EXPERIMENTAL FARM OF THE l ! SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE, FOR THE YEAR 1886. R. H. LOUGH RIDGE, Ph. D„ J^ROFESSOR OF ^GRICULTURE, ^GRICULTURAL pHEMISTRY, C. | COLUMBIA, S. C. Charles A. Calvo, Jr., State Printer. 1887. . -1 4 . learning anb |Tabor. LIBRARY University of Illinois. CLASS. BOOK. VOLUME. # Sr^&.x ?.• # . # ^ Accession No. ^ ' ' . REPORT OF THE WORK 8881 OF THE EXPERIMENTAL FARM OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE, FOR THE YEAR 1886. R. H. LOUGH RIDGE, Ph. D„ Professor of Agriculture, Agricultural Chemistry, &c. COLUMBIA, S. C. Charles A. Calvo, Jr. , State Printer. 1887. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. Prof. J. M. McBryde, President South Carolina College. Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith my Report on the result of experiments conducted on the Farm of the South Carolina College during the year 1886. These number upwards of two hundred in all, and are largely repetitions of experiments of the three previous years inaugurated by your- self. The work has been done under the supervision of the Superintendent, Mr. S. I. Gaillard, and the results attained are due to his intelligent and unremitting care, as well as to his attention to the minutest detail of execu- tion. In the tabulation of the results of the experiments and in the work of experimentation itself, such as examinations of cotton fibre, &c., and in other work necessary in the preparation of this Report, I am indebted greatly to the students of the classes under my charge in the Agricultural course of the College ; and to the class in Surveying, under Prof. Sloan, for services in the field. The Report as arranged embraces the following sub- jects Description of the Farm and analyses of its soils. Tests of fertility of the unfertilized soil. Experiments with Cotton. — Comparison tests of the different varieties of cotton, their yields in seed cotton, seed and lint. Comparison of average yields of seed cotton and lint during cultivation of several years. Effects of drouth upon yields of seed and lint. Relative values of large and small seed varieties. Field tests of varieties — one acre each. Measurements of lengths of lint of each variety. Fertilizer Experiments. — Tests with various fertilizers upon cotton, em- bracing home-made composts, commercial ammoniated and phosphatic fertil- izers, mixtures of chemicals, &c. The profit or loss in the use of each is also given. Other Field Crops. — Embracing grasses, grain, forage crops, tobacco, &c. The Report closes with a statement of the experimental work now in pro- gress for 1887. Very respectfully, R. H. LQUGHRIDGE. Columbia, S. C., Nov. 15th, 1887. ‘}99J,1S MW n S •13JYH0 cno (-S0JOY fii) •SIS3X XIVUO 11YKS •199JL1S ms REPORT The experimental work of the Department of Agriculture of the College has been conducted chiefly on its lands lying adjacent to the College build- ings, comprising in all about ISf- acres. These are in three tracts. On the west side of the old College Chapel, at the head of Sumter street, 2 1-6 acres, devoted to cotton ; on the east side of the same building, or between Sumter and Bull streets, acres, devoted to the main tests with varieties of cotton, with different fertilizers and manures, and with small grain ; and, lying still eastward, 4 acres, devoted to cotton experiments. In addition to the above 13| acres there is a field of 36 acres on Wheeler hill which is yearly rented for the production of corn and oats for the use of the farm stock, tests with various fertilizers being made at the same time. A portion of this field is devoted to cotton. In addition, there are about two acres on which various grasses and forage crops are grown for experiment, a large part being devoted to the production of hay. The Farm, therefore, in 1886, embraced nearly 52 acres, and upon it there were made nearly 200 experiments with many varieties of cotton, fertilizers, grain, grasses, tobacco, etc., and has required the constant care and attention of the Superintendent during the entire season. The chief experimental field, viz., that lying between Sumter and Bull streets just east of the old chapel — has been carefully surveyed and laid off into three lots, the central lot being 1£ acres in area. The other two were then subdivided into plats of 1-20 acre each, on which the experiments were conducted. The work of subdivision was done by the students of the Col- lege, under direction of the Professor of Mathematics. A diagram of each lot, showing the arrangement and numbering of each plat, accompanies this Report. The soil is of that dark sandy character peculiar to the region in which Columbia is situated. It is here only about six inches in depth and is under- laid by a bright red subsoil, more clayey than the soil, but still very sandy. The natural timber growth is long and short leaf pines, red and post oaks. The following analyses of soils and subsoils were given in the former Report and were made by myself in the College laboratory. The method of analysis used was that originally adopted by Dr. Robert Peter, of the Kentucky Geologi- cal Survey, in the very large number of soil examinations made for both the Arkansas and Kentucky Reports, and also adopted by Professor E. W. Hil- gard in similar analyses made for Mississippi and for the Reports of the Tenth United States Census, (Yols. 5 and 6,) as well as in his present work in the California College of Agriculture. The method is also in use by the Alabama Geological Survey. 6 No. i. ^oil of unfertilized plats in the field devoted to the tests with fertil- izers. It has been under cultivation for a number of years, and always with cotton. The sample is a mixture of the soils of several of these plats and Was taken to a depth of six inches, where the red subsoil began. No. 2. Red subsoil of the above ; more clayey than the soil, though quite sandy. Taken from six to twelve inches. No. 3. /Soil from that portion of the field devoted to the experiments with cotton varieties ; has been under cultivation a number of years in cotton and has been fertilized to Some extent. Cotton seed has also been scattered over the surface. Taken six inches deep. No. 4. Red clayey subsoil of the above. Taken from six to twelve inches deep, TABLE I. Analyses of Soils dnd Subsoils of College flafUL Unfertilized Plats oe Fertilized Test Field, fertilized Plats op Cotton Variety Field. Light Soil, No. 1. Bed Subsoil. No. 2. Light Soil, No. 3, Red Subsoil. No, 4. Insoluble residue, Soluble Silica Potasb .... — .... Soda T.ime . , . , . . . . .... , . 00 .'Slf 91.553 .124 .072 .120 .145 ,008 2.258 2.993 .056 .016 2.541 7 L523 \ 88 * 989 .155 .141 ,149 .163 .017 3.305 4.701 .157 .024 2,510 “Iwi 1 w - 8 « .104 .061 .114 .103 .103 1,300 2.533 .148 .020 3.621 88,824 l gj, .625) .087 .064 .108 .190 .003 5,775 4.026 .010 .023 2.615 Magnesia Brown Oxide of Manganese Iron Oxide — ......... Alumina Phosphoric Acid Sulphuric Acid Vegetable matter and water Hygroscopic moisture, . . 99.888 1.5o 100.311 1.95 100,382 0.97 100.410 2.80 The Soil of the unfertilized plats (No. 1) contains a fair amount of potash for one so sandy in character, and has also a fair amount of lime and mag- nesia. The phosphoric acid, however, is Very low, and were it not for the subsoil, which is well supplied with this important element of fertility, the cotton plants would not be as thrifty nor yield such fair crops as are yearly produced on these unfertilized plats (see Table II below). The potash of the subsoil is fair. With larger percentages of potash and lime in the subsoil, the yields in cotton would more nearly equal those of the manured plats. The soil and subsoil of that portion of the field nearest the old College Chapel, and devoted to the tests with varieties of cotton, are not as rich in plant food as those of the other part of the field, and contain much building rubbish in places. The potash percentage is very low in each, the lime and magnesia percentages are fair, while in the amounts of phosphoric acid that of the soil is large and of the subsoil deficient, This soil doubtless has derived its excess above the other soil (No. 1) from the cotton seed that has at times been thrown over its surface. The subsoil has not apparently been benefited by it. The larger alumina and iron percentages in the subsoils show the increased amount of clay above that of the soils, and also account for the greater amount of hygroscopic moisture, or increased retentive power for moisture. Small Grain Field. 8 118 Taylor 119 Jow,ers Improved 130 Wise 121 Taylor 122 Jo were Improved 85 Crossland 93 Meyers Texas 101 Dickson’s Cluster 109 Williamson Shines Prolific U Early 117 22 CD w * B e8 ® 84 93 100 108 1] a) '6 Peterkin Thomas Duncan’s Mammoth Cobweb Cherry Long Stapl Griffin’s Improved 83 91 99 107 115 Common Williamson Richardson New Texas Drought Proof 83 Dickson’s Cluster 90 Ccbweb 98 Dickson’s Improved 106 Hays China 114 Allen’s Silk 81 Duncan’s Mammoth 89 New Texas 97 Jones’ Improved 105 J Crawford’s Peerless 113 Herlong 80 88 96 104 112 Richardson Hay’s China Drought Proof Crossland Meyer’s Texas 79 Dickson’s Improved 87 Ozier Silk 95 Allen’s Silk 103 Peterkin 111 Thomas 78 Jones’s Improved 86 Crawford’s Peerless 95 Herlong 102 Common 110 Ozier Silk Divine Street. PLATS WITH COTTON VARIETIES. Sumter Street. 9 EXPEKIMENTS WITH COTTON. The greater number of the experiments on the Farm have been given to cotton, because of its importance to the farmers of the State. These experi- ments embraced competitive tests of such of the many varieties offered for sale in this and other States that could be obtained ; and tests with a large number of fertilizers, both commercial, home-made and of chemicals. These were made in duplicate upon plats widely separated, so as to represent a fair average and neutralize such results as might be due chiefly to differences in fertility in the plats. In making these tests, the many difficulties incident to all cotton crops were encountered ; the great trouble in securing a good stand in the sandy soil, the retarding of the growth of the young plants by lack of moisture and sufficient plant food in the soil, and by cool nights, the disasters by winds, hail and drought, as well as the misfortunes attending a four months’ harvest time, have all been experienced, and have influenced seriously the compara- tive results. The results, therefore, of the experiments, as shown in the tables, must be taken only as general, and small differences in yields may be disregarded. It is more than probable that the average product obtained does, in very many cases, represent the true result under fair conditions. The results given in the tables are of special value, in that they have been conducted for a series of four years upon the same plats, thus covering both favorable and unfavorable seasons. Season of 1886 . — The season at the time of planting, and for several weeks after, was most unfavorable. While rains were not infrequent, the effects were not beneficial, by reason of much cold wind, which dried the soil so rapidly that germination of the seed was rendered slow and imperfect. Consequently the stands were wretched, requiring continued replanting until about the 22d of June. The cotton plant grew off very slowly and appeared most unpromising until July, when the season became propitious and cotton improved and boiled rapidly and heavily until the end of the month, when cold winds set in and the crop failed rapidly under the blighting influence of the hot sun of the day and the cool winds of night. There was dew during the month of August and little or no rain. Under these circumstances cotton again failed rapidly and. almost ceased blooming until in September, when the rains began and the crop took a second growth, producing a new crop of bolls, too late, how- ever, to mature before the killing frost on the 27th of November. There was no middle crop made, and although there was a good top crop of bolls, they were too late and made nothing. The result was the shortest crop of cotton ever made on the Farm. The corn crop was excellent, a fine stand being secured at the start and the season favorable to the end. The yield was remunerative and very satis- factory, having been made very economically at a cost of $2. 