge, never had any manure, and had not been cropj)ed for 25 years. Weather, April, wet and cold. May, wet and cold. June, cool until the 10th, then hot and showery, •fuly, first half hot and showery, last half rainy. August, hot and showery first half, then long rain, afterward dry. Fertilizers applied broadcast and harrowed in. Till- age, cultivated three times, hand-hoed once, weeds pulled by hand. Plots, 98 feet X 271^ feet = 10 sqr. rods. Hows, 3>^ feet apart. Hills, 14 inches apart Pounds allowed for a bushel of produce, 80 lbs. ears. Appearance and Quality OF Produce. On the plots where phos. acid was applied the ears were sound, being the longest where the complete fertilizer was used. In the other plots the ears were short and unsound save where hen manure was applied. 4. J. H. Stiles, Morris Plains, N.J. Soil.— ^/^waaon, level. iTfnc?, gravel, clay and sand, principally gravel and clay, quite stony, round paving stone. Texture, pervious. Dry or wet, medium. Depth of surface soil, 4 to 7 inches. Subsoil, at 15-18 inches, porous and stony, then a foot of hard-pan. Other remarks, no vegetable matter, poorest of poor land. Previous Treatment and Yield. In 1855 very poor. Applied 35 bushels oyster shell lime per acre, sowed rye, yield, 10 bushels per acre. In 1858, plowed under clover, sowed buck- wheat, yield, 10 bushels. Since then, up to 1875, was cropped continuously, with addition of small quantities of manure. Received in 1870, 25 bushels of stone lime per acre. In 1875-6-7 oats, rye, and corn were the respective crops, no manure being added. Weather. .4/)n7, cold, neither wet nor dry. May, cohl to the 20tli, rather wet the month through. Jutie, frequent showers, a wet week between the 10th and 18th. July, 1st to 25th, good weather, with showers. Rain from the 25th to the 30th. August, quite rainy to the middle of the month. The season was not too wet for a gravelly, but too wet for a clayey soil. Fer- tilizers, applied broadcast, and harrowed in. Other Details and Re- marks, a strip 33^2 feet wide was left unnianured between each plot. Plots, 150 feet X 9)^ feet = 5 sqr. rods. Rows, 3 feet apart. Hills, S)., feet apart, four kernels of seed to each hill Planted, May 17th. Harvested, Sept. 17th. Remarks. The whole fertilizer was put on \A% instead of on 16 sqr. rods. [Part was used for experiments with potatoes.] 5. J. J. Dearing, Covington, Ga. Soil. — Sitmtion, upland, slightly inclin- ing to the south-east. Kind, grey land, red clay base, with very little vegetable matter. Tear^Krc, light and loose. Dry or wet, dry. Depth of surface-soil, nhoiit 113 one inch. Subsoil, sandy. Previous treatment and yield. Sowed twice to oats in six years, the prospective cro])S being about 5 or 6 bushels, but not harvested. Grazed the rest of the time, no fertilizer being used at all. Weather. April, no record. May, 1^ in. rain-fall. June, 4^ in. rainfall. July, 2 in. rain- fall. August, 1 J^ in. rain-f^iU. Fertilizers applied after the corn was up. The soil, was plowed away from each side of the CQrn rows, the fertilizers were scattered into these furrows and then covered by turning the soil back. Tillage. The corn was plowed [cultivated] three times, and hoed after the first plowing. Plots. 42 yds. X 20 ft. 10 in. =9.64 sq. rods. Rows, 4i feet apart. Hills, 3 feet apart. Pounds allowed for a bushel of produce, 70 lbs. of ears. Appear- ance AND QUALITY OF PRODUCE. In plots IV and VI the corn was of good quality ; in plot V medium, and in all the others poor. 6. David B. Wertz, Johnstown, Pa. Soil. — Situation, upland, sloping to the east and south. Kind, yellow clay with small round stones, no vegetable matter. Texture, loose, not drained. Diy or wet, dry. Depth of surface-soil, 5 to 7 inches. Subsoil, very hard clay, mixed with small sandstones. Previous Treatment and Yield. Sowed to oats in 1872, and harvested very small crop. Sowed one year since to rye. Weather. The season was cold and wet in the spring, and warm and showery towards harvest. Plots. 16 rods X 1 rod = 16 sq. rods. Hills, 3^ feet apart. Planted, May 6th. Harvested, Oct. 1st. 7. W. C. Kolman, Graham N. C. Soil. Situation, upland, sloping grad- ually. Kind, sandy loam, stony, little vegetable matter. Texture, loose, not drained. iJrt/ or wet, dry. Depth of surface-soil, 4 inches. Subsoil, stiff red clay. Previous Treatment and Yield. Previous to 1877 had been in cul- tivation from 40 to 50 years without fertilizers of any kind. In 1877 raised 2b bushels of corn to the acre, with j shovel-full of manure to the hill. Weather. Cold until middle of June, then drouth until latter part of July, after which good rains. Fertilizers applied, in hill mixed with four parts of rich earth. Tillage. Plowed, cross-plowed, and subsoiled, harrowed, and only one kernel of corn planted in each hill. Plots. 32 rods X i rod = 16 sq. rods. Rows, 4^ ft. apart. Hills, 3^ ft. apart. Planted, May 6th. Harvested, Nov. 14th. Pounds allowed for a bushel of produce, 56 lbs. shelled corn. Appearance and Quality of Produce. The corn where phosphoric acid was used was, as a rule, sounder than on any other plots. Other Remarks. The drouth here cut off all crops on upland one-half where there was no manure, and more than that, I think, where fertilizers were used. 8. Nathan B. Lewis, Pine Hill, R. I. Soil. Situation, upland. Kind, gravelly, inclined to brick color, very little vegetable matter. Texture, light, not drained. Dry or wet, dry. Depth of surface-soil, 6 inches. Subsoil, gravel. Previous Treatment and Yield. Previous to 1875, pasture, cows yarded at night. In 1877 rye was grown, but not worth cutting. No manure ever. A piece of worn-out pasture on which pitch pines had began to grow. Weather. April, . May, dry after planting. June, wet July, rather dry. August, moderately wet. Fertilizers applied, broadcast. Plots. 8 rods X 1 rod = 8 sq. rods. Rows, 3-J feet apart. Hills, 3 feet apart. Kind of corn, white cap corn. Amount of seed per acre, 6 qts. Planted, May 23. Harvested, Oct. 8th. Pounds allowed per bushel, 70 lbs. ears. Appearance and Quality of Pro- duce. Where phosphoric acid was used and in the manure plot, the ears were 14 114 of fair size ami the kernels plump. Willi aslic.-; the ottiw were Hiiuill, hut with quite plump licrncls. On ail the other plots the curs were small, and the kernelH shrunken. 9. Z. E Jamesok, Irasliur;jli, Vt SorL. Situutiou, uplanti, over a frentle swell. Kiml, sandy, dark hrown, little vcj.'Ctablc matter; ehani;es to clayey loam towards west end. Good corn land. Texture, lifiht, afford.s natural drain- a<^e. Dry or wet, rather dry, water never stands on surface in summer. Depth of surfai-e-soil , 6 to 8 inches. Sttlisoil, so porous as to afford natural drainage. Pkkvious Tueat.ment and Yield. In 1872 potatoes, in 1873 oats. In 1875 no manure, hay 1,500 lbs. to the acre. In 1876 no manure, hay 1,000 lbs to the acre. In 1877 no manure, 800 lbs. hay to the acre. Weather. May, land dry enough to work. June, severe frost the 7th, afterwards warm. July, warm and favorable. August, rather dry for the best results. Fertilizers applied, broadcast. 1^ feet left between the plots. Tillage. 3 or 4 stalks of corn and three of beans to each hill. Very few weeds, not enouj^h to reduce the crop. Plots. 16 rods X 1 rod = 16 sq. rods. Rows, .3i feet apart. Hills, 3j inches apart. Amount of seed, 8 qts. per acre. Planted, May 18th. Harvested, Strpt. 1 9th. Amount allowed for one bushel of produce, 2 bushels ears. Other Remarks. June 7th, a hard frost killed the corn down to the surface of the ground. I supposed the land mijrht i)e best on the north side, plot 0, as it was lowest and nearest level, but the crop does not show it. The south side was hij^hest and drycst, and I left no unmauured ])lot on that side, but the small yield on IV, VIII [plaster], shows that it was very poor. The whole piece was of short growth and very branching because of the killing by frost. I do not think the beans lessened the com crop at all. 10. Ed. F. Smith, Tunbridge, Vt. Soil. — Situation, low land, level. Kind, heavy loam, not adapted to corn, but excellent for grass. Texture, compact. D)y or wet, wet. Depth of surface soil, from 1 to 2 feet. Subsoil, clay. Other remarks, is very low land, in this vicinity commonly called "made land." Is flowed by the stream every spring, which is as good as a coat of manure. Pre- vious treatment and yield. — Previous to 1S75, grass for nearly 20 years, manured by top dressing. 1875, manured with muck, 1^ tons hay to the acre. 1876, no manure, 60 bush, ears of corn to the acre. 1877, no manure, 60 bush, ears of corn per acre. Weather. — ^/)/(7, wet. May, wet, June, wet. July, dry. August, dry. Sept., dry. Fertilizers applied broadca.ilt 117 8 inches. Subsoil, rather loose. Previous treatment and yield. — ^From 1871 to 1875 in grass. Manure, none in 187.5-6-7. Crojt, 1 ton hay per. acre in 1875, ^ ton in 1876 and -^ ton in 1877. Weather. — April, warm. May, cold. June, warm. July, hot and dry. August, warm and wet. Fertilizers APPLIED. — Broadcast. Tillage. — Cross-cultivated and hoed twice. Plots. — 1 If rods X 21 feet=16 sq. rods. Z?ou;s, 3 ft. apart. iZ(V/s, .3 ft. apart. Planted, May 18th. Harvested, Sept. 10th. Pounds allowed for bushel of produce, 76 lbs. ears. Appearance in quality of crop. — Potash plot was of the darkest green, yielded less ; all very sound. Other remarks. — There was about 1 ton of fodder per acre. 19. R. Bradley, Brattleboro, Vt. Soil. — Situation, upland. Kind, sandy loam. Texture, light. Dry or wet, dry. Depth of surface soil, 6 to 8 inches. Subsoil, sandy. Previous treatment and yield — Before 1875 and till 1878, pasture. Fertilizers applied. — Broadcast and harrowed in. Plots. — 16 sq. rods. iRows, 3 ft. apart. Seed per acre, i hxishe\. Planted, M&j 20th. liar vested, Sept. 1st. Appearance and quality of prodce. — 0, III, and VII were medium, the rest poor. 20. Wm. F. Segar, Wyoming, R. I. Soil — Situation, uip\aud,\eve\. Kind, sandy loam, no stones, little vegetable matter, rather light color. Texture, loose, not drained. Dry or wet, medium. Crop endures well wet or dry weather. Depth of surface soil, eight inches. Subsoil, yellow clay loam. Previous treat- ment and yield. Previous to 1875 was in grass two or three years, crop about 1 ton per acre. In 1875-6-7 no manure was applied, and the respective crops were oats 30 bushels, clover 1^ tons per acre, and clover and herdsgrass 1 ton per acre. Weather. — May, rather wet. June, rather wet. July, rather dry. August, rather dry. Fertilizers How Applied. Sown broadcast and har- rowed in. Tillage. Corn covered by hand, hand-hoed twice, and thinned to two stalks in the hill at second hoeing. Other Remarks. The young plants were badly pulled by birds, but though the missing hills were replanted they did not mature much corn. Plots 166 ft. X28 ft. = 17 sq. rods. Rows, 3| feet apart. .&27/s, 21 inches apart. Amount of seel, 12 qts. -per acre. Planted, May 23d. Harvested, Oct. lOth-llth. Pounds alloiced for a bushel of produce, b& oi shelled corn. Remarks. The general appearance of the crop while growing was thrifty; average quality very good, with about 10 per cent.- of poor corn. In getting the amount of corn, two bushels of poor corn reckoned as equal to one of good corn. 21. James K. Tobet, Calais, Vt. Soil. — Situation, upland, very little sloping. Kind, dark loam overlying slate rock. Texture, loose, easily worked, under drained. Dry or wet, dij. Depth of surface s'il, eight to ten Inches. Sub- soil, similar to surface, but more compact. Previous treatment and yield. Before 1875 in grass. Manure, none in 1875, 4 cords compost in '76, and the same and phosphate in hills in '77. Crop, 1 ton hay per acre 1875, f ton hay in 1876, 150 bushels potatoes per acre in 1877. Weather. Season dry and rather cool. Average season for com. Fertilizers applied. Mixed with saw- dust, broadcast and thoroughly mixed to depth of three inches. Tillage, culti- vated and hand-hoed. Other remarks. A space of two feet was left between the plots. Plots. 6^*^ sq. rods. Rows, 3 ft. apart. Kind of crop, Eight rowed " Pedigree " corn. P/onied, May 16th. Harvested, Sept. 20th. Pounds allowed fm- bushel of produce, 75 lbs. ears. Appearance and quality of crop. I, II, 118 and V (lid the l»c8t. VII had the heaviest stalks, and 00 was quite j:recii at har. vest. • 22. OiCEUO Ri.AKE, Kent, O. Son.. — Situation, upliiiid, slJL'htiy rolling. Kind, c!a\ey ;ind f;ravelly loam, with a fair amount of ve^retable matter. Tex- ture, mostly li>;ht and loose. Lhy or wft, dry — natural drainage. Depth of surface soil, seven to i.iiie inches. Subsoil, clayey and gravelly. Previous treatment AND YIELD. 