70 per acre for fertilizer and inexperienced labor. TESTS OF FERTILITY OF THE NATURAL SOIL. In order to determine as nearly as possible the average fertility of. the soil in its unfertilized condition, with which to compare the results of the tests 10 with fertilizers, eleven plats were selected in 1883 in diagonal rows across the field, as shown in the diagram. This it was believed would secure an almost exact average of the whole lot. These plats have remained unfertilized and the cotton produced by them has been carefully weighed and estimated per ncre. The results upon each plat appear in the following table, in which also is given the general average of each plat for the four years, the general .average of all of the plats for each year, and finally that of all the plats for the entire four years : TABLE II. Tests of Fertility of the Unfertilized Flats. YIELD IN SEED COTTON PER ACRE IN POUNDS. 5 Manure. Each Plat. Average of All the PlAts. ■ O o 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. Aver’ge for Four Years. 1883. 1884. 1885. Aver’ge 1886. !for Four ! Years. 4 None. 1,150 1,100 1,260 1,230 1,300 950 1,400 1,380 1,580 1,380 1,240 1,120 1,280 1,280 1,200 1,100 1,428 913 858 1,209 1,057 1,201 11 834 21 25 n 1,018 1,160 1,239 960 944 u 790 1,140 1,235 937 1,165 1,038 967 31 41 46 1,162 720 834 1,120 1,811 1,097 804 1,083 it 1,170 1,020 1,140 750 1,378 1,128 934 51 61 71 76 fcl 726 tfc 596 it 794 532 799 1,250 1,460 1,110 856 1,169 Not only does each plat vary greatly in its own product for each of the four years, but all of the plats differ from each other in this regard. These differences are doubtless due to some local cause, (such as low places, where washings from adjoining plats had accumulated,) for the same variety of eotton was planted on all the plats and the same care was given to each. Of the several years it will be seen that 1884 was the most favorable, because of the very late and long season ; whereas, the year 1886 was by far the least favorable for cotton. The plat yielding the highest average for the latter year was the one which gave nearly the same yield in 1884, though at that time it stood seventh in productiveness. Plat No. 21 stood first in 1884, but second in 1886, the decrease being more than 500 pounds of seed cotton. On the contrary, plat 71, which yielded the least amount in 1884, did the same in 1886, and in the general average for the four years also stands lowest, the difference between its yield and that of the highest being 436 pounds. The general average for 1886 is very low, being 804 pounds of seed cotton, or but about 275 pounds of lint per acre. This year’s result has brought the general average for the four years down very low— 1,085 pounds, or about 362 pounds of lint per acre, as an average for the entire number of unferti- lized plats. 11 The decrease in the yield of the plats in 1886 amounted to 27 per cent, of the yield of 1885. It was greatest in plats 4 and 46, being respectively forty and thirty-nine per cent. It was least in the three plats 11, 21 and 81, in the southeastern part of the field, being from six to nine per cent. TESTS WITH DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF COTTON. Our experiments with different varieties of cotton have been in progress since 1888. The plats set apart for these tests were all in the same part of the field, adjacent to Sumter street. The soil was of good quality, and of apparently uniform fertility throughout. They were not fertilized. The plats, 1-20 acre each, were parallelograms, much longer than broad. They were carefully laid off by the students of the College, under direction of the Professor of Mathematics. Every test was made in duplicate — the two plats planted with the same variety of seed being separated from each other by considerable intervals. The plats were all prepared and manured alike, and planted the same day, on the 23d of April. The land was carefully checked, so as to give each the same number of* hills. The after-culture, the time of picking, weighing, ginning, &c. , were the same for all. Hence, all received the same treatment, the only difference being in the variety of seed used. Efforts were made to obtain as many as possible of the varieties of cotton advertised and known to be offered for sale, and twenty-eight were secured. Two of these, the Texas Storm-proof and the McCall’s Improved, were received too late to be placed in competition with the others. Some of the varieties had already been planted on the College Farm during the previous years and the seed had become somewhat deteriorated from close proximity to the plants of other varieties, and fresh seed were obtained, as far as possible, from the owners. The names of the varieties are given in the table below, arranged in the order of maximum yield for 1886. In order to make the competition as fair as possible, the missing hills were carefully determined by actual count, at the close of the season, and the necessary calculations made to give to each plat a full possible yield with no missing hills. Each variety was picked, weighed, ginned, and again weighed separately, and the percentage of lint carefully noted. Every care was taken to make the experiments exact. 12 TABLE III. Tests of Varieties of Cotton for 1886 . Varieties. 79 Dickson’s Improved. 98 Same 120 Wise 84Peterkin 103 Same, 81 Duncan’s Mammoth. 100 Same 85 Crossland 104 Same.. . . 83 Common 102 Same 122 Jower's Improved — 119 Same 80 Richardson 99 Same 121 Taylor 118 Same 92 111 78 97 90 108 82 101 Thomas Same Jones’ Improved Same Cobweb Same Dickson’s Cluster. . . Same 86 Crawford’s Peerless. 105 Same 94 Herlong 113 Same 93 Meyers Texas 112 Same 87 Ozier Silk HOi Same 96 Drought Proof 115 Same 116 Griffin’s Improved. . . 88 106 89 107 95 114 91 109 117 116 117 Hay’s China. Same New Texas Same Allen’s Silk Same Williamson Same Shine’s Early Prolific. Cherry’s Long Staple. Maxey’s Texas QQ Yield in Seed Average op T3 © Tk Cotton. Similar Plats. O 3 a © a a C3 i <3 o O'ffi t_l CO ©C Actual. Cor- rected. si® Actual. Cor- rected. si .5 ®i-4 Ph Actual. Cor- rected. 4.8 7.1 1,120 1,205 1,176 ) 1,296 f 5.9 1,163 1,236 32.7 380 404 3.2 1,150 1,188 3.2 1,150 1,188 36.4 419 432 6.7 2.3 1,170 1,085 1,254 ; 1,112 4.5 1,128 1,183 39.3 442 465 1.6 6.3 1,185 1,060 1,204 1,132 f 4.0 1,123 1,168 37.0 416 432 7.5 2.3 1,170 980 1,266 1,000 ; 4.9 1,075 1,133 38.0 409 431 9.5 2.3 1,045 1,010 1,158 i 1,034 i t r 5.9 1,028 1,096 31.8 327 348 4.6 3.6 960 1,050 1,040 i 1,128 ' • 4.1 1,025 1,084 32.3 331 350 6.3 5,5 975 1,055 1,042 i 1,116 i 1 r 5.9 1,015 1,079 30.1 306 325 6.4 4.8 880 1,100 940 i 1,216 i i 5.6 990 1,078 31.9 316 344 7.1 5.9 1,085 890 1,168 i 946 I [ 6.5 988 1,057 32.0 316 338 3.9 2.3 990 1,065 1,022 j 1,090 ! i 3.1 1,028 1,056 31.0 319 327 6.3 1.2 1,100 815 1,174 i 924 j !_ 3.8 958 1,049 32.0 307 336 5.9 2.3 1,035 950 1,118 1 974 j i . 4.1 993 1,046 30.9 307 323 2.7 5.1 1,105 895 1,138 | 944 j I 3.9 990 1,041 29.3 290 305 2.4 1.9 1,070 950 1,096 | 970| i 2.2 1,010 1,033 30.0 303 310 5.5 3.5 1,000 965 1,058 | 1,000 j 4.5 983 1,029 31.6 311 325 1.1 5.9 965 975 982) 1,036 j 3.5 970 1,009 33.0 220 333 1.9 3.2 1,015 895 1,034 926 2.6 955 980 30.7 293 301 9.5 840 980 9.5 840 980 36.3 305 356 2.4 3.2 1,005 865 1,0.28 t 906 f 2.8 935 967 29.2 273 282 2.4 1.5 1,010 865 1,034 ) 878 f 2.0 938 956 31.2 293 298 4.3 2.4 945 , 880 988) 912 f 3.4 913 950 31.0 282 295 4.7 7.1 1,100 690 1,156 l 742 f 5.9 895 949 31.6 283 300 8.7 780 852 8.7 780 852 32.2 251 274 8.7 770 844 8.7 770 844 30.3! 233 256 4.7 710 744 4.7 710 744 30. o! 213 223 The so-called common cotton in the above list is intended to represent the ordinary unimproved seed as taken at random from the gin house. It was obtained in another County and from a farm which gives good yearly returns. 13 The varieties, arranged in the above table according to maximum yield in seed cotton per acre, show very great differences in productiveness, that dif- ference amounting to as much as 492 pounds between that of the Dickson’s Improved on the one hand and that of the Maxey’s Texas on the other. The general average of the entire number was 1,080 pounds of seed cotton per acre, and it will be observed that nineteen varieties fall below this average in their respective yields. In this table the first column gives the percentage of missing hills in each plat. It will be seen that among the single plats one each of the Ozier Silk, Cobweb, New Texas, Duncan’s Mammoth, Herlong and Drought Proof varieties had less than two per cent, of its hills missing ; ten plats had less than three per cent. ; while at the other extreme the Griffin’s Improved and Common cot- ton had each 9. 5 per cent, missing. There are seventeen other plats which had more than five per cent, of missing hills. Combining the plats which were planted in the same variety of cotton, we are enabled to get the stand made by each of the twenty-six: varieties. We thus find that the New Texas with but 2 per cent., the Herlong with 2.2, the Drought Proof with 2. 6 and Hay’s China with 2. 8 per cent, of missing hills, took the best stand. Thirteen varieties had between 3 and 5 per cent., five varieties had between 5 and 6 per cent., the Thomas 6.5, the Shine’s Early Prolific and Cherry’s Long Staple each 8.7 per cent., while the Griffin’s Improved stands at the other extreme with 9.5 per cent., of missing hills. The Dickson’s Improved, the Wise and Peterkin varieties, which stand at the head in their respective yields per acre, had respectively 5.9, 3.2 and 4.5 per cent, of missing hills, that of the Dickson’s Improved being exceeded but by four varieties. Taking the varieties planted in 1885 and 1886, the following table for com- parison is made, showing the percentage of missing hills for each variety in each year, beginning with the Dickson’s Improved, which in 1885 had the largest percentage ; the remainder are arranged in the order of highest to lowest : TABLE IV. Comparison of Percentages of Missing Hills. Varieties. 1885. 1886. Average. Dickson’s Improved 13.0 5.9 1 9.5 Jones’ Improved 8.9 3.1 6.0 Richardson’s Improved 8.0 5.9 6.3 Duncan’s Mammoth 8.2 40 6.1 Dickson’s Cluster 8.1 41 6.1 Hay’s China 7.3 2.8 5.1 New Texas 7.3 2.0 47 Ozier Silk 7.0 3.5 5.3 Oobweb 6.8 3’ 8 5.3 Thomas 6 3 6 5 0.4 Crawford’s Peerless 6.2 49 5.‘l Williamson 5.5 5.9 5.7 Common 5 0 5 9 5 5 Peterkin 47 45 47 14 For 1885 the Dickson’s Improved is seen to have had the largest per cent, of missing hills — 18 per cent. — the Jones’ Improved, Richardson and Dun- can’s Mammoth coming next with 8.9 to 8.2 per cent., and the. Peterkin stand- ing at the other extreme with but 4.7 per cent. For 1886 the Thomas has the greatest per cent. (6.5),'followed by the Dick- son’s Improved, Richardson’s Improved, Williamson and the Common, each with 5.9 per cent, as already shown. Combining these two years, we find as an average the Dickson’s Improved with the poorest stand, 9.5 per cent, of its hills Jailing to come up. Next comes the Thomas with 6.4 per cent., and the Richardson’s Improved 6.3. The Peterkin and New Texas had the best stands, the seed coming up better and leaving but 4. 7 per cent, of missing hills. Crawford’s Peerless and Hay’s China varieties, each with 5.1 per cent, missing, rank next in value for the the good stand they made, followed by Ozier Silk and Cobweb. The general average of missing hills for these 14 varieties for the two years was 5.8 per cent. The second column of the general table III shows the amount of seed cotton actually produced on each plat, (estimated for an acre by multiplication by 20); while the third shows the amount produced had there been no missing hills. This latter column places the varieties on more of an equality. It, however, adds very greatly to the yield of such varieties as have largo percentages of missing hills. The Griffin Improved on plat 116, which really produced 840 pounds per acre, is thus given an increase of 140 pounds of seed cotton ; the Common variety on plat 83 gains 113 pounds ; the Dickson Improved on plat 98 gains 91 pounds and the Peterkin on plat 84 gains 84 pounds. The plat yielding the greatest amount of seed cotton, both actual and cor- rected, is number 98, with Dickson’s Improved. In the previous year its yield was surpassed by that of twelve plats. The plat with the next highest yield is No. 85, with 1,266 pounds of seed cotton of the Crossland variety ; and plat 84 comes next, with 1,254 pounds of Peterkin variety. Plat 81 with the Duncan’s Mammoth and plat 118 with the Taylor have each an average of more than 1,200 pounds, but all other plats are below this amount. Twelve of the plats had over 1,100 pounds and thirteen plats above 1,000 pounds per acre. The plat yielding the least was No. 109, with the William- son cotton, its product being but 744 pounds per acre. In the other columns of the table the yield of those plats having the same variety of cotton are combined, and thus represent more properly the average productiveness of each variety. - The second of these columns represents this average as having actually been produced per acre, and the next the yield which each would have produced had there been a full stand with no missing hills. The varieties are arranged in the table in the order of maximum product- iveness, the Dickson’s Improved standing at the head, with an average yield of 1,236 pounds of seed cotton per acre. Next in productiveness are the Wise and Peterkin varieties, nearly equal to each other, but^falling about 50 pounds below the Dickson’s Improved. The difference between their yields was double that of 1886. 15 If, however, we take the actual yield of each instead of that corrected for the missing hills, we find the difference between the Dickson’s Improved and Peterkin varieties to be far less, viz.: about 25 pounds of seed cotton per acre in favor of the Dickson’s Improved — an advantage, however, more than compensated by the much larger percentage of lint in the Peterkin, which gives to it 60 pounds more of lint per acre, as will be noticed below. This relative position between the Dickson’s Improved and the Peterkin is a dupli- cation of the actual results of the better season of 1885, though they did not then, as now, stand at the head of the list. Duncan’s Mammoth variety ranks next to the Peterkin in yield in seed cotton per acre, both actual and estimated, for 1886, though the actual differ- ence between the two varieties amounted to but a few pounds. In the pre- vious year the same slight difference in the actual yield was noted, while with the corrections for missing hills the yield was 80 pounds more than that of the Peterkin. The above varieties had each an actual yield of more than 1,100 pounds of seed cotton per acre. The next group, comprising those yielding 1,000 pounds per acre, are the Crossland, Common, Jowers’ Improved, Richardson’s Improved, Jones’ Improved and Herlong, the extremes being 1,075 pounds for the first and 1,010 pounds for the last. Making corrections for missing hills, the Cross- land would have had a yield of over 1,100 pounds and the production of the others very materially increased, though still falling below 1,100 pounds. Of these the Jones’ Improved in 1885 ranked next to the maximum in produc- tion* but has suffered greatly by the severity of the season. The Herlong and Jowers were not tested in 1885. The next group, or those whose actual yields were from 900 to 1,000 pounds, embrace eleven varieties. The correction for missing hills gives to seven of these a yield of more than 1,000 pounds per acre. These are the Taylor, Thomas, Cobweb, Dickson’s Cluster, Crawford’s Peerless, Meyer’s Texas and Ozier Silk. Of these the Dickson’s Cluster in the previous year stood highest in its production and the Thomas third. Of the rest of the group the Hay’s China and Hew Texas alone were planted in 1885, each giving a yield of more than 1,200 pounds per acre. The Drought Proof and Allen’s Silk were under the disadvantage of a very poor season. The group having an actual yield of less than 900 pounds of seed cotton per acre embraces five varieties, one only— the Williamson — having duplicate plats. Several of them were even confined to half plats for lack of space on the field assigned to the tests. Maxey’s Texas stands lowest among the entire list of varieties in its average of 710 pounds of seed cotton per acre. The next division of the table, that showing the percentage of lint in the seed cotton of each variety, and the yield in lint per acre, is one of very special importance and interest. It is very generally considered that seed cotton, as a rule, will on ginning yield one-third of its weight in lint. We see, however, in glancing at the first of these columns that there is a very great difference between the varieties in this respect, that difference varying from 39.3 to 29.2 per cent., or ten per cent, between the maximum and mini- mum. Of the twenty-six varieties given in the table, there are but five 16 whose percentage of lint is 33.3 or more. These are the Peterkin, Cross- land, Duncan’s Improved, Wise and Griffin’s Improved. The general average percentage for the twenty-six varieties is but 30.3, or exactly three per cent, less than the accepted one-third. Arranged in the order of maximum percentage we obtain the following : 1. Peterkin . . . .39.3 14. Williamson . . .31.6 2. Crossland ....38.0 15. Meyer’s Texas ...31.6 3. Duncan’s Mammoth ....37.0 16. New Texas .. .31.2 4. Wise . . . . .36.4 17. Jones’ Improved ...31.0 5. Griffin’s Improved . . . .36.3 18. Allen’s Silk . . .31.0 6. Ozier Silk ....33.0 19. Dickson’s Cluster ...30.9 7. Dickson’s Improved . . . . . . . .32.7 20. Drought Proof .. .30.7 8. Jowers Improved . . . .32.3 21. Cherry’s Long Staple 9. Shine’s Early Prolific .... . . . .32.2 22. Maxey’s Texas ...30.3 10. Thomas . . . .32.0 23. Richardson’s Improved . . . ...30.1 11. Cobweb . . . .32.0 24. Herlong . .30.0 12. Taylor ....31.9 25. Crawford’s Peerless . . .29.3 13. Common . . . .31.8 26. Hay’s China .. .29.2 In making these estimates great care was used by the Superintendent that the weights both before and after ginning should be made with accuracy, and the above are correct so far as the Farm experiments for 1886 are con- cerned. It is worthy of remark that several of those varieties that rank highest in point of productiveness in seed cotton per acre do not yield their one-third of lint. The Dickson’s Improved, which stands first, thus fails in its lint, as does the Jowers Improved, Richardson, Taylor, Thomas and Jones’ Improved. * The effect of this varying percentage upon the value of the crop is seen in the next columns, which give the amount of lint per acre actually produced and also as corrected for missing hills. It thus appears that the Peterkin with its highest percentage of lint on the seed also stands as highest in yield in lint per acre, 442 pounds ; and that the five varieties ranking next are, in the order of yield, the Wise, Duncan’s Mammoth, Crossland, Dickson’s Improved and Jowers Improved. And again, that while the Dickson’s Improved ranks highest in yield in seed cotton per acre, it falls sixty-two pounds in lint behind the Peterkin which ranked third in its seed cotton product, and twenty-nine pounds in lint behind the Crossland which ranked as fifth in its seed cotton yield. Fourteen of these varieties were tested in 1885, and on comparing the results of the two years we obtain the following table of lint percentages, the varieties arranged in the order of average for the two years : 17 TABLE Y. Comparison of Percentage of Lint for 1885 and 1886. Variety. 1885. 1886. Average. 1 j Gain. Loss. Peterkin 38.3 39.3 38.8 1.0 Duncan’s Mammoth 30.0 37.0 33.5 7.0 Ozier Silk 33.5 33.0 33.3 0.5 Dickson’s Improved 32.7 32.7 32.7 Thomas 32.5 32.0 32.3 0.5 Common 31.8 31.8 31.8 Williamson 32.0 31.6 31.8 0.4 New Texas 32.0 31.2 31.6 0.8 Dickson’s Cluster 32.3 30.9 31.6 1.4 Cobweb 30.0 32.0 31.0 2.0 Jones’ Improved 30.5 31.0 30.8 0.5 Richardson 31.3 30.0 30.7 1.2 Crawford’s Peerless 31.5 29.3 30.4 2.2 Hay’s China 31.5 29.2 30,4 2.3 Notable changes, gains and losses are seen to have occurred in 1886, some varieties remaining nearly constant in their percentages of lint ; others were seriously affected by the severe season of 1886, while four varieties actually gained. The latter embrace Peterkin, Duncan’s Mammoth, Cobweb and Jones’ Improved. Most apparent among these is Duncan’s Mammoth, whose increase in lint is seven per cent. This can be accounted for, however, in the fact that for the crop of 1885 the seed of that variety were not pure, but had deteriorated very greatly, while for 1886 fresh seed, carefully selected, were obtained from Mr. Duncan. The Cobweb gains two per cent, and the Peterkin one per cent. The Dickson’s Improved and Common varieties hold their own for the two years, while all the rest have lost in percentages varying from 0.4 in the Williamson to as much as 2. 3 per cent, in the Hay’s China. In the general average for the t#o years the Peterkin stands first, followed by Duncan’s Mammoth and Ozier Silk, these being the only ones whose average is one-third and above ; all other varieties fall below this. AVERAGES IN SEED COTTON FOR SEVERAL YEARS OF CULTIVATION. A number of the varieties included in the experiments for 1886 had been planted for three consecutive years, and, again, a number of these for four consecutive years. This gives a greater value to the experimeiits and more nearly indicates the relative yield of each variety. Especially s6, as no variety was planted on the same plat a second time, but each year witnessed a complete change in the positions of each variety of cotton planted on duplicate plats. Thirteen varieties were planted during the years 1884-5-6, and arranging them in the order of highest average for the combined three years, we obtain the following table, in which are given the yield for each plat for each year, the average of plats planted in the same variety of cotton for each year, and, finally, the general average of each variety for the entire three years : 2 — EF 18 TABLE VI. Yields for the Years 1884, 1885 and 1886. YIELD IN SEED COTTON IN POUNDS. Varieties. Single Plats. Average of Similar Plats. General Average. 1884. 1885. 1886. 1884. 1885. 1886. Seed Cotton. Lint. Dickson’s Improved Same 1,7G0 1,880 1,492 1,352 1,176 I 1,296 \ 1,820 1,422 1,236 1,492 488 Jones’ Improvea Same 1,800 1,940 1,431 1,495 1,022 l 1,090 J 1,870 1,463 1,056 1,463 454 Thomas Same 1,640 1,740 1,600 1,259 1,168 t 946 j 1,690 1,429 1,057 1,392 445 Peterkin Same 1,880 1,500 1,397 1,115 1,254 I 1,112 \ 1,690 1,256 1,183 1,376 541 Common Seed Same . 1,620 1,580 1,580 1,217 1,156 / 1,034 f 1,600 1,398 1,095 1,364 434 Duncan’s Mammoth Same ! 1,760 | 1,420 1,317 1,262 1,204 I 1,132 f 1,590 1,289 1,168 1,346 499 Cobweb Same 1,780 1,600 1,310 1,245 1,174 ; 924 f 1,690 1,277 1,049 1,336 429 New Texas Same 1,800 1,520 1,373 1,341 1,034 i 878 j 1,690 1,357 956 1,334 416 Dickson’s Cluster Same 1,720 1,380 1,322 1,634 1,118 i 974 J 1,550 1,478 1,046 1,325 420 Richardson’s Improved... Same 1,520 1,640 1,336 1,088 1,042 | 1,116 J 1,580 1,211 1,079 1,290 388 Ozier Silk Same 1,880 1,420 1,284 1,068 982 ( 1,036 f 1,650 1,176 1,008 1,278 432 Hay’s China Same 1,440 1,360 1,325 1,427 1,028 ( 906 f 1,400 1,376 967 1,248 364 Crawford’s Peerless Same 1,100 1,340 1,235 1,143 1,138 ) 944 f 1,220 1,189 1,041 1,150 337 The differences between the two extremes, represented by the Dickson’s Im- proved on the one hand and the Crawford’s Peerless on the other, is 342 pounds of seed cotton. The general average of all the varieties is 1,338 pounds, and only six of them exceed that yield. Two varieties yield above 1,400 pounds, seven others above 1,300 pounds, while three give an average of from 1,200 to 1,300 pounds and one below 1,200 pounds per acre. The Dickson’s Improved heads the list for the three years, and is far ahead of its competitors, with the exception of Jones’ Improved, which is but 30 pounds less. The Thomas comes next, but with a yield of 100 pounds per acre less than the Dickson’s Improved. The Peterkin, with 16 pounds less than the Thomas, followed by the Common and the Duncan’s Mammoth varieties, with those mentioned, make up the group whose averages are above that of the entire 13 varieties. The highest of any variety for a single year was 1,870 pounds in 1884 by the Jones Improved, and the highest average of any one plat was of the same variety, in 1884. Tests for Four Years. — Taking those varieties planted for the four years, from 1883 to 1886, inclusive, we gain still more valuable and conclusive re- sults, so far as relates to these in particular. There were seven of these varieties, and they are arranged in the following .able in the order of maximum production for the entire four years. As in 19 the previous table, the yields of each plat for each year and the average of plats having the same variety of cotton are given. TABLE VII. Yields for the Years 1883 , 18 8 If, 1885 and 1886. YIELD IN SEED COTTON IN POUNDS PER ACRE. VARIETIES. Single Plats. Average Yield of Similar Plats. ! General Average. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1880. i 1883. 1884. 