187.5 110 manure, oats rtO bushels per acre. 187C, barn-yard manure, 8 to 10 wagon loads, and wheat 14i bu.shels per acre. 1877, no manure, timothy hay H tons per acre. Weather. — April, warm, with frequent showers. Afuy, like April to the 10th, then cooler, with some frosty nights. June, warm to hot and moist. July, several hard rains, hot during the month. August, very hot and dry ; no rain during the entire month. Fertilizers how ai*plied. Scattered over the surface on e:ich side of the low, not mixed with the .soil before planting. Tillage. Simply cultivated with a horse shuffle-hoe twice. Plots. 23^ rods Xlli feet=16 sq. rods. Roivs, 3§ ft. apart. IliUs,'.i\ feet apart. Amount of seed. 5^ qts. per acre. Planted, May 1.5th-16th. HarviMid, Oct. 18th-22d. Pounds allowed for a bushel of produce, 70 pounds of ears. 23. Ora Paul, Woodstock, Vt. Soil. — Situation, quite level upland. Kind, loam. Texture, light, not drained. Dry or wet, dry. Depth of surface soil, eight to ten inches. Subsoil, clay. Previous treat,ment and yield. Before 1875, com, then oats, and finally grass. Kind of manure, none in 187.5-6-7. Crop, 1^ tons hay per acre in 1875, 1^ tons in 1876, and 1 tou in 1877. Weather. Sea- son was neither wet nor dry, and warm enough to make an excellent season for corn. Fertilizers applied. Sown broi'.dcast and harrowed in. Tillage. Planted by hand, cultivated twice, and hand hoed once. Other remarks. There was a space of two feet between the plots. Plot. 16 rods XI rod- 16 sq. rods. Rows, 3^ ft. apart. Hills, 2i ft. apart. Seed per acre, ^ bush. Planted, May 24th. Harvested, Sept. 23d. Pounds allowed for bushel of produce, 75 lbs. ears. 24. Edward Hicks, Old Westbury, N. Y. Soil. — Situation, level. Kind, sandy loam, no stones, but little vegetable matter. Texture, light, loose Dry or wet, dry. Depth of surface soil, 10 inches. Subsoil, 4 to 6 inches loam, then gravel. Other remarks. The soil is poor compared with most land in the town. Previous treatment and yield. Before 1875, for .six years, evergreen trees. Manure, none in 1875, city stable manure in 1876, cow-yard manure in 1877. Cro/), part trees and fotkJer-corn in 1875, 65 bnsh. corn per acre in 1876, good yield fodder-eorn in 1877. Weather. The season was favorable for corn. Fertilizers applied, by hand in hills, and covered with a hoe. Tillage. Ground kept well cultivated and clean. 3 stalks to a hill. Plots. 206 ftx 6i ft. = about 5 sq. rods. Hills, 3 fr. 3 in. apart. Pounds allowed for bushel of produce, 70 lbs. ears. 26. J. H. Stiles, Morris Plains, N. J. Soil — Situation, level. Kind, clay |i)am mixed with sand and gravel, some stony. Texture, pervious. Dry or wet, neither. Depth of surface soil, 4 to 7 inches. Subsoil, hard pan. Other remarks, no vegetable matter, poorest of poor land. Weather. Same as No. 4. Fer- tilizers APPLIED broadcast and harrowed in. Tillage, same as No. 4. Plots. 60 ft. X 9 jV ft- = ^ sq. rods. Bows, 3^ ft. apart. Hills, 3 ft. apart. Kind of crop. Early Vermont potatoes. Seed per acre, 5 bushels. Planted, May 17ih. Harv'sted, September 17th. Pounds ulhtwed fur bushel of produce, 50 lbs. 119 Appearance ajjo Qoalitt of Produce. I, III, 0, IV, VII, and VIII were small and inferior, the rest were of a fair size; those with yard manure were somewhat knotty and scabby. 27. W. J. Bartholomew, Putnam, Conn. Soil. — Situation, level. .Kind, loam, with some gravel. Dri/ or wet, average. Depth of surface soil, 7 or 8 inches. Subsoil, compact clay and gravel. Previous Treatment and Yield. Ma- nure, yard manure in 187.5, none in 1876, and yard manure in 1877. Crop, 2 tons hay per acre in 1875, beans, corn, and vegetables in 1877. Plots. lOi rods X 14 ft. = 8 sq. rods. Rows, 3^ ft. apart. Rills, 18 inches 'apart. Kind of crop, Early Rose Potatoes. Planted, May 27th. Harvested, Sept. 27-30th. Appearance and Quality of Produce. 8 to 10 per cent, rotted; plats con- taining bone black gave smoothest potatoes. Other Remarks. Part of No. VIII had phister applied at planting; the balance of plot had it applied at dif- ferent times; no difference in crop. 28. R. P. Wolcott, Holland Patent, N. Y. Soil. — Situation, upland, slope south. ^«W, dark brown loam. Texture, Wght and' open. Dry or wet, dry. Depth of surface soil, 6 to 7 inches. Subsoil, clay loam, underlaid by lime rock. Previous Treatment and Yield. Before 1875 in grass without ma- nure for 7 years. Manure, 20 loads stable manure in 1875; none in 1876-7. Crop, I ton hay per acre in 1875, 1^ tons in 1876; 8 tons fodder-corn per acre in 1877. Weather. April, warm and dry. May, coo\ and dry, occasional .show- ers. June, cool and dry; frost on the 7th, heavy rain the 11th. Jtdii/, hot and dry ; heavy shower the 22d, warm and wet the last week. August, first week warm and moist; heavy thunder storm 17-20th ; much rain 25th. Fertilizers applied. Fertilizers sown in furrow by hand. A small log of wood, driven full of hard wood pins, was dragged through the" furrow by one-man power to mix in the fertilizers. Tillage. Seed dropped in furrows, then covered by smoothing harrow. Other Remarks. Space between plots one 'rod wide. Plots. 16 rods X 1 rod =: 16 sq. rods. Rows, 33 inches apart. Hills, 12 to 18 inches apart. Kind of crop. Early Rose potatoes. Seed per acre, 9 bushels. Planted, May 7th. Harvested, Oct. 12th-Nov. 14th. Pounds allowed for bushel of produce, 60 pounds. Appearance and Quality of Crop. They were all good, although not a large yield; were of excellent quality, haying but few rotten ones. The rust struck them the first week in August, and in ten days they were all dead. There was great difference between the plots in color, etc. Ill was very upright in growth and of a bright green. Other Remarks. Ni- trogen and plaster were a detriment to the crop. 29. S. W. Crocker, St. Albans, Maine. Soil. — Kind, slaty in part, with some clayey and yellow loam, somewhat stony. Texture, light. Dry or wet, mostly dry. Depth of surface soil, 15 inches. Subsoil, hard pan. Previous Treatsient and Yield. Previous to 1877 was in grass for several years. Weather. May, cold and wet. June, cold and wet. July, hot. August, hot and wet. Fertilizers how applied. Applied in hill and well mixed with soil. Tillage. Cultivated and hoed once. Other Remarks. On the clay soil the potash did much good; on the slatey soil, scarcely any. Plots. 31^ rods X 6i ft. = 12 sq. rods. Rows, 3^ inches apart. Hills, 14 inches. Pounds allowed for bushel of produce, 60. 30. J. R. KiNBRSON, Peacham, Vt. Soil. — Situation, upland, little inclined to southeast. Kind, sandy loam, free from stones. Texture, loo.^e, easy working. 120 Dry or wet, Ary. Depth ofsurfaci- sril, warm. May, warm at first, la<»t part coM. June, cohl to 15th ; hard frost in valleys the 6th. ./"('/, hot and dry fir!>t 20 days; fine showers hist of month. August, very warm. Fe«tii,i/kks applied. — Broadcast. Tillage — Potatoes in rows, 2 halves in a liill ; corn in drills, 1 kernel in six inches. Other remarks. — Groimd plowed hi fall of '77 ; had not been plowed for nine years. Plots. — 16 rods XI rod = 16 sq. rods. Rows, 3/^ ft. apart. Hills, drilled, 1 kernel every six inches. Kiud of crop, j-^ each plot, corn, 3^ potatoes. , Planted, May 13- 15th. Harcested, corn, Sept. 2d; potatoes, Oct. .5-IOth. Pounds allowed for bushel of pi oduce, 80 lbs. ears; 60 lbs. potatoes. Appearance and qdality op CROP.'-S and 7 did the best; 3 and 6 had light preen tops; 1, 2, 4, and 5, dark preen; the corn corresponds with potatoes. Other remarks. — 1 to 1)^ tons corn-stalks per acre. 31 and 32. Moodt P. Marshall, Lancaster, N. H. Soil. — Situation, level upland. Kind, dark, stony land ; stones removed. Texture, light, not drained. Dry or wet, medium. Depth of surface soil, 8 inches. Othei- rrmarks, ori;:inal growth mostly hard wood. Previous treatment and yield. — In 1868-9 planted to potatoes; in 1870 sowed to oats and seeded to herdsgrass and clover. Manure, none in 1875-6-7. Crop, \}/^ tons hay per acre in 1875-6; 55 bushels oats to acre in 1877. Weather. — April, warm and fine. May, cold and rather wet. .Time, good weather. July, wet and rather cool. August, fine. Fertilizers applied. — Scattered along the drill and thoroughly mixed with soil. Tillage. — Cut one eye in a piece and two pieces in a hill; well hoed twice. Plots. — 31, 8 rods x 6 ft. =3 sq. rods ; 32, 5 rods X 6 ft.=:nearly 2 sq. rods. Rows, 3 ft. apart. Hills, 1 foot apart. Kind of crop, potatoes. Seed per acre, 12 bush. Planted, 31, May 18; 32, June Ist. Harvested, 31, Oct. 10; 32, Oct. 14. Appearance and quality of produce. — The quality corresponds to the yield. 33. Hiram A. Cutting, Lunenburg, Vt. Soil. — Situation, nearly level upland. Kind, yellowish stony loam. Texture, light, not drained. L>ry or wet, dry. Depth of surface soil, 18 inches. ^Su/i-soiV, hard gravel. Previous treat- ment AND YIELD. — For fifteen years hay wiis cut off, and pastured in fall, and nothing put back. Weather. — April, wet. May, dry but showery. June, showery. July, dry. August, wet. Fertilizers applied. — Accordinp to directions. Tillage. — Broken up just before planting; the sod was turned over, and seed was planted on top of the sod after harrowing. Other remarks. — The potato crop was light everywhere; the tops were killed by frost in the spring, and the wet weather was hard for potatoes. Plots. — 32 rodsx ^ rod=16 sq. rods. Rows, 2J ft. apart. Hills, i}^ feet apart. Seed per acre, 10 bushels. Planted, May I7th, Harvested, Oct. 7th. Pounds allowed for bushel of produce, 60. Appearance and quality of crop. — 4, 5, 7 did the best, both as to size and quality ; 6 and VIII stood next; yard manure yielded well, Imt the potatoes rotted badly; and 1 had very small weak tops; 7 had the best tops, — very stout and heavy. 34. A. P. Arnold, Vineland, N. J. Soil. — Situation, nearly level upland. Kind, sandy loam, sand predominating; very little vegetable matter. Texture, 121 loose, not drained. Drif or wet, very dry. Depth of surface soil, 3 or 4 inches. Subsoil, mostly sand, yellow tinged by clay, some gravel, good sweet-potato land. Other remarks, the land was partly cleared, then abandoned. Previous treat- ment AND YIELD. — In sprout till 1876. il/ane(re, compost, handful in hill 1876-7. Crop, 15 bush, corn per acre ; 1 ton millet (without manure,) per acre in 1876 ; 10 bush, corn per acre in 1877. Weather. — April, wet and cold. May wet and cold; heavy frost the 15th. June, cold and wet. July, good growing month. August, first half wet, last dry. Fertilizers applied. — In drills, and cultivated in. Tillage. — The plants were set the usual way, the same as one would set cabbage plants if in a hurry; cultivated twice, hand-hoed three times. Other remarks. From the middle of August till harvest we had no rain. I think it hurt the crop very much. Plots. — 367 ft. X 6 ft. = 8 sq. rods. Rows, 3 ft. apart. Hills, 1)^ feet apart. Planted, May 21st. Harvested, Oct. 19th. Pounds allowed for bushel of produce, bO. Appearance and quality of crop. — 1,4, 5, and 6 did well ; 2 was poor, but not so bad as 0. 35. Same as 34. 36. M. Cheseboro, Mandarin, Fla. Soil. — Situation, level. Kind, fine sand, very little vegetable matter. Texture, close and compact for sand. Dry or wet, medium. Depth of surface soil, 3 inches. Subsoil, yellow sand 18 inches, then white sand, and at a depth of 4 or 5 feet red clay. Previous Treatment and YIELD, before 1876 little cultivated. Cropped in sweet potatoes and melons, with no manure except a little in the hills in 1876-7. Plots, 164 feet X 5 feet = nearly 3}4 sq. rods. Rows, 5 feet apart. Hills, (plant to plant,) 10 inches. Planted, April 25th-June 8th. Harvested, Oct. 8th-23d. Appearance and Quality of Produce. There was but little difference in the appearance of the vines. Muriate of potash did best. V. did well. 0. was small and stringy. Bone black, small and long. 37. Charles Parry, Cinnaminson, N. J. Soil. — Situation, upland, sloping S.E. Kind, sandy. Texture, light. Dry or wet, dry. Depth of surface soil, 6 inches. Subsoil, sand and gravel. Previous Treatment and y'ield, no manure in 1875-6-7. Crops, Asparagus plants. Weather, fair growing season. Fertilizers Applied, in the row. Tillage, sprouts set on ridges, cultivated three times, plowed once, hand-hoed three times. Plots, 200 feet X 3 feet =2.2 sqr. rod.s. Rows, S feet apart. Hills, (plant to plant,) 18 inches. Planted, May 15th. Harvested, Nov. 1st. Appearance and Quality of Crop, 13 and yard manure did the best. 1, 3,4, and 5, were fair; 2 and no manure were small and poor. Other remarks, only part of the fertilizers were used. 38. Prof. J. R. Farrington, Orono, Maine. Description same as corn exper- ment, No. A. 39. Same as 21. 