1886. i 1880. Seed Cotton. Lint. Dickson’s Improved — Same 920 1,510 1,700 1,880 1,492 1,352 1,170 j 1,296 1 1,206 1,820 1,422 1,230 | 1 1,430 470 Same 1 Jones’ Improved Same 1,110 1,450 1,450 1,150 1,490 1,030 1,500 1,250 1,800 1,940 1,431 1,495 1,022 i 1,090 1 1,330 1,870 1,403 1,050 1,431 444 Same 1 Duncan’s Mammoth — Same 1,700 1,420 1,720 1,380 1,020 1,317 1,202 1,322 1,034 1,580 1,217 1,284 1,008 1,204 j 1,132 I 1,118 1 974 \ 1,156 1 1,034 < 982 ; i 1,340 1,590 1,289 1,108 1,347 498 Dickson’s Cluster — |. . . Same i 1,265 1,550 1,478 1,040 1,335 413 Common Seed i 1,125 1,600 1,398 1,095 1,304 415 Same 1,000 1,340 1,370 1,580 1,880 1,420 Ozier Silk | Same 1,036 | 1,333 1,650 1,176 1,009 1,292 420 Same 1,290 940 750 1 Richardson’s Improved. Same 1,520 1,040 1,330 1,080 1,042, 1,116 !_ 923 | 1,580 1,211 1,079 1,198 301 Same 1,080 The general average of the entire seven varieties for the four years is 1,335 pounds of seed cotton, or but three pounds less than for the three years already discussed. A glance at the table shows this to be the e'xact average of Dickson’s Cluster variety for that time, and that it stands midway between the three varieties having a larger yield and the three with smaller averages. Again, Dickson’s Improved and Jones’ Improved alone have a yield of over 1,400 pounds; and Richardson’s Improved, which for the three later years has a yield of 1,290 pounds, is by the addition of 1883 to the estimate brought down to less than 1,200 pounds. The Dickson’s Improved and the Richardson’s Improved represent the tw T o extremes of average productiveness, there being a difference of 234 pounds of seed cotton between their respective yields. As in the other group or table, so in this, we find the Jones' Improved is nearly equal to the Dickson’s Improved in yield, the difference being but five pounds — a difference so slight that the two varieties may be regarded as of equal productiveness. The Dickson’s Improved and Jones Improved are, so far as these experi- ments go, and so far as these 13 varieties are concerned, fully entitled to be regarded as the best for the production of seed cotton. AVERAGES OF LINT FOR THE SEVERAL YEARS OF EXPERIMENT. A matter of more importance than seed cotton to the farmer is the amount of lint produced per acre by the several varieties of cotton, for upon the lint depends the chief money value of the crop. To aid in determining this question of lint per acre, the following tables of comparisons are presented, 20 the one for the 13 varieties for the two years of cultivation, the other for the three last years of cultivation, the amount of lint being estimated according to the percentages obtained by weighing, as given in previous tables. TABLE VIII. Comparison of Combined Averages in Lint Per Acre. 1884-5. Pounds of Lint Per Acre. 1884-5-6. Pounds of Lint Per Acre. Peterkin 572 Peterkin 541 Dickson’s Improved 530 Duncan’s Mammoth 499 Jones Improved 513 Dickson’s Improved ... _ . _ 488 Thomas 504 Jones’ Improved 454 Duncan’s Mammoth 493 Thomas 445 New Texas . . 481 Cobweb 429 Dickson’s Cluster 478 Ozier Silk 422 Ozier Silk 470 Dickson’s Cluster 420 Cobweb 400 New Texas 416 Richardson’s Improved 429 Richardson’s Improved 388 Hay’s China 422 ' Hay’s China 304 Crawford’s Peerless 3G6 Crawford’s Peerless 337 For the years 1884 and 1885 the Peterkin variety stands far ahead of its competitors, as would be expected from its large percentage of lint on the seed, the average being 572 pounds of lint per acre. For the 3 years from 1884-6 inclusive it again stands at the head, with but a difference of 31 pounds of lint below that of 1884-5. The Peterkin cotton, therefore, clearly is superior in production of lint to all other varieties tried on the College Farm ; it having surpassed them, not only in each year but in combined years, and with a large difference. The Dickson’s Improved and Jones’ Improved come next for the two years, 1884-5, the difference between them being but slight. For the three suc- cessive years, 1884-6, the Dickson’s Improved and Jones’ Improved fall to the third and fourth places and Duncan’s Mammoth becomes second, which in the two years’ average held the ninth place. The sudden coming to the front by the Duncan’s is attributed to a careful selection of seed for the crop of 1886, thereby insuring an increase of seven per cent, of lint for that year, or within 2.3 per cent, of the yield of the Peterkin. The Thomas variety comes in as fourth and fifth in the respective com- bined yearly average, although in 1886 it ranks as eighth. After the Thomas, in the above table, comes a group of five varieties — the Cobweb, Ozier Silk, Dickson’s Cluster and New Texas — whose relative posi- tions are changed in the two tables, the order in which they are there given being that for the three years’ average, the difference in their yields for the three years’ term being in the extreme only 13 pounds of lint. The next two varieties, Richardson’s Improved and Hay’s China, show but little difference in their yields of lint for the years 1884-5, but when 1886 is included in the average, Richardson’s is foremost by 24 pounds. Craw- ford’s Peerless, in both averages, is the lowest of the twelve varieties. 21 EFFECT OF THE DROUTH UPON SEED AND LINT. In order to determine, if possible, whether the severe season of 1886 affected most the seed or the lint of each variety of cotton, the following table was prepared giving the differences between the seed and lint of the crops of 1885 and 1886, and the percentages of loss of each. The first column gives the percentage of loss of both seed and lint, the next four the loss in seed, and the last four the loss in lint. TABLE IX. Amount and Percentage in Diminution in the Yields of 1886. Variety. Percentage of Loss. Yield op Seed Per Acre. Percentage of Seed Loss. Yield Lint Per Acre. Percentage of Lint Lost. Percentage of Lint Gained. 1 1885. 1886. Loss. 1885. 1886. Loss. Peterkin 5 I 776 718 58 8 480 465 15 3 Duncan’s Mammoth 9 902 736 166 18 387 432 Richardson Improved 10 833 754 79 378 325 53 14 Crawford’s Peerless 12 815 736 79 10 374 305 69 18 Dickson’s Improved 13 ! 957 832 125 13 465 404 51 10 Ozier Silk 14 783 676 307 39 393 333 60 15 Cobweh 17 794 713 81 10 383 336 47 12 Thomas 26 965 719 246 25 464 338 126 27 Jones Improved 27 1,017 729 288 28 446 327 119 27 Hav’s China. 2S j 943 685 258 26 433 282 151 35 Dickson’s Cluster 29 1,001 723 278 28 477 323 154 32 New Texas 29 923 658 265 29 434 298 136 31 Average 906 726 180 20 427 347 80 18 The first column of the above table shows the percentage of loss in the seed cotton yieldof each variety for the two years 1885 and 1886. The figures may be taken as indicative of the power of each variety to withstand seasons of drouth. The Peterkin sustained a loss of but 5 per cent. , the Duncan’s Mam- moth 9 per cent., and the Kichardson’s 10 per cent., that of all other varieties varying from 12 for the Crawford’s Peerless to 29 for the New Texas. The three other prominent varieties which in their yields rank highest — the Dick- son’s Improved, Jones** Improved and Thomas — lost respectively 18, 27 and 26 per cent. The question now arises as to how this loss affected the seed and lint re- spectively. The next four columns give the yields in seed for 1885 and 1886, the difference between the two and the percentage of seed diminution; and the remaining tables show the same comparisons for the lint. We find from these figures that the Peterkin lost 8 per cent, of seed and 3 per cent, of lint — losses less than in any other variety. The Kichardson comes next, with a loss of but 9 per cent, of seed, while that of its lint amounted to 14 per cent. It will be observed that some of the varieties lost most in seed and others most in lint. Those of the former are Peterkin, Dickson’s Improved, Ozier Silk and Jones’ Improved, the loss of the Ozier Silk being 39 per cent. All the others suffered greatest in lint, the Hay’s China showing a loss of 35 per cent. 22 RELATIVE VALUES OF LARGE AND SMALL SEED VARIETIES OF COTTON. It is being urged on our planters to select those varieties of cotton having large seed, without regard to the yield of lint, upon the plea that the price paid for the seed by oil mills makes the sale of the seed and lint from the large seed much more profitable than from the small seed varieties. That such an idea is erroneous is clearly shown in the following table, in which the value of the seed and lint of each variety of cotton planted on the experi- mental farm is given. The estimate is based on the yield of each per acre for the year 1886 and upon the market valuation of ten dollars per ton for the seed and nine cents per pound for the lint. The varieties are arranged in the order of greatest values : TABLE X. Table Showing Relative Commercial Values of Varieties . Yield Per Acre. Value Per Acre. Variety. Seed Cotton. Seed. Lint. Seed. Lint. Total. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Peterkin 1,183 718 465 3 59 41 85 45 44 39.3 Wise 1,188 755 432 j 3 78 38 88 42 66 36.4 Duncan 1,168 736 432 3 68 38 88 42 56 37.0 Crossland 1,133 703 431 3 52 38 79 42 31 38.0 Dickson’s Improved 1,236 832 404 4 16 36 36 40 52 32.7 Jowers Improved 1,084 734 350 , 3 67 31 50 35 17 32.3 Griffin’s Improved 980 624 356 3 12 32 04 35 16 36.3 Taylor 1,078 734 344 1 3 67 30 96 34 63 31.9 Thomas 1,057 718 338 3 59 30 42 34 01 32.0 Cobweb 1,049 713 336 3 56 30 24 33 80 32.0 Ozier Silk 1,009 676 333 1 3 38 29 97 33 35 33.0 Jones’ Improved 1,056 729 | 327 ! 3 65 29 43 33 08 31.0 Richardson 1,079 754 325 3 77 29 25 33 02 30.1 Meyers Texas 1,029 704 325 : 3 52 29 25 32 77 81.6 Dickson’s Cluster 1,046 723 323 3 61 29 07 32 68 30.9 Herlong 1,033 723 310 j 3 62 27 90 31 52 30.0 Crawford 1,041 736 305 ! 3 68 27 45 31 13 29.3 Drought Proof 980 679 301 3 40 27 09 30 49 30.7 New Texas 956 658 298 3 29 26 92 30 21 31.2 Allen’s Silk 950 656 295 3 28 26 55 29 83 31.0 Hay’s China Shine’s Early Prolific Cherry’s Long Staple Maxey’s Texas Williamson 967 685 282 3 42 25 38 28 80 29.2 852 578 274 2 89 24 66 27 55 32.2 844 588 256 o 94 28 04 25 98 30.3 744 511 223 2 56 20 07 22 63 30.3 949 744 I 205 ! 3 72 18 45 22 17 31.6 This table clearly shows that the Peterkin, the Wise, Duncan’s Mammoth and Crossland varieties, all, with a less yield in seed cotton but with larger percentages of lint, have a higher valuation than the Dickson’s Improved, which stands at the head in its yield of seed cotton. The Peterkin, a char- acteristic small seed variety and ranking highest in the lint percentage, also stands first in seed and lint values per acre and nearly five dollars more than the Dickson’s Improved. The Wise, another small seed variety, stands next. 23 But the point in question — viz. : The relative values of the high and low lint percentage varieties — is best seen in the Crossland and Dickson’s Improved. The former, with a seed cotton yield of 103 pounds less of seed cotton and 129 pounds of seed less than the Dickson, is worth $1.79 more per acre, be- cause it has 5.8 per cent, more of lint on its seed. Again, placing each variety on an equality so far as yield in seed cotton per acre is concerned, that yield to be equal to the highest, or 1,236 pounds per acre, but with the same differences in percentages of lint, we obtain the following valuations for some of them : Per Cent, of Lint. Dollars. Peterkin 39.3 47 46 Crossland ....38.0 46 13 Duncan 37.0 45 05 Wise 36.4 44 43 Dickson’s Improved . . .32.7 40 52 Hay’s China 29.2 36 11 The high-percentage-lint varieties again in this table stand first in value, while those, on the contrary, having very low percentages, as in the Hay’s China given above, have the least value, though the weight of seed is greatest. The above tables and facts are brought out to convince cotton planters of the great importance of a careful selection of cotton seed, and especially with reference to the percentage of lint yielded by each of the very many varieties offered for sale. The tables speak for themselves and no further elucidation is necessary. WEIGHTS OF SEED. In order to classify the various cotton varieties with regard to large or small seed, samples of each were taken from the stalk, the lint from an entire boll removed from the seed and each weighed. The following table gives the number of seed in a four-lock boll of each variety and the weights of both seed and lint, their combined weight being, of course, that of the boll. In order to make the comparison equal between the varieties, the estimate is made for ten of the seed of each, and the table is therefore arranged accord- ing to maximum weight of the latter. A column showing the lint belonging to the ten seed is added : 24 TABLE XI. Comparative Weights of Seed in Grains. Variety. Number of Seed in 1 Boll. w o Weight of Seed. ^ >LL OF C a 3 o '§3 'S £ o Total W T eight of g Seed and Lint. ^ Average Weight of 10 Seed. Griffin’s Improved 29 59.9 30.9 90.8 20.6 Meyers Texas 33 69.3 38.2 107.5 19.2 Duncan’s Mammoth 33 61.8 27.8 89.6 18.7 Maxey’s Texas go 59.1 28.7 88.8 18.5 Shine’s Early Prolific 29 53.0 29.1 82.1 18.3 Allen’s Silk 35 • 63.9 34.9. 