40. Henry Lane, Cornwall, Vt. Soil. — Kind, clay loam. Depth of surface soil, from 1 to 4 feet. Subsoil, slate rock. Previous Treatment and yield, has been used for an onion crop for several years, and heavily manured each year excepting 1877. Fertilizers Applied, broadcast and harrowed in. Tillage, kept free from weeds and well tilled. Plots, 8 sqr. rods. Roivs, 2 feet apart. Kind of crop, sugar beets. 41. J. J. Bearing, Covington, Ga. Soil. — Situation,' u\->\sbnd, slightly in- clined to west. Kind, red clay. Texture, compact. Dry or wet, dry. Depth of surface soil, scarcely any. Subsoil, red clay. Other remarks, this land was selected 15 122 hfcausc it was worn out nw\ had no vc>;et»itio!i on it except a few stunted pine bushes, and a few bunches of iiroom-sedge. pKEvions Treatment and yield, had not been cultivated in five years on account of poverty in plant food. Weather, May, l^ in. rain. June, A% in. rain. July, 2 in. Auqust, 1 j^g in. rain. Fertilizers Applied, drilled in furrow and bi-dded with turning plow. Tillage, land broken first week in May. Then plowed with .scooter and har- rowed. Then bedtled ;is above. The beds ()])pncd with a small scooter and seed .•sown in furrow and covered with a double coulter. After coming up was immedi- ately sided with a straddling barrow. Then choi)ped to a rej^'ular .stand. First week in July planted with a solid sweep, hand-hoed, and the last of July laid with a solid swee)>, three furrows in the row. Plots, 44 yds. X f> yds. = 7.27.3 sq. rods. /foH's, .3 feet apart. 6Vfrf /j«" vlcre two bushels. P/anW, May 10th. Ilanested, Nov. Island 29th. Appearance and Quality of Crop, 4, 5, 6, had longer staple than the others; 1, 3, 7, less than with no manure. 42. WiLLARD R. Hall, Albion, Fla. Soil. — Situation, hilly. Kind, sandy, little or no vegetable matter. Texture, liglit. Dri/ or wet, dry. iJejith of surface soil, 3 inches, iyubsoil, yellow sand. Other remarks, newly cleared land, in culti- vation but one season. Weather. — May, dry. June, wet, rain nearly every day. July, wet. Aw/ust, dry, rained twice a week. Fertilizers Applied, in the drill. Tillage, planted from 4 to 6 inches apart^ cultivated twice with horse, arid once with hand-hoe. Plots, 209 ft. X lOM ft. = 8 sq. rods. Rows, 2}'n feet apart. Seed per Acre, half bushel. Planted, June Ist. Harvested, Sept. 1st. Pounds allowed for bushel of Prodwe, ^0. Appearance and Qual- ity of Crop, .5, 6, 7, did the best. Nothing, Nitrogen and Phosphoric Acid were equally poorly. A. Prof. J. R. Farrington, Orono, Me. Soii>.— Situation, nearly level, with slight sweel running across the center sufficient for surface drainage. Kind, heavy clay. Lhy or wet, moist. Texture, compact. Previous Treatment AND Yield. In meadow for ten years. In 187- 3 plots running at right angles to and entirely across these plots received a manuring of mineral and nitroge- nous fertilizers. This would, of course, affect all alike. Fertilizers how ap- plied. Mixed with sawdust, carefully distributed and worked into the soil. Tillage, the soil was broken up six inches deep ten days before planting, and pul- verized thoroughly with a Randall harrow. Other Remarks. The soil had a remarkable uniformity of appearance. Plots. (3.5 rods + 3 ft.) x 7 J ft. = 16 sq. rods. B. W. J. Bartholomew, Putnam, Conn. Soil. — Situation, summit of hill. Kind, black, cla3'ey loam, yellow below ; at Hor 2 ft. becomes a stony, compact clay. Texture, loose surface if not trodden when wet. Dry or wet, variable with the season. Depth of surface soil, 6 or 8 inches. Subsoil, hard and compact. Previous Treatment and Yield. Never received much manure previous to 1875. In grass iu 1 87. "i-? 7, crop about one ton. Fertilizers how applied. Scattered in and around the hills before dropping the corn. Tillage. Hoed twice, and corn thinned to four stalks in hill at second hoeing. A small part of Nos. 10 and 11 were replanted, and corn did not get so large a growth in those plots. Other Remarks. After drying one month the ears showed a shrinkage of about 5 percent, in weight. 70 pounds of ears as harvested vieldod. after drying one month, 55j lbs. of shelled corn. One bushel dry shelled corn weighed 60,%, lbs. Plots. Size, ^\ acre. Hows, 3^ ft. apart. Kind of corn, white cap corn. Planted, May lGih-20th. Harvested, Sept. 30th-0ct. 10th. 123 C. Chester Sage, Middletown, Conn. Soil. — Situation, upland, sloping to the east. Kind, loam, some cobble stones. Texture, loose, not drained, com- pact after rains. Depth of surface soil, about 6 inches. Subsoil, yellow, with cobblestones, hard in dry weather. Other remarks, the land " has been faithfully neglected." Previous Treatment and Yield. No manure put on for three years previous to 187.5. No manure in 187.5-7, crop 1|, 1 and | tons of hay per acre. Weathbr.— April, rain, 5th, 10th, 11 th, 21st, 2.3d, 2.5th, 28th, 29th. Mai/, rain, 5th, 9t!i, 20th, 21st, 25th, .30th, 31st. June, rain, 3d, lOth, 11th, 12th, 13th, 17th, 18th, 22d, 24th, 27th. July, rain, 4th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 21st, 27th, 30th. August, rain, 1st, 2d, 4th, 6th, 9th, 16th, 20th, 21st, 25th. Fertilizers, how APPLIED. Broadcast and cultivated in. Tillage. Cultivated both ways twice and hoed. Other Remarks. The birds pulled the corn badly, and although it was replanted there were some missing hills. Many hills in each plat had a less number of stalks than was intended. The number of hllis in each plot contain- ing one or more stalks was counted, and the yield per acre estimated as if the missing hills had yielded corn equal to those hills that grew. Plots. 454 ft. X 75- ft. = 12y'W sq. rods. (Fertilizers applied at rate of one-tenth acre for each bag.) Rows, 3| ft. apart. Hills, 3| ft apart. Planted, May 29th. Harvested, Oct. 25th and 26th. Pounds allowed for a bushel of produce, 70 of good ears, 140 of poor ears. X. Some Remarks about Farm. Experiments with Fertilizers. The experiments herewith reported evidently meet a de- mand. They were made last season from Canada to Florida,' from Maine to Wisconsin. Men who commenced the year before with trials on a half a dozen plots or more, worked last year on twenty, thirty, and in one case on forty. Agricultu- ral schools, societies, and progressive farmers are joining enthusiastically in the work, and the interest is rapidly increasing. Of course, these particular ones represent only a small fraction of the work of the kind that is going on. But the straws tell the way the wind is blowing. The same tendency is manifest in Europe ; the English, French, and German journals are full of accounts of such work done by experiment stations, schools, societies, and individuals. This all shows that farmers are waking up, that the spirit of inquiry is abroad in the land. It seems to me one of the most encouraging signs of the times for our agriculture. The force of circumstances which has brought me, contrary to my sense of lack of fitness, into prominent connection with 124 llie experiments referred to, is tlie octrasion of tlic following remarks, which 1 trust may not seem wholly out of place. I think we should distinguish between Two Classes ok Expkriments. First: Special; so-called " practical " tield trials to find the defi- ciencies of a given soil, or the effects of given fertilizers. The results of such experiments apply only to the circumstances in whicli they are made. What does best on A's land may be worth very little on B's. If, however, the trials are made on a common plan in a number of places, information of general value may be gained. Second: General; systematic experiments for obtaining knowl- edge of general principles. The experiments hei'ewith reported would all come under the first class, except the "Special Corn Experiments, A, B, and C," which belong to the second. I. Experiments for Testing Soils. The following statements seem to me justifiable : 1. The idea is sound in principle. Men universally recognized as authorities in agricultural science the world over, unanimously urge such experiments, and keep doing so year after year. The two years' results above reported prove, as well as such brief experience can, that they are right. 2. The experiments are instructive. The , makers can leani in this way, as in no other, many things they need to know about their soils, their crops, and their manures. What is more, the work awakens the interest of farmers in science and helps to get them out of the ruts they are prone to run in. 3. The experiments do bring information that is needed. Not always just what the maker expects or wants, of course. Tests for one season, on a single crop, in unfavorable weather, on uneven land, in a soil that has a store of available plant-food on hand, or on land so wet or so dry, so warm or so cold, so loose or so compact that it cannot bring good crops anyhow, may easily fail to tell what the soil or crop most needs. But the results, even then, if faithfully observed and reported, will be useful. 125 4. Often the most valuable lesson possible is that what a soil wants to increase its fertility is not plant-food, but amendments. Improvement in the texture, or a good water-supply, constant, not too little nor too much, is frequently the first thing to be sought. Draining and tillage are often more important than manure. Sometimes a good dose of lime will do more for a soil than chemicals or dung that would cost twenty times as much. 5. The results of the experiments are to be taken in connection with the facts of experience and what the maker's own knowledge, observation, and good sense say of the character and wants of his soils and crops. 6. And finally, cooperative work, experiments made on a common plan, under widely varying conditions, and faithfully reported, brings results of the greatest value. Last season's corn experiments gave proof of this and promise of still more useful information in the future. The greatest difficulty I have met is to get people to understand what the experiments are for and how to make and interpret them. I find it necessary to repeat over and over again that if the soil is uneven the results must be unreliable ; that the way to test whether it is uniform or not is by duplicating the unmanured or manured plots; that there is no use trying in this way to find the wants of a soil that has a store of plant-food accumulated from its own resources or from previous manuring; that different crops have different feeding capacities and needs, consequently different stories to tell ; that to get complete results the trials must be carried through a series of years and crops, through a course of rotation, for instance ; and finally, that if the experiments do not tell every- thing that needs to be known, or the increase of crops on some of the plots fails to pay the expense, this does not prove that all experimenting or all science is a humbug. In short, the truth of the matter seems to me to be about this. The experiments are beyond the capacity of a great many farmers, not because of any great difficulty, but because the men are not used to such things, and have so httle interest in them that they are unwilling to take the trouble to make trials, and do not know how to interpret the results. Some try, and get discouraged or disgusted ; others work with enthusiasm, wisdom, and success. 12(1 As Prof. Jolinsun says: " Tlie true use of such expcrirnonts is to find wliat our soil can naturally furnish, and what we must s\ipply as fertilizers. For this purpose the results of such experiments nmst be taken in combination with the facts as to the export from the soil, and if we have a fair record of the crops taken oJf, and manures put on a field for five or ten years, we can, by help of tables of the composition of crops and manures, estimate pretty nearly what ha« been the removal and what the accession of potash, phosphoric acid, lime, etc.. to the field during that time, and can calculate with great probability what is to-day the kind, as well as the amount, of deficiency or surplus in the crop-feeding materials of the field. This book-keeping with the soils, ci-ops, and fertili- zers, is as essential for profitable farming in New England, as it is for successful merchandizing or manufacturing." Will ordfnaky farmers make these experiments in such ways AS to test their soils fairly ? I think they can. Whether they will or not is another matter. Some will, some will not. But I must say that my faith in both their ability and their willingness has been very much strengthened by two years' experience. Farmers are conservative. They are slow to learn new lessons. Among such things as dung, ashes, and plaster, they know their way, but they stumble over nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. There is only here and there a man who will undertake such experiments at all. Of those who do attempt them some will fail. But some will succeed and all will be benefited. It is hard for the fathers to learn. But there are sons coming up. The more we can help them to use their brains in farming, the more ready they will be to stay on the farm, and the better they will make their farming pay. The way to make any good enterprise successful and useful, is not to sit still and complain that it won't go, but to take hold and make it go; to be content with small results at first, improve methods with experience, and trust to the goodness of the cause for ultimate success. 2. Experiments to obtain Knowledge of General Princii'Les. I have a few words to say about experiments on more extensive plans. Among the points about which information is now most neeeded. 127 and whicli can come from fi.eld experiments, are the feeding capaci- ties of plants, and the action of manures. That the needed in- formation can be got, and that there are men who are able and ready to help in getting it, I am not alone in believing. Dr. Voelcker, chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society of Eng- land, says: " Great as has been tlie progress, during the past ten years, with regard to the theory and practice of manuring, an extensive field for inquiry is still left open to the man of science, as well as to the advanced agricul- turist, and much pains-taking labor will have to be expended by both before our knowledge of the action of fertilizing matters and our practice of manuring become thoroughly satisfactory." — Jour. Roy. Ag. iSoc, 1869, p. 74. Of the value of farmer's cooperation in the work. Dr. Voelcker says again, after nine years' experience: ' ' Strongly impressed with the conviction that faithfully recorded experi- ments, performed by men in whose integrity, powers of obsei'vation, skill, and intimate acquaintance with ordinary farm operations, implicit reliance can be placed, are well-calculated to extend our knowledge on matters of much practical importance to the agriculturist, I have for years past endeavoured to engage the cooperation of my agricultural friends in an enterprise which I took hold of nine years ago, and in which I have since taken a lively interest. . . . "Happily the encouragement which my friends have hitherto given me in this work induces me confidently to expect a continuation and exten- sion of their support in future years." — Jour. Roy. Ay. Soc, 1871, p. 305. The fact is that Agricultural Science has advanced to a point where it needs the help of practical men to promote its most use- ful progress. The man of practice and the man of science, the chemist and the farmer, can work advantageously together m many ways, and this is one. Suggestions for Systematic Experiments. A great deal of good, earnest, costly, work is lost in field experi- ments, because of imperfections in their objects, plans, and execu- tion. I venture to suggest some points which seem to me important in field experiments with fertilizers whose object is to obtain accu- rate information, of general value. The Plans. 1. The experiment should have a definite object. The questions should be narrow and specific. 2. It should be conceived in a philosophical spirit, theoretical, if you will. The most theoretical experiments in the ordinary sense iDring results of the most practical use. Not A's phosphate nor 128 B's corn manure, but standard materials furnishing nitrogen, phosphoric acid, lime, etc., in definite amounts and combinations are the materials to use. 3. It should be arranged to continue through a series of years. What ought to be known in advance. 4. As much as possible ought to be known of the soil, includ- ing subsoil, its chemical and physical characters, kind, color, texture, water capacity and supply; its past history, tillage, manur- ing, and crops; what crops it is fit for, and how much it can produce with ordinai'y manures; and finally, or rather, first of all, that it is uniform. This last ought to be tested by one year's trial in advance.* The Soil, Crop, and Manures. 5. The soil ought to be uniform, level, in good physical condi- tion, and fitted to respond to the action of manures. 8. The crops should be fitted to soil and climate. It is poor policy to experiment with corn on wet, heavy land, or where the climate is too cool to ripen it. 7. Where the action of particular kinds of fertilizing materials is to be tested, they should be applied where they will be able to show decided effects. There is little use, for instance, in trying to compare the effect of different amounts or kinds of potash salts in soils or for crops where potash is abundant and ineffective. How to Conduct the Experiments. 8. The plots should be accurately measured and staked out, and the fertilizers carefully applied. Concentrated fertilizers should be mixed with earth. Those that want time for diffusion, like potash salts, are often best applied in the preceding fall; while materials that leach quickly away, like nitrate of soda, should not be put on until planting time. 9. The weather and progress of the crop during the season should be carefully noted. * Observations on this point during the past four seasons have convinced me that this is very important. I have sometimes found small plots of 1 to 4 square rods on apparently uniform land to vary nearly one-third, and often one-sixth, in their produce under like treatment. On this account I have, for some years past, recommended my friends who were starting experiments of importance, to treat the whole field alike the first year, and test the uniformity of the plots by thi produce. Long, narrow plots are generally the most reliable. See discussions of this point in report of Conn. Board of Agriculture, 1877, 385. 129 10. ('areful weighings and measurements of tlie produce should be made, with notes of times and methods. The amounts of grain and stalks or straw, and of good and poor produce ought also to be carefully stated. The Man. 11. The experimenter must be a man of great enthusiasm, pa- tience, carefulness, and accuracy. The fact is, we need first to learn how to do the work. Very few people have any idea how much of a thing it is to make a thoroughly good experiment. This sort of doctrine is discourag- ing, I know, but it is true; and there are plenty of men who have the wisdom to appreciate and the energy to follow it. The full understanding of it would have saved a vast deal of unproductive labor in the past, and it is time it was insisted upon. Perhaps' I can give a better idea of my meaning by a case in point. Mr. Bartholomew, the maker of Experiments B, Bl, and B2, has found that a certain field in his farm which, with no ma- nure, brings scarcely enough of a crop to pay the harvesting, has, during two seasons, given uniformly fair crops of corn with super- phosphate, and pays little attention to potash or nitrogen. He has worked around two sides of the field. There is an area of several acres that has been in grass, and is to be turned up this spring. He proposes to plant this all to corn with superphosphate, divide it into small plots, and weigh the crops on each. This will tell whether there are any uneven places to be avoided in the experi- ment. He can test this, on the whole, better with the superphos- phate than with no manure, and unless the land is different from that which has been tested and found very uniform, or the season proves bad, he may expect a good paying crop instead of losing the use of the land one year. The next season he proposes to lay out plots and commence an experiment to last through a series of years. In doing this he is making his experiments a valuable centribution to knowledge, and himself a public benefactor. He ought not, and 1 expect will not, be allowed to bear all the expense himself. Mr. Sage has likewise got fairly well acquainted with his land, and proposes to continue his experimenting, and will, I hope, be helped in so doing. I trust it will appear that this chapter has not been written with- out a purpose. I believe there are many others who are able and will be more than glad to do what these gentlemen are doing. 16 XI. Fodder Materials and the Feeding of Stock. Four years ago, in a pai)er on the licsulis nf Ln/e Earniuan Ex- periments on the Feeding of Catlh, presented at a meeting of the Connecticut Board of Agriculture,* was given an outline of the methods and results of the very remarkable investigations which had for some fifteen years formed a prominent part of the work of the European, and, particularly, the German Experiment Stations, had just begun to be formulated into general prin- ciples, and were, in combination with the concordant results of enlightened practice, leading to a revolution in the accepted theories, or rather to an evolution of the true theory, and to most fortunate changes in the practice of feeding stock. To the article were appended some tables showing the composition of numerous fodder materials, and a number of feeding rations calculated to secure the most economical employment of the food. Though impressed with a belief in the correctness of the principles, which rested not merely upon the accuracy and extent of the experiment ing, but also upnu the testimony of the men who had proved them in their practice, 1 was, nevertheless, not a little interested to see how they would be accepted on this side of the Atlantic, by an agricultural public whom st(3rn necessity had not yet driven to the careful study and close economizing of the products and productive forces of their farming. The subject has since been discussed by known chemists and physiologists, who have ably elucidated the well principles, and shown how American farmers may apply tliem witli profit; and by others not versed in chemistry and physiology who evince less confiilence in the results of the experiments than in conflicting theories of their own. The wide-spread interest in the matter, as shown by scores of letters from all pai'ts of the country; the success many have had in putting the principles in practice; the advance in the science; the numerous analyses of American feeding stuffs, until of late almost entirely lacking; and finally the propriety of further explan- ation of the values and proper use of the feeding stuffs, of which analyses were given in the first part of the report, lead me to recur to it again. The most extended experiments as yet undertaken in ihis coun- * lieport of Connecticut Board of Agriculture, 1874, p. 131. The same topic was presented in somewhat less detail a \ear previous!)', before the Maine Board of Aj^rirulture ; nnd later, in a series of articles in Xhc Americmi Ai/riruUiirisf. Home repetitioii.s of statements in the paj)ers mentioned are hardJv to l»e avoided here. 131 try to test the correctness of the views referred to, so far as my knowledge goes, are those made by Mr. J. W. Sanborn, super- intendent of the New Hampshire Agricultural College farm. The results of accurately conducted trials during the past three years confirm very emphatically the conclusions from the German ex- periments. A number of other prominent farmers in various parts of the country have likewise conducted feeding trials in the same line, whose results I should gladly adduce, if the lack of space did not forbid. The limits of the present article, however, allow only such brief statements as are needed to show how the analyses of feeding-stuffs on pages 29-39 are to be interpreted or applied in practice. In the appendix I have tried to explain concisely the meaning of the chemical terms used for the food ingredients, the functions of the latter in the nutrition of the animal, and have added tables giving composition of feeding-stuffs, feeding-standards, and fodder-rations. There are two very important matters connected v/ith the eco- nomical feeding of stock which the teachings of modern science explain, but which too few farmers understand. First. How to adapt the food most economically to the wants of the animal and the purpose for which it is fed. Second. How to feed so as to make the richest manure. How IS Food Used in the Animal Body? The advanced agriculture of the present day looks upon the farm, or better, the stable, as a kind of manufacturing establish- ment. Domestic animals are the machines, food in the form of grass, roots, grain, hay, oil cake, etc., are the raw materials, and meat, milk, wool, labor, and progeny the products. In cattle feeding, then, it becomes an important question. How to get tlie largest amount of product from the least amount^ and the least expensive raw materials. We feed hay, grain, and roots to our stock that they may keep warm, grow, fatten, and return meat, milk, and work. Putting it another way, we supply them with albuminoids, carbohydrates, and fats, to make flesh and fat, bone and sinew, milk, and progeny, and to be consumed in generating heat and muscular strength.