98.8 18.3 Cobweb 28 49.3 23.8 73.1 17.7 Richardson’s Improved 35 80.5 29.7 89.2 17.3 Drought Proof 33 65.0 30.8 95.8 16.6 Ozier Silk 31 48.0 24.9 72.9 15.5 Williamson 33 48.6 23.3 71.9 15.1 Jowers Improved 35 51.8 25.3 77.1 15.1 Dickson’s Cluster 35 51.5 27.0 78.5 14.7 Hay’s China 38 55.5 28.4 83.9 14.6 Cherry’s Long Staple 32 46.4 22.6 69.0 14.5 Thomas 31 44.8 21.8 66.6 14.4 Jones’ Improved 35 50.00 24.8 74.8 14.3 Herlong 39 55.2 25.4 80.6 14.2 Peterkin . . 38 52.3 32.0 84.3 13.7 New Texas 33 43.7 24.5 68.2 13.2 Dickson’s Improved 37 48.2 25.3 73.5 13.0 Taylor 30 46.9 18.7 65.6 12.3 Wise 40 45.7 30.6 76.4 11.4 Crossland 38 42.8 28.1 70.9 11.3 Crawford 34 39.2 19.0 58.2 11.2 The first column, which gives the number of seed in a boll, refers only to those examined. In selecting the samples only the four lock bolls were chosen. The weights of seed and lint are those included in the boll. From the weights of the seed the estimate for ten seed is given in the last column. It will be seen, on examining this column, that the Griffin’s Improved cotton has the heaviest seed, the ten weighing as much as 20.6 grains ; that in five varieties the seed weigh from 18.3 to 19.2 grains. Duncan’s Mam- moth, the most prominent of these large seed varieties because of its large yield per acre, has seed weighing 18.7 grains. Turning to the other end of the table, we find several prominent varieties with 10 seed weighing but 11 to 13 grains, and here too is the Dickson’s Im- proved, noted in the list as having the greatest seed cotton product per acre. Whether these differences in weight of the many varieties are due to the size, or to the contents of the seed is a subject worthy of further investiga- tion. FIELD TESTS. The following field tests of several of the leading varieties have been made in 1885 and 1886, on the field to the east of the chief experimental lot. An acre was given to each variety and all of these plats were prepared and manured alike. ; planted in the same way and the same care and cultivation given to each. The results are given in the following table : 25 TABLE XII. Field Tests of Varieties . PLATS ONE ACRE EACH. VARIETY. Yield in Seed Cotton Per Acre.— P ounds. j Yield in Lint Per Acre. —Pounds. 1885. 1886. 1885. 1866. Average. Peterkin 1,516 1,348 1,209 983 580 386 Crawford’s Pcorloss 425 Ozier Silk 844 405 279 Crossland 934 355 Duncan’s Mammoth 892 330 Herlong 980 294 The Peterkin thus stands ahead of these six varieties in yield both in seed cotton and lint per acre, for the two years. The Crawford variety was not tested in 1886. The Crossland ranks next to the Peterkin in this year. LENGTH OF COTTON FIBRE. Among the investigations instituted in the class room of the Agricultural course in the South Carolina College was that of the length of the fibre of each variety of cotton grown on the Experimental Farm. Samples were taken from the growing stalk, the lint removed from the seed very carefully to avoid breaking it, and measurements made of 10 or more fibres. This work was done by the students, under direction of the Professor of Agriculture. Examinations in regard to the strength and width of the fibre were also begun. The measurements of length are given in the following table, the varieties of cotton being arranged from greatest to least : AGRI; - a ura: experiment station, ■ n 1883 V^SITY OF ILLINOIS, 26 TABLE XIII. Length of Cotton Fibre. Variety. Length in Inches. VARIETY. Length in Inches. Allen’s Silk 1,505 j Pi chard son’s Improved 1,148 1,123 Taylor 1,490 1,353 Dickson’s Improved Cherry’s Long Staple Wise 1,108 1,105 1,100 1,089 1,083 1,076 1,075 1,066 1,023 Dickson’s Cluster 1,316 Thomas Shine’s Early Prolific 1,306 1,271 New Texas Peterkin Drought Proof Crawford’s Peerless 1,238 1,218 Duncan’s Mammoth Hay’s China Herlong Maxey’s Texas 1,210 1,186 1,181 1,170 1,157 Ozier Silk Crossland 1 Williamson Meyer’s Texas .Towers’ Improved Cobweh Jones’ Improved The variety having the greatest length of lint is the Allen’s Silk, which averaged one and a half inches, or half an inch longer than I the lowest of the table, the Jowers’ Improved. The Taylor cotton also nearly averages one and a half inches in length, while Cherry’s Long Staple falls below more than a tenth of an inch. In addition to the latter, the lint of the Dickson’s Cluster and Shine’s Early Prolific measured more than 1.3 inches. Four varieties measure a little more than 1.2 inches, six varieties 1.1 inches, and the rest below that, though all above an inch. The general average of lengths of all the varieties combined was 1.186 inches. It is proposed to repeat these measurements in the crop of 1887, embracing the new varieties of cotton brought into the experiments of that year. Bull Street. 27 Street. u 22 33 44 55 66 77 Ashley c. &c. Compound S. C. Compost No 8 Ashley Sol. Guano Ashley c. & c. c. S. C. Compost No 8 Nitrate of Soda 10 21 32 43 54 65 76 Ashley Sol. Guano S. C. Compost No 7 Edisto Ash Element S. C. Compost No 7 9 20 31 42 53 64 75 Edisto Ash Element Eddystone Barnyard 10 tons S. C. Compost No 6 Ash Element 8 19 30 41 52 63 74 Eddystone Barnyard 10 tons S. C. Compost No 6 Crushed Cotton Seed S. C. Compost No 5 Complete Compost 7 18 29 40 51 62 73 Etiwan Sol. Guano Crushed Cotton Seed S. C. Compost No 5 Etiwan Sol. Guano S. C. Compost No 4 Ashley A. P. & Bone Meal 6 17 28 39 50 61 72 Ashley Acid Phosphate Cotton Seed Meal S. C. Compost No 4 Ashley Acid Phosphate Cotton Seed Meal Nitrate Soda 5 - 16 27 38 49 60 71 Floats Ash Element N. C. Compost Floats Ash Element N. C. Compost 4 15 26 37 48 59 70 Salt Ga. & Ala. Compost Floats & Salt Salt Ga. & Ala. Compost Ash Element 3 14 25 36 47 58 69 Floats & Salt Kainit Bone Meal Kainit Furman Compost Complete Compost O 13 24 35 46 57 68 Bone Meal Bone Meal & Salt Furman Compost Bone Meal & Salt Ash Element (Ashley) Ashley A P and Bone Meal i 12 23 34 45 56 67 Barnyard 20 tons Crushed Cotton Seed Ashley Sol- , uble Guano 40 lbs Ash Element (Ashley) Barnyard 20 tons Crushed Cotton Seed Ashley Solu- , ble Guano 1 40 lbs Street. PLATS WITH VARIETIES OF FERTILIZERS. Field for Small Chain. 28 EXPERIMENTS WITH FERTILIZERS. The lot devoted to experiments with various fertilizers on cotton (the Thomas variety) occupies the eastern part of the field, lying between Sumter and Bull streets, as will be seen by the first diagram given in this Report. This lot was divided into 77 plats of 1-20 of an acre, and each checked off, giving to each 230 hills. A certain number of these plats were reserved and left unfertilized to test the natural fertility of the soil, and the results have already been given in the first of the Report. Each fertilizer was assigned to particular duplicate plats (see accompanying diagram), which were widely separate, and the same care and cultivation given to all of the plats. These experiments (with the exception of a very few) have been conducted for four years, each fertilizer being assigned to the same plat each year ; the results, thus repeated yearly, are becoming more and more valuable. Unfortunately the lands had, previous to 1883, been very highly fertilized, and the results of the experiments are not as marked as they would have been on a poorer soil. The effect of the fertilizers is mainly seen in a taller and more vigorous plant in contrast to the low stalks of the natural plats. The season of 1886 was a very severe one on cotton, and the average of the natural soil of the field was lower than for any previous year, amounting to only 804 pounds of seed cotton per acre. The results of the experiments are given below in groups, the tables of each showing in successive columns the numbers of the plats, the name of the fertilizer, the amount applied per acre, and the results in seed cotton for each plat for 1886 and its average for the four years, and the combined average of the duplicate plats for each year and for the entire four years combined : I. Experiments with Home-Made Manures and Composts. — The material from which the different composts were formed were cotton seed, stable manure, Ashley acid phosphate, floats and kainit, in the proportions, respect- ively, as given in the following table. A test was also made of a mixture or compost of stable manure and ash element, in the proportion of ten tons of the former and four hundred pounds of the latter, and the result is given in this table. The results of tests with othes mixtures and chemicals appear in other tables : TABLE XIV. Constituents and Cost of a Ton of Compost , &c. Compost. Constituents— Number of pounds Per Ton. 1 Total Cost per Ton. Acid Phos- phate. Floats. Kainit. Cotton Seed. Stable Manure. Furman’s Compost . . 33314 106% 750 750 $ 8 20 Georgia and Alabama Compost 500 750 750 8 62 North Carolina Compost 800 200 600 400 11 70 South Carolina Compost No. 4 750 350 600 300 12 17 South Carolina Compost No. 5 750 350 600 300 10 67 South Carolina Compost No. 6 750 350 900 13 52 South Carolina Compost No. 7. ”750 ’ 350 900 12 02 South Carolina Compost No. 8 1,000 1,000 5 50 Stable manure 2,000 1 50 Cotton seed 2,666 10 00 29 In each year the compost heaps were formed during the first week in Feb- ruary, the different ingredients of each being added in alternate layers, and the whole covered with a thin bed of soil. The cotton seed was made thoroughly wet before being placed in the compost. The beds were not disturbed until about a week before the planting season — the middle of April — when they were distributed in the drill and covered to a depth of five or six inches, or about two or three inches below the seed. The following results have been obtained from the application of these com- posts, mostly at the rate of 1,600 pounds per acre : TABLE XV. Home-made Manures and Composts. © Sh 3 0 YIELD IN SEED COTTON PER ACRE IN POUNDS. £ <3 s Crop op 1886. Average of Plats Similarly Manure. o £ Treated for Each Year. s B 3 & o S S&H ■< Each Plat. Average for 4 Years. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1880. General Average. 1 45 Barnyard manure Same 20 tons. 20 tons. 1,184 1,810 1,172 1,030 1,038 1,352 I 1,427 j 1,258 | 1,597 f 1,386 | 1,210 1,610 1,495 1,247 1,890 19 53 Barnyard manure Same 10 tons. 10 tons. 1,055 1,560 1,544 1,101 1,315 20 Ash Element, 400 lbs . . . . ) Barnyard manure, 10 tons j Same 1,280 1,640 1,557 1,029 1,376 54 10 tons. 1,020. 1,108 922 1,367 ) 1,326 / 1,581 f 1,227 I 1,210 f 28 62 32 65 So. Ca. Compost No. 4 Same 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,075 1,580 1,304 1,015 1,228 So. Ca. Compost No. 7 Same 818 1,124 1,200 1,470 1,233 971 1,218 29 63 So. Ca. Compost No. 5 Same 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 1,600 lbs. 3,200 lbs. 3,200 lbs. 1,020 886 1,337 l 1,313 j 1,401 I 1,305 f 1,263 1 1,077 j • 1,256 ! 1,322 S 1,270 1,630 1,446 953 1,327 30 64 So. Ca. Compost No. 6 Same 892 932 1,230 1,500 1,270 912 1,228 26 59 Ga. and Ala. Compost Same 944 818 1,260 1,470 1,017 881 1,159 27 60 North Carolina Compost — Same 922 834 1,095 1,490 1,319 878 1,170 24 Furman’s Compost 984 1,372 1 1,379 f 1,267 I 1,100 J i 1,155 1,540 1,390 862 1,238 58 Same 740 33 66 So. Ca. Compost No. 8 1 Same 780 862 1,225 1,430 1,220 821 1,174 For the year 1886 the two single plats yielding the greatest amount of seed cotton were numbers 1 and 45, fertilized each with twenty tons of barnyard manure per acre. The average of these plats — 1,247 pounds — for the year was larger than that of any other group, being but 16 per cent, less than for 1885. This would indicate that for the drouthy years the barnyard manures hold moisture and keep the soil in a more thrifty condition than any other of those fertilizers represented in this table. For the better years previous the benefit of this class of manures was not so striking, though still ahead of the majority of the composts. The application of ten tons per acre of this manure produced 146 pounds less, although in the previous year the production was surpassed only by that in which there was an admixture of ash element. The difference between the yields of 1885 and 1886 was 29 per cent. 30 The mixture of 10 tons of barnyard manure and 400 pounds of ash ele- ment , which in each of the previous years produced a yield higher than any of this group of fertilizers, failed to do so in 1886, falling back to the sixth place in the list, with a decrease of 528 pounds, or 84 per cent, below the yield of 1885. That even its present rank is due to the presence of the barn- yard manure, is shown by the very low yield from the ash element alone, (999 pounds,) as given in another table. The general average for the four years — 1,876 pounds — is surpassed only by that from the use of 20 tons of barnyard manure. We next come to the 8. C. Compost No. 4) which ranks next, with its pro- ductive power of 1,015 pounds per acre, or 22 per cent, less than in 1885. In 1883 it stood among the lowest of this group of twelve, in 1884 among the foremost four, and in 1885 it ranked as eighth. In general average for the four years it is surpassed in productive power by six of this group of fertilizers. 