* * See explanations of chemical terms, etc., in Appendix. 182 The aiiiinMl niachmc is a peculiar one. It is maile of food. Lii NIJTIUBNTS. vam™. P. d I a S O % !?5 Albuminoids. Carbo- hydrates. I -1 Q per ct. per ct. per ct. 1: 3 8.4 65.8 3.7 8.6 SI. 09 1.70 1 10.0 66.7 3.4 . 7.5 1.18 1.84 1 7.7 70.3 2.6 9.9 1.00 1.56 1 10.1 66.0 2.6 7.2 1.07 1.67 1 8.1 69.2 4.3 9.9 1.16 1 81 2 9.6 61.8 5.9 8.0 1.19 1.86 3 7..') 67.3 3.1 10.0 1.04 1.63 1 7..^) 67.1 3.1 10.0 1.06 1.66 1 0.5 43.0 0.0 86.0 .40 0.64 0.6 41.7 0.4 71.2 .40 0.64 Eastern vh. Western Corn. These figures confirm the current opinion of farmers that eastern corns have a higher nutritive value than western, though the differ- ence is less than is frequently assumed. The Sweet corn leads; then come the Early l)utton and Rhode Island, which, however, appear to bettei' advantage, ])ecause of the dryness of the samples; then the New England Yellow or Canada, the Southern White, the Western Yellow, and, lowest of all, the Massachusetts White Flint. But it must l)e borne in mind that the number of samples is smidl, ami further analyses may give somewhat different results. The Nutritive Value of Cobs in the table is over one-half that of corn, higher than most farmers would put it. As 1 have said, accurate experiment.s to test their digestibility are still lacking. The proportions assumed are such as seem probable from experiments with other foods. It will be noticed that the value is almost entirely in the carbohydrates, there being extremely little of albuminoids and fats, — the most important ingredients. It seems to me a question whethei- the carbohydrates in the cobs are as digestible as the figures assume. Analysis and experience both indicate that cobs fed alone would barely keep an animal froux starving. But mixed with other materials to furnish what they lack, they must be valuable It would be very foolish to make a pair of boots all of neck or split leather; but with good 155 materials for soles and fronts, the poor leather will do for backs and linings, and it will be far better economy to put it there than to throw it away. A great many farmers practically recognize this principle in feeding corn and cobs together. At the same time it is true that most farmers have relatively too much of the poor, coarse foods, that have little value outside their carbohy. drates, and unless they feed rich nitrogenous foods, like cotton-seed meal, linseed cake, palm-nut meal, bran, etc., with them, the cobs may not be worth the grinding. Western Corn Shelled vs. Eastern Corn with Cobs. No. XXXII was a good fair specimen of eight-rowed New Eng- land Yellow corn, grown in 1877 on the farm of Mr. C. Sage, of Mid- dletown, Conn. The ears May 1, 1878, gave 16|- lbs. = (^) cobs per 100 lbs., which is probably a fair average for well cured corn of that kind; a bushel of kernels weighed 59 lbs. 3 oz. The com- po.sition was just about equal to the average of the samples of eastern corn in the table. Nos. XLI and XLII were taken at the same time from the store of Messrs. Coles & Atkins, Middletown. No. XLI weighed 53^ lbs. per measured bushel; cost 62-^- cts. per bushel of 56 lbs.; was pronounced a very good specimen of Western Yellow corn, and agrees in composition with the average of the three samples of that kind. No. XLII weighed 54 lbs. per measured bushel; cost 70 cts. for 56 lbs., and was likewise a very good quality of Southern White. 100 lbs. of ears of Mr. Sage's corn, in the ear, and 100 lbs. of each of the others shelled, would compare as below: Digestible. Fats. Albu- Carbo- p . Nitrogen Valu- minoids. hydrates. J^'"''- Ratio. ation. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. N. E. Yellow Corn 83^ lbs 7.0 52.8 3.4 1:8.9 $0.93 " 16§ " 0.1 7.1 ... 1:71.0 0.07 N. E. Yellow Ears 100 " 7.2 59.9 3.5 1:9.2 1.00 W. Yellow Corn 100 " 7.4 67.8 3.0 1:10.0 1.05 Southern White 100 " 7.5 67.1 3.1 1:10.0 1.06 That is to say, by the above figures, 100 lbs. of Mr. Sage's corn in the ear, with 83^- lbs. of corn and 16f lbs. cobs, contained a trifle less nutritive matter than 100 lbs. of the Western Yellow com, for which his neighbors were paying $1.07, or the Southern White, which cost $1.25. Of course the cost of grinding is an important factor. The palatability and healthfulness of the cobs are factors of their value of which chemical analysis says nothing. 156 Hungarian Grass and PfAY. The frequent discussions of the composition and value of Hun- garian grass and liay will warrant a few words concerning the samples referred to on page 32. The full data as to soil, culture, and crop, furnished by Dr. Alsop with the samples, add to the interest and value of the analyses. The analyses commonly quoted for Hungarian grass are German. I give composition of the samples referred to, and, for sake of comparison, German analyses by Moser and Metzdorf.* HUNGARIAN GRASS AND HAY. • 1 < 1 o a 1 3 5 >> "3 O o i 2 V £ o O i XXIV. XXV. XXVI. Grass,— Green Fodder. Dr. Alsop's. Cut. Ileijjht. Development. July ITtli, 18-2(1 inches, In blossom.. . . Aug. 3(1, -M-U " Out of blossom . Aug. 18th, 32-10 " Nearly ripe German (later sown). July 8th, 3-4 inches, July 2l8t 8 10 " prcf. 75.0 70.0 70.0 80.6 78.7 69.0 65.6 62.9 16.7 16.7 16.7 prct. 2.2 1.5 1.9 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.1 7.2 4.3 5.3 prct. 3.2 2.'.» 2.1 4.9 5.3 6.9 5.9 5.8 10.7 8.0 5.7 prct. 8.7 9.9 10.4 4.6 5.5 9.4 11.3 11.5 28.9 27.6 29.9 prct. 10.4 15.0 15.0 prct. 0.6 0.6 0.0 7.10 8.06 Aug 10th' 15-10 " 12.5 XXIV Aug. 24th, 18-24 " In blossom Sept. 7th, After blossom . . IlAY. Dr. Alsop's. 15. 17. :m.5 4 2.0 XXV. 41.7 41.7 1.7 XXVI. Aug. 18lh, Nearly ripe German (later soivn). Aug loth 1.6 Aug. 24th, In blossom 12.5 12.5 5.8 5.5 14.9 13.6 28.5 27.3 38.0 Sept 7th, After blossom 41.1 Calculated in the manner described in the Appendix, the digesti- bility and feeding values of Dr. Alsop's Hungarian compare with European products as follows : * Wilda's Centralblatt, 1861, I, 552. 157 HUNGARIAN AND OTHER GRASSES AND HAYS.* A, Dr. Alsop's. W., German from Wolff's Tables. GUEEN POBUER. Hungarian Grass— in blossom, W A.... " out of blossom, A. Timothy Grass — in blossom. W Clover Grass— in blossom, W. Rich Pasture Grass, W Fodder Corn, Southern White— youn Hay. Hungarian Hay— in blossom, W A ■' out of blossom. A.. nearly ripe, A Timothy Hay— average, W Meadow " " W Clover Hay— average, W DIGKSTIBLB NUTRIENTS. prct. 1.8 1.8 1.4 2.1 1.7 3.4 0.9 6.1 6.0 4.0 2.8 5.8 5.4 7.0 pr ct. 11.8 11.5 13.2 16.0 8.7 10.9 7.6 41.0 38.3 36.7 37.5 43.4 41.0 38.1 pr ct. 0.3 0.2 (t.2 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.1 0.9 0.8 0.5 0.5 1.4 1.0 1.2 7.0 6.7 9.4 8.3 5.7 3.6 7.1 6.7 9.4 14.0 8.1 8.0 5.9 MONEY VAUTB. O (Di O ft O $0.19 0.19 0.19 0.28 0.17 0.27 0.11 0.67 0.64 0.52 0.48 0.69 0.64 0.69 a fetd o "^ 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.42 0.26 0.42 0.17 1.03 1.00 0.81 0.75 1.09 1.00 1.08 HUNGARIA.N IN GENERAL. Those who know the most about Hungarian grass, ascribe to it two chief peculiarities, deep rooting and rapid growth. Being a deep feeder it stands drought, and often brings very large crops in soils and seasons where other grasses would fail. It requires, however, a rather loose soil with not too compact subsoil, doing best on sandy loams and the like. Humus and lime are said to be favorable to its growth. The soil should be deeply plowed and well tilled. On account of its deep feeding Hungarian is said to exhaust the upper layers of the soil less than other grasses. It does particularly well on newly broken land or after a hoed crop like corn, potatoes, or roots. Being a rapid grower, fresh dung is said not to be so good for it as well rotted manure or concentrated fertilizers. It wants a good supply of available food in the soil. It may be sown at any time from May to August, its rapid growth permitting it to be cut early and cleared away for a fall crop, or sown late to piece out the scanty fodder of a dry summer or fall. Cattle are said not to relish it so well when cut too young. At the same time if it stands too long it gets coarse, strawy, and undigestible. I have no data at hand to show how large crops are generally obtained with us. European figures put the yield at from 2 to 3^ tons per acre. * See also table on page 171. 168 Ft appears thai Dr. Alsop's Hungarian grass cut in blossom agrees exactly with Wolff's average for (Ji-rrnan, both being reckoned on basis of 7a per cent, of water. Dr. Alsop'.s hay in the table falls a tritle below the German. Tliis is because it is reckoned on basis of 1<;.7 per cent, of water, wluTeas Wolff Jissunios only 13.4 per cent.* Like otiier gras.ses, tlie Hungarian as it grows older has less albuminoids and more woody fiber. At the same time, it becomes less digestible. The Hungarian hay, No. XXVI, is worth al)Out one-fourtli less pourid for [)ound than No. XXIV, according to the calculation on ])age 171. The youngest hay, with one pound of digestible albuminoids to (5.7 11)S. of carbohydrates is a good fodder, but the old hay with only one pound ailtuminoids to 14 of carbohydrates, is jKjor; it lacks material to make flesh, fal, and milk. Dr. Alsop's Hungarian hay, cut in blossom, is just about equal to the average (lerman meadow hay (English grasses), which is eipiivalent to saying it is decidedly l)ettei- than avex'age upland hay with us. Our hay suffers in com- I)arison with theirs, because we do not manure nor till our land so well, and often cut our grass late. Dr. Alsop's crop of Hungarian was not large. Cut early in blossom, the yield on tlie whole field fell short of two tons of hay per acre. But it made excellent fodder, and the land was in good condition, so that it has, in the two succeeding seasons, brought six tons of good hay and rowen, and promises to continue to do well for some time to come. Timothy and Clover Hays. The samples referred to on page 20 are worthy of attention. The timothy grew on an old meadow, pretty well run out. The yields were at the rate of from 1^ to \^ tons per acre. On com- paring the analyses with European figures (see tables in Appendix) we were struck with the inferiority of our samples. The best one, No. Xni, cut when "well headed out," had only 8.37 per cent, albuminoids, whereas the inferior hays in the German tables have from 7.5 to 9.2 per cent, albuminoids. The sample cut in full blossom had only 6.23 per cent, albuminoids, less than poorest German hays, and the others, cut later, are, of course, worse still. Well Manured vs. Poorly Manured Crops. I think there is a good lesson here for New England farmers. Forage crops grown on rich land are not merely larger in quantity * See page 60. 159 than those from poor soils : they are also better in quality — they are richer in nitrogen. The German analyses represent the products that come with the abundant manuring and good tillage which characterize the best European farming. Professor Farrington's early cut clover, and Dr. Alsop's Hungarian, both grown on land in good condition, agree almost exactly with the European averages for corresponding products. But the timothy from the old meadow falls far below the European average, and is but little better than good straw. The Value of Hays Cut at Different Periods of Growth Is an important matter. A series of experiments in Germany, detailed in the paper in the Report for 1874 referred to, indicated that the clover crop has its greatest feeding value Just as it gets fully in blossom. The figures below give resulte of experiments bearing upon this subject. The samples were cut at four different periods of growth. They were : A. Timothy from the farm of the Maine Agricultural College at Orono. B. Timothy from farm of Mr. J. M. Hubbard, Middletown. C. Native grasses from Mr. Hubbard's farm. In each experiment, eight small plots, one-half square rod or one square rod, were measured off, and cut two at a time at each of the four periods. The object of the duplicates was to get an idea of the evenness or unevenness of the yield. The money values are based upon the composition of the Orono samples, wliicli were the only ones analyzed. That is, they represent the value of the Orono timothy per acre, on the assumption that the yield would be the same as the average of all these experiments. No account of the nearly ripe hay is made in the vahiations, as it would not be fit for fodder. Period of Growth. A. Timothy, Orono." A. Timothy, Middletown. C. Native Grasses, Middletown. 3634 4100 4409 .5331 2 ft a. b. a. 4169 4471 5551 6351 b. 4702 5263 5991 7497 a. b. S o. Just headed out In full blossom Out of blossom 2640 4240 3920 4240 3600 3280 3280 4160 3987 4499 4239 2707 2847 3474 #22.53 21.32 22.48 Nearly ripe 9406 The fir.st three periods of growth represent the time during which farmers oi'dinaiily gatlier their hay. As the figures come 160 uxit, the yields liave just about tlie same feeding value;. These trials are of course too few and incomplete to decide so important a matter. I think, however, a sufficient amount of experimenting in this line might throw a good deal of light upon the question. The data at our disposal come mostly from the observed composi- tion and digestibility which, though the chief, are not the only fa(;- tors of tlie nutritive value. More feeding trials are needed. Some late feeding experiments by Mr. Sanborn of tlie N. H. Agri- cultural College gave results rather unfavorable to very early cut- ting. One matter about which we are not yet certain is the nature and nutritive value of the nitrogenous material in the grass at different periods of development. In the earlier periods particu- larly, some of it appears to be in the non-albuminoid form.s referred to on page 21. In some German investigations that have just come to hand, Kellner finds in young grass large enough to cut with the scyth^, 31.6 per cent, of the nitrogen in non-albuminoid forms. In a sample cut early in blossom, 13.4 per cent., and in one cut when over ripe, only 2.5 per cent, of the whole nitrogen was non-albu- minoid. According to this, one-third of the nitrogen in young pasture grass, and one-eighth of that in grass eai-ly in blossom, would be in forms of uncertain but probably low value. These facts add force to the belief that in the reaction from the wasteful practice of letting grass stand until it is nearly ripe, some farmers are going too far the other way, and cutting too early. It must be remembered that there are other things to be taken into account besides the feeding value, in deciding what is the best time to cut grass. The effect upon the succeeding crop is very important. Mr. Hubbard noticed a very decided difference in the botanical character of the next year's gi'owth upon the plots that had been cut at different times. Some observers think early cutting tends to make the grass run out. These and kindred questions must be tested by actual trial. Co-operative experiments on a common plan, in different places, would be very useful aids to their solution. From the facts at hand, it would seem that from early in the time of blossom, to that of full blossom, is on the whole the best period for cutting grass and clover. The hay thus obtained is easily digestible, and has a good percentage of albu- minoids. But as it grows older the proportion of nitrogejj decreases, and that of woody fiber grows larger, the hay becomes less digestible, the digested material is poorer because 161 it lacks albuminoids, and finally the hay is not so palatable. For all these reasons, the late cut hay is worth far less for feeding, Timothy and clover grown on rich land, cut early, and well cured, make excellent fodder. Grown on poor soil, and cut late, they are pretty poor stuff. A great deal of the hay that lies in bams in New England is but little better than good straw. CoTTON-SEED Meal, Linseed Meal, Palm-Nut Meal, and Bean, Are foods whose value farmers in this country are just begin- ning to appreciate. European farmers long since found out how much they are worth, and thousands of tons of American oil-cake and meal have been carried across the Atlantic to enrich English, French, and German foods and soils. The time has come when we must keep them at home if we are going to redeem our farm- ing. The great value of these foods is due to two facts. First, they supply the albuminoids and fats in which poor hay, straw, corn-stalks and the like are lacking. Second, they make rich manure. How they may be used with poor foods to make good rations at small cost is illustrated in the tables in the Appendix. The reason for the inferior value of straw, poor hay, and the like, is not merely that they contain little nutritive substance, but also and mainly because they lack albuminoids. This becomes plain when we consider how large a share of the work of nutrition is done by the albuminoids (see explanations in Appendix), and how little of these the poor foods furnish in digestible form. Chemistry indi- cates, experiments prove, and expei'ience corroborates the princi- ples that poor foods, late cut hay, marsh hay, straw, corn-stalks, etc., can be utihzed and made very valuable by feeding with them nitrogenous foods such as oil-meal, bran, and clover hay, to supply what they lack; that such mixtures make the very best rations ; and still further, that this is one of the best and cheapest ways to get good manure. Dried Blood, Meat Scrap and Fish as Food for Stock. Years ago, oil-cake used to be employed as a fertilizer. Chem- istry said that it ought to be first fed to stock, that it had a high nutritive value, that in going through the animal machine but little of the most valuable material was consumed, and that the residue was worth more for manure than before. Experience proved that all this was true, and now nobody would think of using linseed- 20 > 102 cake or cottonseed meal for manure. Of late, ininiense (juantilies of slaughter-house refuse, dried blood, dried intestines, and the like, and still larger quantities of the refuse left after tlio extrac- tion of oil fr<^)m fish, are being pii^pared and UR«'d as fertilizers. These ought, like the oil-cake, to be first utilized for food. The idea, though novel to most farmers, is an old one, and has been put into successful practice in many places. In its favor is the unanimous testimony of chemical composition, careful experiments, and the experience of farmers who have used the materials with success. Against it are, the difficult}'^ of jireparing wholesome materials, which can be overcome, and the prejudice that only time and trial are needed to dispel.* The Manuri.m. Values of Nitrogenous Foons Is a matter worthy the thoughtful consideration of farmers. Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash are the most valuable ingredients of manure. Farmers buy them in the better kinds of commercial fertilizers at the rate of from fifteen to thirty cents per pound for nitrogen, six to eighteen cents per pound for phosphoric acid, and three and a half to nine cents per pou7id for potash. Cotton-seed, linseed, and palm-nut meals, bran, dried blood, meat- scrap, and fish, are rich in these ingredients. The farmer who buys and feeds them accomplishes a double purpose. He is able to utilize his poor hay, cornstalks, and straw, at good profit, and, what is not a whit less important, all of these valuable materials that is not stored in the animal's body, or made into milk, goes into the manure. Mr. Lawes has made some calculatif)ns of the money values of the manures produced from different foods. This he does by assuming that certain percentages of nitrogen, phusphoric acid, and potash are consumed and lost, that the rest go into the manure, and that they have there about the same value, pound for pound, as similar ones in commercial fertilizers in which their value is pretty well settled. Thus Mr. Lawes computes the value of the manure from one ton of each of the following materials to be : Cotton-seed cake, ... - $27.86 Linseed cake, - - - - 19.72 Brans, ..... 15.73 * For discussion of the subject, and accounts of numerous feeding experiments with these materials, sec article on " Fish in Agriculture," in Report of U. S. Fish Commission for 1877. 168 Wheat bran, 14.59 Clover hay, - .. - . 9.64 Indian meal, 6.63 Meadow bay, 6.43 Oat straw, ... - 2.90 Potatoes, .... 1.50 Turnips, .... .86 This matter has been much discussed. Dr. Yoelcker considers Mr. Lawes' valuations, in general, from thirty to forty per cent, too high, and evidently on good grounds.* Of course, the worth of the manure is modified by numerous circumstances. Growing or fattening cattle or milch cows will retain more of the nitrogen, phosphates, etc., from the food and leave less in the manure than store cattle. The waste before the manure gets on to the land varies in different methods of treatment. But nevertheless the figures give a fair idea of the relative values of the manure made from different fodder materials. Raising Cokn to Make Manure. In the experiments with different fertilizers on corn detailed on pages 98-106, it appeared that, with the aid of the inexpensive mineral fertilizers, the corn crop was able to gather considerable nitrogen from natural sources. The yield, with the mixture of superphosphate and potash-salts, averaged forty -three bushels of shelled corn per acre. The nitrogen gathered by the whole crop, as computed, averaged fifty-seven pounds per acre. Now suppose the corn to be fed out on the farm. Cotton-seed meal, palm-meal, or bran with the stalks will make them as good as first quality hay. The same materials are excellent to feed with the corn-meal. In this way the corn would gather part of the costly fertilizing ingre- dients, and the rest would be bought at very small cost. It seems to me this is one of the best possible ways to get good and cheap fodder, and good and cheap manure. The argument for corn applies with still greater force to clover. We are not yet certain as to the capacity of corn to get its food from natural sources, * See articles by Mr. Lawes and Dr. Voelcker in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society. It seems to me that in such calculations the proper way would be to estimate the iugredieuts of the indigestible portion at rates similar to those at which they can be bought in the markets in crude and insoluble forms, and the digestible portions at the commercial values for the soluble and more available forms, making, of course, fair allowance for waste in feeding and handling. 164 l»ut we do know what clover will do. And further, clover is so rich in nitrogen that it can be used to make up the lack in other foods without buying the oil-meal or bran. In Conclusion. If the united testimony of the most advanced science and the most successful practice is to be accepted, the farmers of our older states will do well to seek for more nitrogenous food for their stock. For this purpose they may : 1. Raise more clover, and, where circumstances will allow, beans, peas, lucern, and other lognminous plants. 2. Buy cotton-seed meal, linseed meal, palm-nut meal, bran, and other nitrogenous foods. 3. Mix these rich materials with poor hay, straw, cornstalks, and the like, in such proportions as are fitted to the wants of the animals and the purposes for which they are fed. In these ways farmers can get excellent fodder for their stock, and rich manure for their land, at very low cost. APPEl^DIX. EXPLANATIONS OF CHEMICAL TERMS. The following brief explanations will aid those who are unfamiliar with chemical terms to a better understanding of the tables which follow : Water.^All parts of plants, and those of the animal body as well, contain more or less water. The water in feeding-stuffs varies from 80 or 90 lbs. in every 100 lbs. of young grass or fodder-corn, to only 8 or 10 lbs. to the 100 in dry straw or hay. If a piece of wood or wisp of hay be dried some time in a hot oven, more or less water will be driven oft". Organic substance. — If the dried wood or hay be put in the fire, most of it will be burned and carried off" as gas-vapor or smoke. The part thus burned away, the combustible portion, is called the organic matter. Ash. — The residue, the incombustible portion, or ash, contains the mineral matters — that is, potash, lime, phosphoric acid, etc., of the plant. These are the most important for the manure. But what we have to consider chiefly in foods is the organic, the combustible matter. This consists essentially of three kinds of ingredients : albuminoids, carbohydrates, and fats. The main point in economical feeding is to secure the right proportions of these at the lowest cost. Albuminoids; also called protein compounds, "proteids"or "flesh-formers," contain carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. The nitrogen is their charac- teristic ingredient. The name albuminoids comes from albumen, which we know very well as the white of eggs, and is found in milk. The fibrin of blood and muscle (lean meat), and the casein (curd) of milk-, are also albu- minoids. Indeed, the solid parts of blood, nerves, lean meat, gristle, skin, etc., consist chiefly of albuminoids. In plants they are equally important. Plant albumen occurs in nearly all vegetable juices, especially in potatoes and wheat. Casein or legumin is found in beans and peas. Fibrin occurs in the gluten of wheat, the basis of what farmer-boys call " wheat gum." Clover, bran, beans, peas, oil-cake, and fish and meat-scrap, are rich in albuminoids. That is, they contain large proportions of nitrogen. Carbohydrates consist of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. They differ from the albuminoids in that they have no nitrogen. The most important are starch, sugar, and cellulose (woody fibre). They make up a larger part of the solids of plants, but are found only in small proportions in the animal body. Potatoes, wheat, poor hay, straw, and corn-stalks consist largely of carbohydrates. Hence they have very little nitrogen. Fats have more carbon than carbohydrates, and, like them, have no nitrogen. Fat meat, tallow, lard, fish-oil, and fat (butter) of milk, and linseed oil are Himiliar examples of fats. Indian corn, oil-cake, cotton-seed, and linseed, are rich in fatty matters. 