8. C. Compost No. 7 is sixth in yield for 188(5, though for the two previous years it was almost the lowest in this group. Had plat No. 32 made the same relative yield to that of the three previous years as did its duplicate plat, in- stead of falling off so very heavily, (21 per cent.,) the average from this com- post would have placed it second in the list. The cause of this sudden decrease in one plat and not in the other can only be attributed to some cause local and not inherent in the soil or in the fertilizer. In general average for the four years the compost shows a product of only 1,218 pounds of seed cotton — a yield only above that of four other varieties. 8. C. Compost No. 5 comes next, or seventh, for 1886 in its productiveness, although in each of the previous years it stood nearly at the top. It differs from the S. O. Compost No. 7, just mentioned, only in having a much less amount of cotton seed in its composition — an ingredient, however, which evidently has been very beneficial to the soils in this drouthy season. Here, too, as in No. 7, we find one of its plats suddenly dropping down to a very low yield, due also to some local cause, for the plat had in previous years given yields among the very highest. This difference in the two years amounts to 34 per cent. In general average there are but two fertilizers above it. 8. C. Compost No. 6 , made up of acid phosphate, kainit and cotton seed, made a yield in 1886 that was 20 per cent, below that of the previous year. There has been a heavy falling off in each of its plats, and hence this cannot be attributed to any local cause. Its position, however, in this group is about the same as in previous years and in the general average for the four years. The Georgia and Alabama Compost has in the drouthy year of 1886 pro- duced about 13 per cent, less cotton than in the previous year, the yield being but 881 pounds of seed cotton per acre. This is, however, a far less per- centage than in any other manure. The compost is largely formed of cotton seed and barnyard manure. In general average its yield ranks very low. The North Carolina Compost , composed chiefly of acid phosphate and cotton seed, ranks among the lowest in productiveness — a position it has held during the four years’ tests. In 1883 there were three manures below it; in 1884 there were four ; in 1885 there were six ; while in 1886 there were but three w T hose average was less. The difference between the yield from it in 1885 and in 1886 was 33 per cent. 31 The cotton fertilized with Furman's Compost , largely composed of cotton seed and stable manure, has suffered more than that of any other manure, the difference between the yields of 1885 and 1886 being 38 per cent. Start- ing with a low productiveness in 1883 in comparison with other manures, it reached the sixth place in 1884 and 1885, but in 1886 failed to counteract the effects of the drought. In general average for the four years it is surpassed by but four manures of this table. The lowest of the list of manures, or that producing the least cotton, is the S. C. Compost No. 8. Composed of cotton seed and stable manure, it should take high rank, if judged by the productiveness of each of these ingredients singly ; but throughout the series of years it has produced very little, so far as can be judged. In 1883 it ranked above seven manures ; in 1884, when some of these latter produced yields of over 1,600 pounds, or an increase of 400 pounds, this compost had but 200 pounds more and stood lowest in the list of home-made manures. In 1885 one of the other composts fell lower than it, but we now again find it at the bottom of the list, both for 1886 and in its general average. The difference between the yields of 1885 and 1886 was about 33 per cent. In order to determine, if possible, to what chemical constituents these differences in production are due, the following table has been prepared, showing approximately the percentage composition of each compost and the amounts of each element applied in pounds per acre. The composts are placed in the order of productiveness as shown in the previous table. TABLE XVI. Chemical Composition of Composts. 1 COMPOST. PERCENTAGE COM POSITION. - AMOUNT APPLIED PER ACRE, POUNDS. Yield in Seed Cot- ton Per Acre, Pounds. 1886. Phosphoric ACID. Potash. Ammonia. Phosphoric ACID. Potash, lbs. Ammonia, lbs. Total. Available. Total lbs. Available, lbs. ! Barnyard Manure, 20 tons — 0.30 0.65 0.73 120 260 292 1,247 Barnyard Manure, 10 tons — 0.30 0.G5 0.73 GO 130 146 1,101 Barnyard Manure and Ash Element 0.52 0.06 0.69 0.72 105 124 140 146 1,029 South Carolina Compost, 4 — 5.28 4.10 3.35 1.15 85 66 54 1 18 1,015 South Carolina Compost, 7 — 9.94 1.44 12.93 1.57 159 23 47 25 971 South Carolina Compost, 5 — 9.83 11.44 2.83 1.15 157 23 45 184 953 South Carolina Compost, 6 — 5.39 14.10 3.45 1.57 86 66 55 25 913 Georgia and Alabama Compost 3.77 2.73 1.06 1.58 60 44 17 25 881 North Carolina Compost 5.63 4.38 2.41 1.19 89 70 39 19 878 Furman’s Compost 2.66 [1.88 2.18 1.57 43 30 35 25 862 South Carolina Compost, 8 — 0.65 .... 0.95 2.11 ' 21 30 68 821 The percentage composition of each of these composts, as given in the above, serves chiefly as a basis from which to ascertain the amount of the respective elements, Phosphoric Acid, Potash and Ammonia, that have been 32 added to the soils by means of the fertilizers, and hence from the last half of the table must conclusions be drawn. The application of Phosphoric Acid was largest in South Carolina Compost Nos. 7 and 5, amounting to 159 and 157 pounds per acre, respectively, and least in No. 8, which gave but 21 pounds per acre. It will be noticed that in this column there is not that regular gradation from highest to lowest in ac- cordance with the order of productiveness, but that, on the contrary, the 10 tons of barnyard manure, with but 60 pounds of phosphoric acid, yields 148 pounds more of seed cotton per acre than the S. C. Compost No. 5, with 157 pounds of the acid, and that the Georgia and Alabama Compost, with also 60 pounds of phosphoric acid, yields 72 pounds less than Compost No. 5, with its 157 pounds of acid. The conclusions expressed in Report of last year in regard to the effect of phosphoric acid upon the sandy uplands of our farm thus are again verified by the results. The application of potash has a different result, and we find in the column of amounts applied, a descending scale parallel with that of the yields per acre, and which, while not absolutely consecutive, is so nearly so as to deserve attention. We thus find that the highest application of 260 pounds in the 20 tons of barnyard manure is followed by the highest yield in seed cotton ; that the two next highest applications of about one-half of the first gave products that rank next in amounts, though from 146 to 218 pounds less, respectively. The four composts following these vary comparatively little in their far smaller amounts of potash, and the difference of 103 pounds in their two extremes in yields may in a measure be attributed to the large amounts of the other elements. The results of the application of ammonia are not so clear, for though in the twenty tons of barnyard manure we find both the greatest amount applied and the greatest result, yet we find an almost equally large amount of ammonia, in S. C. Compost No. 5, which fell short nearly 300 pounds in seed cotton yield. To summarize : We find that the three heavy applications of barnyard manure, with their large amounts of potash and ammonia, and especially of decaying vegetable matter, have produced in 1886 the greatest yields ; and that those fertilizers with far smaller amounts of these elements, though with more of phosphoric acid, have produced less results. Profit or loss in the use of composts in the following table, showing the value of the ingredients of the composts and the cost of production of cotton by them, is based on commercial values and upon the result of the experi- ments on the College Farm. In determining the increase due to each fertil- izer the average of the unfertilized plats is deducted from the yield, that average for 1886 being 804 pounds of seed cotton per acre. 33 TABLE XVII. Profit or Loss in Use of Composts. FERTILIZER. Cost of Application. Increase Over Unfertilized Soil. Value of Increase. 1886. General Average for 4 Years. Seed Cotton. Seed. Lint. Profit. Loss. Profit. Loss. Barnyard manure, 20 tons $80 00 442 295 147 $14 70 $15 30 $19 80 Barnyard manure, 10 tons 15 00 296 198 98 9 80 5 19 7 30 Barnyard manure and ash element, 17 90 225 155 75 6 80 11 00 7 95 S. C. Compost No. 4. . . 9 74 210 140 70 6 73 3 01 3 94 S. C. Compost No. 7. . . 9 62 166 111 55 5 50 4 12 5 12 S. C. Compost No. 5. . . 8 54 148 99 49 4 90 3 64 44 S. C. Compost No. 6. . . 10 82 107 71 36 3 59 7 23 5 02 Ga. and Ala. Compost. 6 89 76 51 25 2 50 4 39 4 36 N. C. Compost 9 36 73 46 27 2 66 6 70 6 46 Furman’s Compost .... 1 6 56 57 38 19 1 90 4 66 1 45 S. C. Compost No. 8. . . 1 9 20 16 11 5 50 8 70 6 20 The result is the same as in the last Report — a blank column for the profits. The losses vary greatly, the greatest being from the 20 tons of barnyard manure, which gave the greatest yield, and the mixture of barnyard manure and ash element which yielded the third highest product ; and the least being from S. C. Compost Nos. 4 and 5. In the previous year the loss from the No. 5 was nominal. The fertilizer which showed the greatest gain over the losses of the previous year was the 10 ton application of barnyard manure, which shows an improvement of $8.25, though still on the side of loss. The addition of 400 pounds of ash element to the ten tons of barnyard manure, which last year reduced the loss, seems to have added by its cost greatly to the losses in 1886. For the average of the entire four years, the same heavy losses appear — in some instances greater and in others less than in 1886. The S. C. Compost No. 5 is among the latter class, its loss being but 44 cents above the cost of the application. II. Experiments with Commercial Ammoniated Fertilizers. — In order to test the effects of ammonia upon cotton on these upland soils, a number of commercial fertilizers were selected and applied upon duplicate plats in differ- ent parts of the field. Each was applied at the rate of 400 pounds per acre, except that an additional test was made with twice that amount of Ashley soluble guano in 1885. Crushed cotton seed w T as also used in the proportions of 1,600 and 800 pounds, respectively, on duplicate plats. Two plats were also treated with 200 pounds of nitrate of soda. Tests with Patapsco Ammoniated Guano were discontinued in 1886, as was also the 800 pound application of Ashley’s Soluble Guano. The Eddystone was introduced in 1886 for the first time. The results of the former two, however, have been added to the table, the averages for each year alone being given. 3 — EF 34 The following table exhibits the result on each plat for 1886 ; the average of each plat for the combined 4 years ; the general combined average of the plats treated with the same fertilizer for each year, and, finally, the general combined average of these plats for all the years. The fertilizers are arranged in the table in the order of their general yield for 1886. TABLE XVIII. Ammoniated Fertilizers. FERTILIZER. I -12; Crushed cotton seed GGjSame 18 Crushed cotton seed £2 Same > 9 Edisto Ammoniated Guano, 43lSame 17, 50 7 40 22 55 • 77 10 '44 8 42 23 ,07 8 ,42 I Cotton seed meal Same Etiwan Soluble Guano Same Ashley’s Corn and Cotton Compound Same Nitrate of Soda Same Ashley Soluble Guano. Same Eddystone Guano. Same Ashley Soluble Guano Same Patapsco Ammoniated Guano Same i Sh o> a o s ◄ 1,600 1,000 800 800 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 200 200 400 400 400 400 800 800 400 406 YIELD IN SEED COTTON PER ACRE IN POUNDS. Each Plat. For Average for 1886. 