160 I liiive tried to expross concJHely, in tabniar form, some of the most important ilemt'ntary facts concerning the composition of the nutritive ingredients of foods; the forms in which they occur in j)lant8 and animals, and their offices in nutri- tion. As exphiiucd on jjages 144-7, we are as yet not entirely cerfciin as to all the ways in which the ingredients do their work in the body. For instance, it now seems very prohahie that the carbohydrates are not trausfurnied into fats to any great extent, and that the albuminoids arc the main source of mu.scular force ; but future investigation may call for some alterations of the.'se views. And it must bo borne in mind that an ingredient which does not perform a given function itself, may be useful in doing work by which another ingredient may be left free to perform that function. For instance,- if carbohydrates, sugar, starch, ^tc., do not make fat, they may, by serving for the fuel needed for respiration, leave albuminoids and fats free to be made into fat in the body or in the milk. ALBUMINOIDS, CARBOHYDRATES, AND FATS. ALBUMINOIDS, OR PROTEIN COMPOUNDS, Nitrogenous. Contain Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen. In Plants: — Albdmin; Casein; Fibrin, etc., e.g., in Gluten of Wheat. In Animal Body: — Albumin, e. g., Blood serum and white of eggs; Fibrin, e. g., in blood and in umscle (lean meat). In Milk : — Albumin ; Casein (Curd). CARBOHYDRATES Non-Nitrogenous. Consist of Carbon, Oxygen, and fJydnygm. In riants : — Sucar; Starch; Cellulose (in woody fiber.^ In Animal Body: — Inosite (Sugar). In Milk : — Milk Sugar. FATS Non-Nitrogenous. Consist of Carbon, Oxygen, and Hydrogen. In Plants: — Vegetable Fats and Oils, e.g., linseed oil, olive oil. In Animal Body : — Fats, e. g., fat meat, tallow, lard, etc. In Milk :— Fat (butter). USES IN NUTRITION. Nutrients of Offices in body. ^'^*^"'*- f [ Albuminoids, e. g., in mnscle, gristle, and I '*'■*' casein of milk. Albuminoids .' transformed^ Fats, e. g., fat meat, and fat (butter) of milk, mto I Carbohydrates, e. g., milk sugar. ^ Serve for Fuel. Carbohtdrates serve chiefly for Fuel. are trans- ( Fats, c. g., for meat and butter. ( are trans- ( } formed into ( f Serve for Fue Fats Serve for Fuel 167 The following table is translated from that given by Wolff, {Mentzel Sj- von LengerJce, Landw. Kalender, 1879.) The figures are for European products, mostly German. Those for the composition of the plants represent the results of many hundreds of analyses. Digestible Nutrients. The figures for the digestibility of the ingredients are calculated from the averages of, I should think, not less than twelve hundred actual feeding trials. It is of course understood that only the digestible portions of the food are nutri- tious. The digestibility of some of the materials, as Hungarian grass, which have not been tested, is calculated from the known digestibility of similar foods. The figures obtained for German foods are applied to the corresponding Amer- ican products in the succeeding table. Nutritive Ratio. The " nutritive ratio " expresses the ratio of digestible albuminoids to digestible carbohydrates and fats (each pound of fats being assumed equal to 2.5, or, more accurately, 2.44 lbs. of carbohydrates). That is to say it shows the number of pounds of digestible carbohydrates and fats to each pound of digestible albu- minoids. The Monet Values of the Foods In the table are calculated by assigning a certain price to each pound of digesti- ble ingredients. The prices here are those given by Wolff for Germany, in 1879, viz., albuminoids and fets each 4^ cents per pound, and carboh3-d rates ^^^ cents per pound. They vary a little, but not widely, from the values in many of our markets. Of course, these values are relative, and apply only when properly fed. Doubtless both the prices-current in our markets, and the intrinsic facts of the case would require a revision of these rates to make the valuations correct with us. They are not claimed to be absolutely accurate, but they do give a general idea of the relative values of the foods.* By Meadow Hay is to be understood upland hay, "English grasses," not " swale " or " marsh " hay. * Dr. Voelcker gives some quite different valuations from these in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society for 1879, p. 103. It is to be noted that he bases his estimates more upon the prevailing impression among practical men, while ^V'olff'l« figures are based more exclu- sively on the results of direct experimenting. At the meetiug of the German A'alur/ronc/tir, last September a committee of eminent agricultural chemists was appointed to consider the matter and recommend a system of valuations. 168 avkua(;e composition digestibility and monky value of feeding stuffs as given by dr. wolff for ger- MANY FOR 1879. KIND OP FODDER. I. Hay. Meadow Hay, poor, » better " " medinm, " " very good, . . " " extra, Red Clover, poor " " niediuni, " " very good,... " " t^xtra, White Clover, medium, . . . Lucerne, medium, " very good, Swedieh Clover, Hop Clover, Trefoil Seradella Fodder Vetch, medium,... " " very good,. I'ean in bloom, Lupine, medium " very good, Fodder Rye, TImotliy Italian Hye Grass, Englifili Rye (Jrasx, French Rye nrass, Upland GrasseB, average,. Hungarian (JraBs, Green Fodder. Grass just before bloom,. Pasture Grass, Rich Pasture (Jrass, Italian Rye Grass, Knglinh Rye Grass, Timothy Grass, Upland Grasses, average, Fodder Rye, Fodder Oats, Green Maize, American, " " German, Sorghum, Hungarian, in blossom, Pasture Clover, young, Red Clover, before blossom. " " in full blossom, White Clover, in blossom, Swedish Clover, at beginning of bios som, ." Swedish Clover, in full blossom, Lucerne, quite young, " at beginning of blossom, . . . Sand Lucerne, at beginning of blos- som, Esparsette, Trefoil Hop Clover, Seradella, Lupine medium, very good, 7.5.0 80.0 78.2 73.4 70.0 70.0 TO.O 76.0 81.0 85.0 83.0 77.3 75.0 83.0 83.0 80.4 80.5 85.0 82.0 81.0 74.0 78.0 80.0 81.5 80.0 80.0 85.0 85.0 Organic Substance. 5.0 7.5 5.4 9.2 ♦i.2 9.7 7.0 11.7 7.7 l.'i..'-. 5.1111.1 5.3 12.H 13.5 15.3 14.5 If. 4 KJ.O 15.0 14.0 12.2 13 14.2 19.8 14.3 17. 23. 10.4 9. 11.2 10.! 11.2 9.5 10.8 a3.5 29.2 26.3 21.9 oo 38.2 39.7 41.4 41.(1 19.3 40. I 28.9' 37.7 2ti.0|3S.2 24.01 37.1 2.2 .'K.H a5.(] 33.0 2<).( 7.0 20.2 iO.4 22.0 25.5 23.4 25.2 28.5 2.5.2 23.1 22.7 30.2 29.4 28.7 29.4 C.O 4.0 4.0 7.1 lO.O 8.0 10.1 7.9 6.5 4 4.4 6.7 8, 2.8 4.5 5.S 6.0 4 6.0 5.0 9 8.0 6.5 6 2 6 (I H.i 4.5 33.9 27.9 .31.6 32.7 :w.2 32.6 :«.6 32.8 •28. 31.2 30.9 2K.t: 44..'- 45.8 4o.i: 36.1 32.6 39.1 38.5 13.1 9.7 10.1 12.1 12.8 16.3 13.4 10.4 8.3 7.6 9.3 11 10.9 7.2 7.0 8.9 7.2 5.1 6.3 7.2 9.2 7.3 8.2 7.3 8.2 8.9 5.7 5.2 1.5 2.0 2 2.W 3.(1 2.1 2 2 3.2j 3 2.5 2.5 3.3 3.3 3.0 4. DiOESTIBI.K NUTUIENTH. 34.9 :i6.4 41.0 11 2 12. S 7 .37.9 (l[38.1 5, ;is.2 7 37.(i 1 3.5.9 2.6 2.2 2.2 2.8 0..^ 0..S 1.0 1.0 1.0 1 1.0 0.8 0.5 0.5 O.f 0.1 0.7| 0.! 0.'; 0.( 0.8 0.6 0.1 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.6 6.1 28.3 31.4 34.8 ai;.4 :m.9 36.2 32.5 31.1 .33.1 .37.3 3(i.(( 44.3 43.4 41 35.3 :{.3.l 40.9 41.0 13.(1 9.9 10.9 12.(; I 16.0 14.2 11.0 8.9 7.4 8.4 11.9 11.8 7.4 7.4 8.7 7.9 55 O^ a«l 0.5 0.( 1.0 1.3 !..• l.( 1.2 1 2.1 2.( 1 1.0 l..>- 2.0 1.4 2.8 1.5 1.4 l.( ()."• O.l 1.3 1.4 1.4 0..S 0.8 1.1 0.1* 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.6 o.n 0.4 0.5 10.6 8.3 6.1 33 2.8 4.6 4. .51 i; 5.1 3.9 2.3 4.(1 3.1 2.2 7.2 8.1 6.3 Valtjk. S"-" ^1^ oC 0.48 0.74 0.86 (l.(;ri.(KI 0.7.5 1.17 ■) I .:i2 I 0.91 (1.7(1, 1.0^ 0.79; 1.22 1. old. 89i 1.39 l.l.s 1.10 1.31 1.19 1.27 5.8 0.4] 6.9, 0..' 7.3 0.:: 9.1 0.31 0^4 2.'(\ 0.4|3.1 0.3 0.3 0.3 5 0. 0. 0.2| .0|0.76 1 0.86 0.76 0.81 0.(M 1.0( 0..Sl|l.27 0.77jl.l9 ;^ O.fflt 1..5.". 0.77 1.21 O.hO 1.3.3 1.10,1.72 0.72; 1.15 0.70 1.0i> 0.74 1.15 0.57,0.89 6.3 0.57 0.89 8.2 0.64,1.00 7.1 0.66 1.04 0.22 34 0.21 0..t1 0.27,1). 12 f)|0.23i0..3(i (l.20U(.32 0.2810.42 0.23, ().•'>'> 4.6| 3 0.20 0.15 3 0.11 9 0.13 0.19 () 0.20 0.25 0.31 0.23 O.IC. 0.20 0.29 0.:50 0.39 0.190.29 0.17 0.26 a 0.19 0.29 ,3 0.170.25 0.1.5i0.24 .23 0.;«5 O.23j0.36 0.21 0.33 1810.27 15(1.23 l.18;o.:iO 18J0..30 16 0.2-1 2010.32 169 Field Beans at beffinningof blossom, Fodder Vetch at oeginning of blos- som, Fodder Peas in blossom, Buckwheat in blossom, Green Rape, Fodder Cabbage, White Cabbage, Cabbage Stems, Potato Tops, October, Carrot leaves Fodder Beet leaves, Rutabaga leaves, KShl-rabi leaves Artichoke Tops, Fermented hay from Maize, . . " " " Lupine,. " " " Beet leaves, . . *' " " Potato Tops, " " " Red Clover,.. III. Straw. Winter Wheat, Winter Rj'e, Winter Barley, Summer Barley, Oat, Summer Graiu Straws medium, . . . " " " very good,.. Winter " " medium,... " " " very good,... Fodder Vetch, Pea Field Bean, , Straw of Legumes, medium, , " " " very good, Lentils, Lupine, Seed Clover, Rape, Com Stalks, Chapp, Hulls, etc. Wheat, Rye Oats, Barley, Vetch, Pea, Bean, Lupine, Rape, Com Cobs, Roots and Tubeks. Potatoes, Artichokes, ... Fodder Beets,. Sugar Beets,... Carrots, Giant Carrots,. Rutabagas, Turnips, Parsnips, Gbains and Fruits. Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Maize, Millet Buckwheat, Rice hulled, Peas, Field Beans, Vetch, Lentil 21 87.3 82.0 81.5 8.5.0 87.0 84.7 89.0 82.0 78.0 82.2 90.5 .4 85.0 80.0 5 79.9 80.0 77.0 79.2 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 16.0 16.0 16.0 16.0 16.0 16.0 16.0 10.0 16.0 15.0 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 15.0 15.0 15.0 14.3 14.0 14.0 .75.0 .80.0 . &S.0 . 81.5 .85.0 .87.0 . 87.0 . 92.0 .88.3 14.4 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.4 14.0 14.0 14.0 14 3 14.5 14.3 14.5 9.2 7.5 10.0 13.0 8.0 6.0 5.5 3.6 8.5 2.8 2.8 3.5 5.1 0.3 2.0 5.2 0.2 2.8 0.140.22 40.0 0'44.0 343.0 5 40.0 39.5 .39.7 36.7 42.0 37.8 42.0 38.0 34.0 38.0 34.5 33.6 40.8 49.0 40.0 40.0 4.3 3.6 4.0 3.0 8.5 8.1 10.5 4.5 4.0 1.4 13.0 11.0 10.0 12.0 10.0 12.7 9.0 7.7 22.4 25^5 27.5 23.8 36.0 43.5 34.0 30.0 33.0 32.0 33.0 37.0 40.6 37.8 6.6 7.0 6.4 3.7 8.1 5.9 11.9 9.7 7.1 4.0 5.2 8.2 9.8 8.0 6.5 9.0 7.5 6.4 36.9 33.3 32.5 36.7 36.2 3 .4 32.9 34.9 36.7 29.0 31.0 .34.2 32.4 33.2 27.9 32.1 25.0 4 36.7 34.6 29.9 36.2 38.2 .33.5 36.9 34.0 39.0 31.3 42.6 20.7 15.5 9.1 15.4 10.8 9.6 9.5 5.3 10.2 66.4 67.4 63.9 55.7 62.1 57.5 58.7 75.2 52.5 45.9 45.8 49.2 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.3 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 1.2 2.6 2.2 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.4 2.0 1 2.5 i.a 1.4 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 1.1 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.4 1 1 1 2 2.0 2.0 1.7 1. 1. 1.511 2.0 9 2.5 6.0 6.5 3.3 9 1.5 0.4 2.0 6.7 7.4 6.6 4.8 8.2 6.0 11 8.3 7.0 4.0 5.1 7.6 9.4 8.6 7.0 6.3 6.2 7.2 8 35.6 8 36.5 8 31.4 40.6 40.1 40.4 .36.9 36.0 34.3 31.9 33.4 35.2 33.5 34 6 30 41.6 28.5 35.0 37.0 6. 20.2 1.623.0 24.8 2.6 21.4 32.8 34.9 36.6 35.0 34.3 36.2 34.7 44.2 33.4 41.7 21.8 16.8 10.0 16.7 12 10.8 10.6 6.1 11.2 61.3 65.4 58.9 43.3 60.6 45.0 47.0 72.7 54.4 50.2 48.2 51.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.412 0.3" 0.7 1.3 1.7 0.4 0.4 46.9 0.4 40.5 0.532.20. 0.6t 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 1.2 0.3 1.0 1.2 1.6 1.7 4 4.8 2.6 1.2 0.3 1 1.4 2.5 0.18 0.18 0.14 90.15 2 0.17 80.11 0.15 0.13 8 0.18 70.10 9 0.12 0.17 2 0.19 0.13 2 0.15 00.17 0.16 10.26 29.9 31.01) 0.8 15.5 1) 0.4 46.3 11 29.4 0. 9.8 12.0 1) 7.31) 9.7 7.2J0 4.70 19.4 7.4 0.5I25.9K) 0.3 3i.4|0 0.4 24.10 0.4 32.6 0.6 23.8 0.6|30.4 8.9 0. 9.80 40 1.21 1 1.2 0.5i6.7|0 0.7 17.2 0.4 71.2 7.3 7.90. 