4 Years. 976 1,112 970 978 956 950 990 916 918 952 944 826 974 672 802 824 954 662 1,170 I 1,290 ) 1,286 l 1,101 1 1,282 ) 1,110 f 1,282 [ 1,254 f 1,206 | 1,193 1,032 935 1,143 1,047 1,509 I 1,486 f 1,310 | 1,245 j Average of Similar Plats for Each Year. Average for Four Years. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. 995 1,450 1,433 1,044 1,230 974 974 1,255 1,460 1,107 953 1,193 1,110 1,530 1,192 953 1,946 1,245 1,580 1,312 935 1,268 1,215 1,470 1,229 885 1,199 1,149 823 986 1,020 1,340 1,20S 813 1,095 808 808 1,365 1,850 1,278 1,497 1,160 1,520 1 1,157 1,279 Crushed cotton seed, with its 3.5 per cent, of ammonia and 1.0 of phos- phoric acid, produced the next or third largest yield for this year (1,044 pounds). It was made by crushing the seed in a crusher until the particles were quite fine, and was then applied at the rate of 1,600 pounds per acre. In 1883 this fertilizer produced very little effect on the crop, the yield being less than that of any other manure, and even less than the unfertilized plats. In 1884, when all of the fertilizers produced well, its effect was more marked than the year previous, and we find it ahead of the S. C. Compost No. 8. In 1885, when there was a decrease in all of the yields, in one case of 276 pounds of seed cotton, that of the cotton seed was but slight, causing it to take the fifth highest place in the list. In 1886, as already mentioned, it ranks next to the farmyard manure and mixture of phosphate and kainit, although its crop suffered severely, falling back 27 per cent, behind the yield of 1885. Its general average for the entire four years is exceeded but by five other fertilizers. 35 The crushed cotton seed, when applied at the rate of 800 pounds per acre gave a yield of 70 pounds less, or 974 pounds per acre. This was the first application in this proportion. The cotton seed meal s ' free from the hulls, oil, etc., (that is left with the crushed seed,) produced a yield of thirty-one pounds less than the crushed seed. Its application was at the rate of only 400 pounds per acre, or half that of the last plats of crushed seed, so that there would naturally be a less yield. There is thus a decrease in yield proportionate to the amount of cotton seed used, the difference between the maximum application (1,600 lbs.) and its half being seventy pounds, and the difference between the latter application (800 lbs.) and its half (400 of meal) being thirty-one pounds. In the absence of trials of the 800 pounds for the years 1883, ’84 and ’85, it would be premature to regard as a fixed rule this proportionate falling off. The product from the meal was 21 per cent, less in 1886 than in 1885. The Edisto Ammoniated Guano gave the same yield as did the 400 pounds of cotton seed meal, though there is a far less percentage of ammonia present. It produced 14 per cent, less in 1886 than in the year previous. In general average for the four years it is also about equal to the 400 pound application of the cotton seed meal. The Etiwan Soluble Guano , with less ammonia, about the same amount of potash and 1 per cent, more of phosphoric acid, is nearly equal to the Edisto in productive effect, and in general average for four years exceeds it by 75 pounds of seed cotton. The yield from its application in 1886 was about 29 per cent, less than in 1885. In general average for four years it ranks higher than any of those tried in 1886. The Ashley Corn and Cotton Compound has more ammonia and potash than any of the group and far less of phosphoric acid. Its application has produced a less yield than the above fertilizers in 1886, though this was not the case in other years. The difference between results of 1885 and 1886 was about 28 per cent, of the former. In general average for the four years it produced 1,199 pounds of seed cotton per acre. The application of nitrate of soda produced the low yield of 823 pounds per acre, or about 20 pounds above that of the natural soil. This yield was 29 per cent, less than that of 1885. One of the plats yielded higher than did any one of the compost plats. It has been tested but two years. The Ashley Soluble Gtiano contains less ammonia and potash than the Corn and Cotton Compound ; as do also the other guanos in use in 1886. In phosphoric acid it is inferior only to the Etiwan Soluble Guano. The difference between the yield in cotton from its application in 1885 and 1886 was 33 per cent, of the former. The test with 800 pounds of this fertilizer, which in previous years produced such good results, was not repeated in 1886. The Eddy stone Guano was tried in 1886 for the first time. One of its plats gave an extremely low yield from some local cause, which very much reduced the average, which, judging from that of the other plat, would have been very fair. The tests with the Patapsco Guano were not repeated in 1886. The chemical constituents of the above fertilizers, and the amounts of each applied per acre, are given in the following table : 36 TABLE XIX. Chemical Constituents of Ammoniated Fertilizers. FERTILIZER. PERCENTAGE COM- POSITION. AMOUNT APPLIED PER ACRE. Yield in Seed Cotton Per Acre. Phosphoric ACID. Potash, lbs. Ammonia, lbs. Phosphoric Acid. Potash, lbs. Ammonia, lbs. Total. Available. Total, lbs. Available, lbs. ! Crushed Cotton Seed, 1,600 1.00 1.25 3.50 16 20 56 1,044 Crushed Cotton Seed, 800 1.00 1.25 3.50 8 10 28 974 Edisto Ammoniated Guano 9.60 8.09 2.23 2.61 38 32 9 10 953 Cotton Seed Meal 2.75 1.50 8.00 11 6 32 953 Etiwan Soluble Guano 10.59 9.05 2 28 1.47 42 36 9 6 935 Ashley Corn and Cotton Compound 7.81 6.74 2J0 3.25 31 26 12 13 885 Nitrate of Soda.'. 16.47- 33 823 Ashley Soluble Guano, 400 10.19 9.05 i .68 2.60 41 36 7 10 813 Eddystone Guano 13.75 10.75 1.451 2.40 55 43 6 10 808 From the percentage composition we are enabled to determine the amount of each of the elements of productiveness — phosphoric acid, potash and ammonia — in pounds, applied per acre. The .table is arranged in the order of maximum productiveness, and at its head is 1,600 pounds of crushed cotton seed, which with the greatest amounts of potash and of ammonia gave the greatest yield in 1886. It is followed in productiveness by the 800 applica- tion, which yielded seventy pounds less of seed cotton. The other fertilizers all have less amounts of potash and ammonia and give less results, these results being without any apparent reference to the former. The presence of the potash appears to have had more effect on the yield than the ammonia. Profit or Loss in the Use of Ammoniated Fertilizers. — The following table is of value in answering the question of profit or loss in the use of ammo- niated fertilizers on the sandy uplands of the Farm — lands whose productive- ness is naturally quite large, yielding, as it did in 1886, an average of 804 pounds of seed cotton per acre, or an average of 1,083 pounds for the entire four years. The first column gives the value per ton and the second the cost of the amount applied per acre of each. The other columns give the increase of yield above the natural yield and the price of the same. The last four columns give the profit or loss for 1886, and also for the four years’ average : 37 TABLE XX. Profit or Loss in use of Ammoniated Fertilizers. FERTILIZER. Crushed cotton seed, 1,600 lbs. . . Crushed cotton seed, 800 lbs Cotton seed meal, 400 lbs Edisto Ammoniated Guano Etiwan Soluble Guano Ashley Corn & Cotton Compound Nitrate of Soda Ashley Soluble Guano, 400 lbs . . . Eddystone Guano Ashley Soluble Guano, 800 lbs . . . Patapsco Am. Guano, 400 lbs — Value per Ton. Cost of Applicatior Increase Above Natural Yield. Value of Increase. 1886. Average for Four Years Seed Cotton. Seed. Lint. Profit. Xfl 3 Profit. Loss. m oo flO 40 239 159 79 $7 90 $2 50 $5 50 13 00 5 20 169 113 56 5 60 SO 40 20 00 4 00 138 92 46 4 60 0 60 0 10 23 33 4 66 148 99 49 4 90 0 24 0 96 25 91 5 18 130 87 43 4 30 0 88 $1 02 27 21 5 44 80 53 27 2 69 2 75 1 54 7 00 70 18 12 6 60 0 10 27 71 5 54 8 5 3 29 5 25 5 14 25 26 5 45 3 2 1 10 4 95 25 26 11 08 0 38 24 43 4 89 1 48 A glance at the columns of profit and loss for 1886 will show that but three of the fertilizers gave any net profit whatever, and these less than one dollar each. The three were 800 pounds of crushed cotton seed, 400 pounds of cotton seed meal and 400 pounds of Edisto Ammoniated Guano. All others are unfortunately on the other side, the loss above the cost of the manure applied varying from $2.50 in the 1,600 pound application of crushed cotton seed to eighty-eight cents per acre in the Etiwan Soluble Guano. Some of the fertilizers had a loss amounting to almost the entire cost of manure applied per acre. For the entire four years the result is scarcely better, except in one instance, viz. : the Etiwan Guano yielded a profit of about one dollar per acre, though in 1886 alone it lost less than a dollar per acre. The conclusion is irresistible that upon such land as that of the College Farm, the application of ammoniated fertilizers will be attended by loss. III. Experiments with Phosphatic Manures. — The tests to show the effects of phosphatic manures upon cotton were made only with floats, Ashley acid phosphate and bone meal, and their combinations with each other, and with salt. Very little potash or ammonia enters into the composition. Four hun- dred pounds of each was applied per acre, the salt being additional. Here, as with other experiments, the tests were duplicated, each plat covering one- twentieth of an acre and receiving the same fertilizer for successive years. The results for each plat for 1886 and their average for four years, the ave- rage for each year of plats similarly treated, and the final general average for four years for each fertilizer, are shown in the following table : 38 TABLE XXI. FERTILIZER. 1 YIELD IN SEED COTTON PER ACRE IN POUNDS. ◄ <3 Average of Similar Plats for O, Each Plat. Q) Each Year. |3 fl O TTnr Average 1883. Average o l 1 Ol 1886. of all 1884. 1885. 1886. for a Years. 4 Years. LBS. 1 650 1,128 1,076 1,054 1,128 1,065 400 400 1,448 ) 1,198 j 1,140 1,600 1,485 1,323 650 1,034 1,118 1,034 1,036 1,034 1,051 800 1,359 j 1 1,095 1,620 1,453 800 954 1,243 j 1 400 400 1,008 950 1,215 ( 1,311 ( 1,085 1,550 1,436 979 1,263 800 956 1,142 | ' 1,005 1,610 1,265 921 1,200 800 886 1,208 j 400 400 882 770 1,352 | 1,145 \ 1,225 1,630 1,312 826 1,248 400 796 1,153 \ 1,145 1,460 1,255 787 1,148 400 778 1,146 j Ashley Acid Phosphate, 400 lbs. Kainit, 250 lbs. Floats (Basic Phosphate) Same Kainit, 400 lbs. I Bone Meal, 250 lbs. j Bone Meal, 400 lbs. { Salt, 400 lbs. f Same Bone Meal Same Floats, 400 lbs. I Salt, 400 lbs. J Same Ashley Acid Phosphate Same Ashley Acid Phosphate, 267 lbs. Bone Meal, 133 lbs. Same One of the plats, which the year previous had been fertilized with 800 pounds of Ashley’s Soluble Guano, was in 1886 treated with a mixture of 400 pounds of Ashley’s Acid Phosphate and 250 pounds of Kainit. The result was an average yield of 1,128 pounds of seed cotton per acre. It is very probable that the good condition of the plat, from the previous fertilization, was in part, at least, to be credited with this result, as the general average of its yield for the three years, 1883-5, inclusive, was very high. Floats is a basic phosphate of lime, with but three and a half per cent, of available phosphoric acid. It has produced high yields during the three first seasons, but in 1886 the product of its plats fell off about 28 per cent. The cause of the high yield in one of its plats is found in a soil especially rich from the earth around a decayed stump which had been removed. The same amount of floats (400 pounds) in a mixture with 400 pounds of salt, while producing as well in seasonable years (1884) as when alone, fell far behind in 1886, with a yield of 144 pounds less. The difference between the yields of its plats in 1885 and 1886 was 344 pounds, or 27 per cent, of the former. In contrast to the apparent effect produced by mixing salt with floats, we notice in the case of Bone Meal an increase in yield over that of the meal alone throughout the three years by the addition of salt. The difference between the yield with bone meal alone, and with admixture with salt, was 58 pounds. 