6.1 8.61 5.4 7.4 10.7 2.9 2.31 2.21 2.21 3.611 10.6 0.29 8.70.24 9.30.14 17.0 0.19 9.3 0.18 9.4 0.16 8.3 0.15 5.80.11 0.18 5.81.13 7.0 0.28 0.27 0.22 0.23 0.26 0.17 0.23 0.20 0.28 0.15 0.19 0.27 0.29 0.20 0.23 0.27 0.26 0.41 0.57 0.55 0.51 0.6S 0.69 0.69 0.73 0.58 0.58 0.71 0.69 0.86 0.75 0.S6 0.98 0.74 0.75 0.61 0.61 0.57 0.58 0.61 0.60 0.84 0.85 0.83 0.76 O.CA 0.64 0.46 0.38 0.22 0.30 0.28 0.24 0.24 0.16 28 1.76 1.68 1.47 1.53 1.73 1.45 1.19 1.49 3.25 2.36 2.53 2.32 170 Lupino 'yellow, ^' blue , Lliipced, Itape neiid. Ileinp seetl, I'oppy Heed, Cottnii Kocd, I'nlin eii'i'd, ("hinoMf Oil Bean, AconiH IVes'li " halfclried, " Hhelled und dried, riicstiuifw frcnh, AppleH and Pears, Cow melons, PumpkhiH, 13.3 13.2 1:2.3 11.8 12.2 14.7 7 7 7.6 6.9 6.3 37.7 17.0 49.2 83.1 91.4 89.1 IV. Manufacturing and Wahtk Products, etc. Sugar Beet Cake, Residue, Centrifugnl process, Clarifying refuse frenli, " " fermented, " " pressed and fer- mented, Sugar Beet Molasses, Molasses slump, Potato slnmp, Hye slump, Maize slump Potato, I Kesidue from 1 Rye, -J Manufacture of J- Wheat, (starch, ) Brewers' Grains, Malt sprouts, Green mall with sprouts, Ground malt without sprouts, \Vlieat Bran fine, " " coarse, Rye Bran, Wheat meal, Maize Bran , Buckwheat Bran, Pea Bran (Hulls), Pea meal, Pea bran meal, Mill<-t Hulls, Barley Bran, Rice meal, Rice Bran (Hulls), Rape cake, Rape meal (extracted), Linseed Cake, Linseed meal (extracted), Poppy seed Cake, Hempseed Cake, Beech nut Cake, " " shelled, Walnut Cake, Almond Cake, Chinese Oil Bean Cake, Olive oil Cake, Sun flower seed Cake, Palm nut Cake, " (extracted), Cocoanut Cake, ... Cotton-seed Cake, , Cotton-seed Cake, decorticated, Pumpkin seed cake, Flesli meal, Norwegian Pish Guano, Dried Blood Cockchafers, fresh, " dried, Cow's Milk, Skimmed Milk, Butter Milk Condensed Milk, Whey Cream, TO.O 82.0 94.8 92.0 9 11, 8.5 12 9 11 9, 16 12 13 9 13. 13 10 10 10 9 n 11 12. 11. 12. 12 70 13 87. 90. 90, 21 3.8 36 3.2I2I 3.4[20 8.919 4.5il6 6.3|17 7. 8122 1.8 8 4.6^38 l.ol 2 1.61 2.0 2I13.8 KI12.5 5' 7.2 4 10.3; 312.1 6.1 16.0 6.0 .5.3 4.4 4 5 9 8.0 i7.1 8.0 23 13 14 10 6 31 33 29 33 31 29 18 37 *t 41 40 '6 37 16 IS 20 28.0 4 41.71 4 19.6 37 12.1 12 2l.3:« 15.441. 15.4:10 2(1.8 49 26.218. 34. S t. 16.6 67.4 41.3 11.8 5.2 6.5 0.9 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.7 3.4 5.2 14.3 4.3 8 8.7 10.1 5.7 4.8 12.5 14.7 43 4.5 31.1 57.6 19.4 11.1 25 11.0 13.4 9 8.8 11.5 24.7 23.9 5.6 6.4 AM. 441. 8 4 6 23.664.2 4 0ll7.218.9j35 15.510.2 10 1-J 'J16.2:«) 17 2 15.3139 17.1 14.7 27 o:jl.a jts 18.3 12.1 3.3 4.8 8.9-20 5.5 27 33.4 9.9 17.4 20.2 14 2 22. '92 4.9 ;j.9' 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.3 1.0 0.1 1.5 2.2 1.1 2.1 1.5 2.3 ■i.> 3.5 4.r 3.; 4.( 4.4| 2.5| 3.£ II 4E 4.1 9.il 3. 9 3. 9 2.:; 8. 6.5 8.3 7..' 12.f lo.i i:).2 8.4 10.( 3.;; 12.f 6 1 13. 11. 12. 1. 3 10 3.6 0.7 l.( 12 O.C 31.81 *i.5 28.:j a. (130 9 :;.'.8 11.9 4.1 59.7 3.135.7 0.342.9 0.9 5.6 0.4 7.; 24.6 16 4.3 6.4 11.0 (M 4.6 5.8 5.4 5.4 0.813.7 5.2!l8.1 15.1 10.8 45.0 5.2 36.9 67.2 26 11.8 12.6 12.2 10.8 6.2 13.5 5.6 20.9 9.2 4.5 11.5 8.6 4.2 25.3 .5 24.8 27.8 26.8 20.9 13.5 31.2 31.1 37.2 3ti.3 3.6 31.3 16.1 17.6 18.2 17 31.0 0.0 9.2 4.1 4.1 13.0 .0 3.2 3.5 S.O 10.2 9 38 44.4 42.7 46 54.0 55.0 44.0 46.3 55.4 45.8 38.8 43.2 47.2 42.S 2;i.8 27.2 27.5 33.9 2.5.4 17.4 22.2 25.5 28.2 'i3.0 29.1 32 24 55.4 60.4 47.4 14.9 18.3 9 0.2 0.1 1 1 :^ 3.9 2 2.8 1.2 i (10 3.23 1 72 2 68 17 3.K5 2.653.97 2 013.13 2.-50 3.85 (18 3.24 75 4.28 2..V> 1.00 43 0.67 59 0.!tO t K5I.32 1. 52 0.81 ) 13 0.20 (MI0.14 08 0.13 2 I) I3.9I).30'0.47 16.(1 9.1 8.3 7 f 8.1 2.6 4.2 3.5 4.6 4.1 3 11.3' .•i.4 2.5 9^4 4.4 3.9 4.5 l'o!3 4.0 9.2 10.1 .61 4.f 8 8.0 ;3 11.5 .7 1.7 4 1.:: 1 4 1 2I 1.5 61 2.>s 1.4 l.S U.l I 19 0.29 (NIO.IO 1.100.15 t.l8 0. 1.921 1.12 0. ).13,0 14|0 i5;o IK. 1.44 0.»l 1.32 till 1 (HI ].(H;i. 1.04 1. l.lOll. 1.118 1 0.92 1. 1.15]1, 0.741 3.0(1.53 2, 5.:^0.8(ll 0.661 l.(Vtl l.KVl 0.6(!:l l.()(j;2 1.512 9 2.0 1.72 2 1.61|2 1.732 1.30 1.08 l.tKt ■>.n ].6|2.14 1 16.5 1.3 4.9 3, 4.1 1 1.61 2.15 91 1.93 i.(;i l.+l 1.692 1. 14! 2.07|3 >.744 0.4|H..54|5 i.013 ■•«i3 71!1 0.6 0.(; 2 (li 4.4 I). 310. 1.9 2 6 8.3 1 ).22 18 6.(10.11 171 COMPOSITION AND VALUATIONS OF AMEEICAN FEEDING STUFFS. The followiuff table contains the analyses of some of the feeding stuffs reported in pages 23-39 and 15y-lGl, with valuations as in the German table just preceding. It includes likewise a number of analyses by Professors Storer and Johnson, and Mr. Sharpless. FEEDING STUFFS, Green Fodder. Norfolk White Maize XXI. Southern White Maize.. XXIV. Hungarian Grass— early in bios, XX\". " " in full bios.. Hat. XIII. Timothy— well headed out XIV'^. '■ in full blossom XV. "■ out of blossom XVI. " nearly ripe XVir. Red Clover— just before bios.. . XVm. " iu full blossom.... XIX. '• nearly out of bios, XX. " nearly ripe XXIV. Hungarian— heads partly filled . XXV. " heads devel., seeds soft. XXVI. '■ nearly ripe Norfolk White Maize XXI. Southern White Maize Salt Mar.sh Hat. Better quality mixed Black Grass Rush Salt Grass Coarse Salt Marsh Grass Fresh Marsh Hat. Bog Hay— cut in June " " August Weeds. Whiteweed (Ox-Eye Daisy).. Buttercups Beach Pea Vines Straw akd Cobs. XXXIV. Oat XLII. Rye Buckwheat XXXm. Corn Cobs Gr.vins and Fruits. XII. Barley Feed XI. Rice Feed XXIX. Oats, No. 1, White XXXI. Oats XXXII. Corn, N. E. Yellow, 8-rowed. C. " King Philip " Mass. White Flint " Mass. Red Flint A. " Early Button " Sweet XL. " Western YeUow XLI. " Southern White XXVIII. Apples Milling and Waste Products. Coarse Wheat Bran Wheat Middlings LVI. Corn Starch Feed LVII. Brewers' Grains St. Louis Ship Stuff XXXVII. Rye Bran Malt Sprouts Oil-Cake and Meai.. XXVn. Linseed Cake XLV. Cotton Seed Meal XL VIII. Palm Nut Meal Slaughter-House Waste. XLTTT, XLIX. Dried Blood XLIV. .Moat Scrap , XLVII. Ground Dried Flesh Fish Waste. L. Dry Ground Fish p.c 85.-; 85.7 5.0 75.0 12.5 12 12.5 12.5 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 16.7 16.7 16.7 25.0 25.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 12.5 10.0 10.0 10.9 8.2 7.9 12.5 12.5 10.4 12.1 9.9 15.1 11.2 12.4 12.7 9.8 10.2 12.0 8.1 10.8 13.0 12.7 83.3 11.4 11.8 73.2 75.2 11.8 12.9 11.6 9.1 7.3 7.9 7.2 4.2 8.3 12.5 p.c. 0.8 1.1 2.2 1.3 4.1 .3.8 3.6 3.2 7.3 6.6 6.3 5.6 7.2 4.3 5.3 5.5 4.3 6.9 .5.1 6.6 10.8 6.2 5.4 6.4 5.2 7.0 1.8 8.0 5.1 1.3 Organic Substances. p.c. 0.9 1.3 3.2 2.4 8.4 6.2 6.2 5.5 12.2 11.6 11.3 8.9 10.7 8.0 5.7 9.9 4.5 7.3 6.7 4.6 5.3 9.6 6.7 7.0 10.7 23.3 2.3 6.9 3.9 1.2 12.7 9.3 11.5 8.0 10.0 11.9 9.2 12.1 9.6 11.4 8.9 9.7 0.3 12.9 11.4 3.6 5.9 11.1 12.6 25.9 .33.4 41.5 13.5 63.0 47.3 67.4 49.6 p.c. 4.9 4.6 8.7 8,3 38.9 29.1 29.6 .31,0 23.8 23.8 25,6 27.2 28.9 27,6 29.9 24.3 25.7 33.1 .33.7 33.8 30.6 32.8 32.8 5 S p.c, 7.4 7.1 10.5 12.6 44.4 46.6 46.6 45.7 41.1 41.7 41.0 43.0 34.8 41.9 41.9 37.3 39.1 40.8 4.3.2 44.3 .38.3 39.3 42.7 31.0 42.3 30.7 41.6 29.4 27.6 60.0 34 2 45.9 38.0 7.0 8.1 12.2 12.9 1.7 2.2 1.5 3.0 3.5 3.8 3.0 1.8 0.9 8.1 4.8 .3.4 .3.9 5.6 3.5 9.3 7.3 3.1 18.8 26.4 .35.7 33.3 51.7 63.5 59.9 57.8 59.0 69.3 70.1 74.3 69.5 72.6 64.3 (0.8 70.4 15.0 59.1 66.8 18.8 13.2 .5 67.0 45.5 31.5 34.4 41.1 Digestible Nutrients. p.c. 7.4 7.6 11.5 11.0 43.6 39.9 39.9 40.3 38.8 38.5 38.8 39.2 38.3 36.7 37.6 40.0 38.9 38.7 40.3 40.5 36.3 2.1 4.8 .38.4 2.4 3.4 40.0 1.0 2.7 1.6 0.1 3.2 1.6 5.1 4.7 4.9 4.5 3.4 3.4 5.7 7.7 4.1 4.1 0.4 .3.5 2.9 2.0 1.5 2.8 3.3 1.1 11.6 18.0 14.8 6.4 2.1 6.5 9.5 0.8 1.6 9 o!6 10.1 7.3 8.7 6.0 8.4 10.0 7.7 10 1 8.1 9.6 7.5 8.2 0.3 10.0 8.9 3 2 4.8 8.7 106 30.8 27,6 33.2 13.9 42.2 45.0 64.1 44.6 38.7 37.1 44.9 57.1 491 43.3 44.3 65.8 66 70.3 66.0 3 61.8 67.3 66.8 13.7 48.5 54.8 19,3 11.3 54.5 50.0 43.7 27.0 17.6 56 .3.1 2.6 1 1.2 2.5 2.3 0.9 10.4 16.2 14.0 5.7 2.0 6.0 8.6 1: 14,9 9.2 6 9.4 10.4 13.2 13.6 15.3 6.1 6.9 7.1 10.3 6.7 9.4 14.1 9.2 14.9 11.1 13.5 19.1 15.0 8.3 12.4 MONBT Value. 49.4 34.8 75.0 6.2 7.3 6.2 8.9 8.6 7.5 9.9 7.2 9.9 8.0 10.0 9.2 ro.8 5.6 6.9 7.4 3.0 7.0 5.3 2.3 2.0 1.8 7.3 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.5 10.09 0.11 0.19 0.16 0.62 0.52 0.51 0.50 0.67 0.64 0.63 0.56 0.64 0.53 0.48 0.58 0.49 0.54 0.54 0.48 0.47 0.58 0.54 0.40 0.44 0.42 1.05 0.82 0.94 0.82 1.09 1.18 1.00 1.07 1.16 1.19 1.04 1.09 0.13 1.01 1.00 0.39 0..36 0.97 1.00 1.33 1.89 2.30 1.67 2.03 3.04 2.30 172 FEEDING STANDARDS. The feeding standards herewith .ire as piven by Woltf, (M. & v. L. Landw. Kalfndnr, 1879.) By total orjranic siibstan<«' is meant the orf,'anic matter of the whole ration considered free from water and jish. For further explanations see preceding pages. A.— Pen Day anh peu 1.()00 lbs. Livi; Wkigiit. 1. Oxen at rest in stall 2. Wool shet'p, coarser breeds, " tlner breeds 3. O.xen iiiodfrutely worked, " heavily worked 4. Ilorees niodenitely worked, " heavily worked, .'j. Mik'li I'owi* 6. Fattening oxen, 1st period, " 2d " " M " 7. Fattening sheep, Ist period, 2<1 " 8. Fattening swine, 1st Period, 2d " " 3d " 9. Growing cattle: Average live weight Age, Dionths. per head. 2—3 150 lbs., S—G 300 " 6—12 500 '• 12—18 700 " 18—24 850 " 10. Growing sheep : 5—6 501bs., (>— 8 07 " 8—11 75 " 11—15 82 " 15—20 85 " II Growing, fat pigs : 2—3 50 lbs., 3—5 100 " 5—6 125 " 6—8 170 " 8—12 250 " B.— Per Day and peb Head. Growing cattle : 2—3 150 lbs., 3—6 »)0 " 6—12 500 " 12-18 700 " 18—24 850 " Growing sliccp: 5-6 56 lbs., 6-8 67 " 8—11 75 " 11-15 82 " 1.5—20 85 " Growing, fat swine : 2—3 50 lbs 3—5 100 " 5-6 125 " 6—8 170 " 8-12 260 " 2-3 Ibt;. 17.5 20.0 22.5 24.0 26.0 22.5 25.5 24.0 27.0 26.0 25.0 26.0 25.0 36.0 31.0 2.3.5 22.0 2:^.4 24.0 24.0 24.0 28.0 25.0 2:10 22.5 22.0 42.0 34.0 :«.5 27.0 21.0 3.3 7.0 12.0 16.8 20.4 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.1 3.4 3.9 4.6 5.2 Nutritive (di^'cstiblc) substances. lbs. 0.7 1.2 1.5 1.6 2.4 1.8 2.8 2.5 2.5 3.0 2.7 3.0 3.5 5.0 4.0 2.7 4.0 3.2 2.5 2.0 1.6 3.2 2.7 2.1 1.7 1.4 7.5 5.0 4.3 3.4 2.5 0.6 1.0 1.3 1.4 1.4 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.14 0.12 0..38 0.50 0.54 0.58 0.62 lbs. 8.0 10.3 11.4 11.3 13.2 11.2 13.4 12.5 1.5.0 14.8 14.8 15.2 14.4 lbs. 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.,'50 060 0.80 0.10 0.50 0.70 60 0.50 0.60 27.5 24.0 17.5 13.8 13.5 1:^.5 13.0 12.0 15.6 1.3.3 11.4 10.9 10.4 2.0 1.0 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.8 06 0.5 0.4 0.3 30.0 25.0 23.7 20.4 16.2 2.1 4.1 68 9.1 10.3 0.S7 0.85 0.&5 0.89 0.88 0.30 O.:30 o.m 0.28 0.26 0.045 0.040 0.037 0.0.32 0.025 1.50 2.50 2.96 3.47 4.05 lbs. 8.85 11.70 13.15 13.20 16.10 13.(UI 17.0(1 15 40 18.00 1S..50 18.10 18.70 18.50 .32.50 28.00 20.20 19.8 17.7 16.6 15.4 13.9 19.6 16.6 14.0 13.0 12.1 37.5 30.0 28.0 23.8 18.7 3(H) 5.40 8.40 10.78 11.96 1.095 1.060 1.047 1.062 1.047 1.88 3.00 3.50 4.05 4.67 173 FODDER RATIONS. Mr. Jordan has made use of the feeding standards and analyses just given in calculating the following rations for various farm animals. It is not meant that just these proportions must he used. The important thing is to mix the foods on hand or to be bought so as to secure the best result at the lowest cost. These are simply examples of mixtures that contain the nutrients in about the proportions believed to be best adapted to the purpose. I cannot give what seems to me the right view of this system of calculating food rations, better than in the words of a shrewd and intelligent Gfrm.an farmer, in answer to a ques- tion as to what he thought of them : "As indications of what is best, they are invaluable ; to follow them blindly would be folly." DAILY RATIONS FOR 1,000 LBS. LIVE WEIGHT. A. Maintenance Fodder for full grown, labor-free Oxen. lbs. 5 1 Clover hay, best, Wheat straw. Linseed cake. lbs. 6 12 2 2 Medium meadow hayj Oat straw, Coarse bran. lbs. , 6 17 4 3 Poor Timothy, Corn stalks. Corn meal. lbs. 25 20 1 4 Oat straw, Potatoes, Cotton-seed meal. lbs. 10 20 2 5 Poor Timothy, Sugar beets. Corn meal. lbs. 6 15 6 Clover hay, best. Oat straw. B. Fodder FOR Oxen at moderate work. lbs. 20 7 Good meadow hay. Corn meal. lbs. 20 2 4 8 Medium Timothy, Coarse bran, Corn meal. lbs. 12 13 3 9 Good meadow hay, Oat straw, Linseed cake. lbs. 12 10 22 10 Clover hay, best. Rye straw. Potatoes. lbs. 12 10 7 11 Clover hay, good, Wheat straw. Wheat bran. lbs. 10 14 20 1 12 Clover hay, best. Oat straw. Mangolds, Cotton-seed meal. lbs. 13 20 Best meadow hay, 10 Corn meal. C. Fodder for Oxen at severe work. lbs. 14 lbs. 14 17 Clover, good, 3 Wheat bran, 10 Corn meal. 15 25 Medium meadow hay, 3 Wheat bran, 3 Linseed cake. D. Winter fodder for Milch Cows. lbs. 16 20 Best meadow hay, 5 Wheat Bran, 3 Palm nut meal, lbs. 19 10 Clover hay, best, 1 5 Poor Timothy, 20 Turnips, 3^ Linseed cake. lbs. 22 10 Best meadow hay, 15 Wheat straw, 5 Wheat bran, 3i Cotton-seed meal. lbs. 17 lbs. 18 20 Good clover. 17 Best meadow hay, 20 Beet pulp, 16 Corn stalks, 2 Cotton-seed meal. 3 Wheat bran, 2 Cotton-seed meal. lbs. 20 lbs. 21 20 Hungarian hay, 20 Clover hay, best. 20 Mangolds, H Wheat bran, 3 Wheat bran, 50 Turnips. 2 Linseed cake. lbs. 23 lbs. 20 Clover hay, medium, 20 30 Mangolds, 30 4 Malt sprouts. 6 24 Clover hay, best, Turnips, Corn meal. ot 174 Fodder fok Gkowino Cattle, one to two yeaus old. lbs. 25 lbs. 26 Ibx. 27 15 Medium meadow hay , 20 Oat straw, 15 Medium meadow ha; 18 live straw, ."JO Turnips, 20 Corn Stalks, 2 Cottonseed meal. .5 Wh.'at bran, 2 Cotton-seed meal. >f Meat scrap. U>8. 28 Ihs. 29 Ib.t. 30 10 Good clover, 20 Poor meadow hay. 20 Good mca