39 Tlie effect of the salt is, perhaps, best seen in the lower percentages of loss, or difference in the yield of 1886 and 1885, that being 28 per cent., while that from bone meal alone was 31 per cent. If 400 pounds of Kainit is taken instead of salt and a mixture, with 250 pounds of bone meal is made, the experiment on Plat 67 shows that this amount of the latter will produce a yield equal to that of 400 pounds of bene meal with salt. On the other hand, the mixture of acid phosphate and bone meal in the proportion of 267 to 133 failed to produce a yield at all equal to the other mix- tures. In 1883 it made a comparatively high yield, but in all other years it fell behind to the extent of 100 or more pounds of seed cotton. In 1886 the yield was 37 per cent, less than in the previous year. Ashley's Acid Phosphate alone, with an application of 400 pounds per acre, failed, in 1886, to show the same great beneficial effect that marked its appli- cation in the previous years, and especially in 1884. The severe season of 1886 caused a falling off of 37 per cent, from its yield of 1885. The following table gives the percentage composition and amount applied per acre in pounds of each of the above fertilizers : TABLE XXII. Composition of the Phosphatic Fertilizers. FERTILIZER. PERCENTAGE COM- POSITION. POUNDS APPLIED PER ACRE. Seed Cotton Product Per Acre, 1886. Phosphoric Acid. 3 1 o Phosphoric Acid. 3 t n 3 o CH O EH © 3 > < © 3 S3 O m a OS o EH © 3 Kj 3 t> ◄ © 3 S3 O m fl Ashlev Acid Phosphate, 400 I Kainit, 250 f Floats 8.60 26.14 10.80 13.40 21.70 13.07 14.17 16.75 6.90 3.58 2.00 22.56 6.3 57 104 87 87 87 104 57 67 44 14 13 90 41 1,128 1,065 1,036 1,034 979 921 826 787 Bone Meal, 400 ; Salt, 400 Kainit, 400; Bone Meal, 250 8.8 57 Bone Meal Floats, 400; Salt, 400 1.79 11.04 7.50 11.28 3.13 9.25 14 44 30 90 13 37 Ashley Acid Phosphate Ashley Acid Phosphate, 267 I Bone Meal, 133 \ 1.4 1.0 5 4 The Acid Phosphate alone has yielded but 826 pounds of seed cotton per acre, while with the addition of Kainit its yield is increased 302 pounds. The next three fertilizers are about equal, the differences in their yields being comparatively small. The higher yield of Bone Meal and Floats above the Ashley Phosphate is unaccountable, as the amounts of Potash and available Phosphoric Acid in the latter are much greater. 40 Profit or Loss in Use of Phosphates . — In the following table the estimate of profit or loss is, as in other tables, based on the cost of the amount of the fertilizer applied and the increase of the yield of the plats over and above the general average of the natural or unfertilized soil, which for 1886 was 804 pounds of seed cotton per acre. This increase is given in the table, and its value is determined at the commercial valuations of the seed and lint, viz. : $10 per ton for the former and 9 cents per pound for the lint. In addition, the profit or loss on the combined averages for the four years has also been made in the cases where the test covers that number of years : TABLE XXIII. Profit or Loss Per Acre in Use of Phosphatic Fertilizers. Fertilizer. Value Per Ton. Cost of Appli- cation. J Increase Above Natural Soil. Value of In- crease. ■ 1886. General Average 4 Years. Seed Cotton. Seed. Lint. 1 P4 Loss. Profit. J Ashley Acid Phosphate 400, Kainit 250 $13 95 $ 4 50 323 216 107 $10 71 $ 6 21 Floats 12 80 2 90 260 174 86 8 61 5 71 $5’io Kainit 400, Bone Meal 250 23 46 7 56 227 123 76 7 46 0 10 Bone Meal 400, Salt 400. 22 50 9 00 231 154 77 7 70 '$ 1 30 $ 9 00 Bone Meal 40 00 8 00 174 116 58 5 80 2 20 2 00 Floats 400, Salt 400. .. . 9 75 3 90 151 101 50 5 00 1 10 ’ *0*66 0 00 Ashley Acid Phosphate 14 50 5 44 77 52 25 2 50 j 2 94 0 06 Ashley Acid Phosphate 267, Bone Meal 133.. 23 30 4 66 0 0 0 0 00 4 66 2 46 It is pleasant to note that in this table we have three fertilizers that in 1886 did yield some profit over their cost. The mixture of acid phosphate and kainit gave a profit of $6.21 ; while floats alone yielded $5.71, and with salt $1.10 per acre. The mixture of kainit and bone meal yielded a profit of only ten cents per acre. The other compounds failed to give a profit on their cost of application. In the general average of four years floats again stands on the profit side, and Ashley’s Acid Phosphate just does do so. The latter mixed with kainit was tried only in 1886. Experiments with Other Fertilizers . — Several other fertilizers have been experimented with, whose results have not been placed in any of the above tables. They" are now given in the following : 41 TABLE XXIV. Experiments with Ash Element, Kainit , d-c. FERTILIZER. YIELD IN SEED COTTON PER ACRE IN POUNDS. Average of Plats Similarly Each Plat. Treated. For Average Average for Four 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. for Four 1886. Years. Years. 1,128 870 1,345 l 1,129 J 1,260 1,460 1,223 999 1,235 1,196 734 1,302 | 1,040 j 1,055 1,580 1,115 965 1,178 1,002 704 1,295 1 1,016 f 1,035 1,430 1,306 853 1,156 680 792 1,136 l 1,027 \ 1,040 1,430 1,121 736 1,081 Ashley’s Ash Element Same Ashley’s Ash Element Same. Common Salt Same Kainit Same LBS. 800 800 400 400 400 400 400 400 The eight hundred pound application of ash element is shown to have produced the largest amount of seed cotton per acre, and yet only fifty-seven pounds more than when half the quantity was applied. Plainly, therefore, there is in this case no economy in the larger application. Contrary to the usual belief that salt is of no benefit to soils, the applica- tion of four hundred pounds in 1886 certainly seems to have been slightly beneficial, though the small gain of forty-nine pounds over the yield of the natural soil may largely be due to some local cause. The yield of the plats treated with kainit alone was less than that of the adjoining natural or unfertilized plat. *The following table gives the chemical composition of these fertilizers and the amounts in pounds of each element applied per acre : TABLE XXV. Composition and Application. FERTILIZER. PERCENTAGE COM- POSITION. POUNDS APPLIED PER ACRE. Seed Cotton Product Per Acre, 1886. Phosphoric Acid. .d 03 03 O Ph Phosphoric Acid. Potash. Total. Available. Insoluble. Total. Available. Insoluble. Ashley’s Ash Element, 800 11.5 11.5 11.5 11.5 2.5 2.5 92 46 92 46 20 10 999 965 853 756 Ashley’s Ash Element, 400 Salt Kainit 14.20 57 42 The application of eight hundred pounds of ash element gave to the land ninety-two pounds of phosphoric acid and twenty of potash, the largest amounts ; and we find in consequence the greatest yield in seed cotton from it. The application of four hundred pounds of the same fertilizer gives to the land less of its ingredients and produces a somewhat less result. The salt containing no phosphoric acid or potash seems to have acted chiefly by its attraction for moisture. Profit and Loss . — To ascertain whether or not the fertilizers of this group have yielded any profit in the amounts applied, the following table has been prepared as with previous groups : TABLE XXVI. Profit or Loss Per Acre. FERTILIZERS. Value Per Ton. Cost of Application Per Acre. Increase Over Natural Soil. Value of Increase. 1886. General Average 4 Years. Seed Cotton. Seed. Lint. Profit. Loss. Profit. Loss. Ashley Ash Element, 800 $14 50 $5 80 195 180 65 $6 50 $ 70 $ 70 Ashley Ash Element, 400 14 50 2 90 161 107 54 5 37 2 47 $ 30 Common Salt 5 00 1 00 49 38 16 1 60 60 1 41 Kainit 12 80 2 56 $2 56 | 2 56 The application of 400 pounds of Ashley’s Ash Element was far more profit- able than that of the 800 pounds, indicating that the latter was excessive in the extreme. As in a previous case, the presence of salt has acted in some favorable manner which in the severe season of 1886 has given a profit of $5.50 above the cost of application. The salt contains nothing that may be regarded as plant food,. Its action was felt favorably through the series of years, and in the general average there is a small profit over its cost. The kainit is a soluble salt of potash, and there is in the sandy soil of the Farm not sufficient of clay to retain and fix the potash for the use of the plant. It seems more than probable, therefore, that a large proportion of the kainit has been lost and we find no positive results from its application. Where associated with other substances, such as acid phosphate, as in the previous table, we find splendid results from its use. 43 SUMMARY OF RESULTS WITH FERTILIZERS. As a matter of interest, the fertilizers whose yield was above 900 pounds are arranged in the order of highest production of seed cotton per acre for 1886- Stable Manure, 20 tons 1,247 pounds. Kainit, 250 pounds, Ashley Acid Phosphate, 400 1,128 “ Stable Manure, 10 tons 1,101 u Floats (on a richer soil) 1,065 “ Crushed Cotton Seed, 1,600 pounds 1,044 “ Bone Meal, 400, Salt, 400 1,036 “ Bone Meal, 250, Kainit, 400 .1,034 “ Stable Manure, 10 tons, Ash Element, 400 pounds 1,029 “ South Carolina Compost No. 4 1,015 11 Ashley Ash Element, 800 pounds 999 ‘ ‘ Bone Meal 979 “ Crushed Cotton Seed, 800 pounds 974 “ South Carolina Compost No. 7 971 “ Ash Element, 400 pounds 965 “ Edisto Ammoniated Guano 953 “ South Carolina Compost No. 5 953 u Cotton Seed Meal 943 “ Etiwan Guano 935 “ Floats, 400 pounds, Salt, 400 pounds 921 “ South Carolina Compost No. 6 912 “ The following is a list of those fertilizers whose application upon the sandy soil of the Farm yielded some profit per acre above the cost. They are placed in the order of highest profit for the crop of 1886 : Floats $5 71 per acre. Ashley Acid Phosphate and Kainit 6 21 “ “ Ash Element, 400 pounds 2 47 “ “ Floats and Salt 1 10 “ Ash Element, 800 pounds 70 11 11 Cotton Seed Meal 60 u “ 44 EXPERIMENTS WITH OTHER CROPS*. The Experimental Farm proper being almost entirely taken np with experi- ments on cotton and fertilizers and with the necessary corn and oat crops for the farm stock, we were compelled to utilize the garden plats in the rear of the College buildings for the tests on forage and other crops, excepting those on wheat, which were conducted on the cotton field. The conditions accompa- nying these tests were unusually unfavorable, the land having been overrun with nut grass and the soil being very sandy and containing much debris from the buildings, such as pieces of brick, glass, etc. The ground was thoroughly broken up in the Spring, and an application of 100 pounds of land plaster harrowed in. The land was then raked, leveled and laid off in plats of ten feet square, into which the various seeds were either sown or drilled about the 26th of April. The grain crops were attacked when ripe by the English sparrow. Wheat. — The experiments for 1886 embraced ten varieties of wheat. They were all sown in the drill on the 5th of November, except the Fultz, which was not received in time, and was sown on the 1st of December. The plat assigned for the experiment was the central part of the cotton field, each variety occu- pying several rows, and fertilized alike with green cotton seed, at the rate of forty -three bushels per acre. They were all cut down by frosts, and three varieties — the White Crimean, Indian Imported and Egyptian — were almost completely killed by the cold of last Winter. The full results, with amount of yield and proportion of stalk, chaff and wheat, have not yet been deter- mined. The following varieties were planted : The Extra Early Oakley grew to the extra height of three and a half feet ; headed on the 8th of April, and was cut on the 17th of May. The McGeehee White also grew to three and a half feet in height ; headed on the 26th of April, and was cut on the 24th of May. Diehl’s Mediterranean was also of extra height ; headed on the 5th of May, and was cut on the 81st of May. The Fultz, planted a month later than the other varieties, headed on the 5th of May, and was cut on the 31st of May. The Genoese headed on the 8th of May, and was cut on the 7th of June. Martin’s Amber headed on the 10th of May, and was also cut on the 7th of June. The White Crimean was killed by cold, only a few scattering stalks surviv- ing ; they headed on the 14th of May, and were cut on the 11th of June. The Indian Imported, with but few stalks surviving the cold of last Winter, headed on the 14th of May, and was cut on June 11. The Egyptian, also nearly entirely killed by the Winter’s cold, headed on the 12th of May, and w T as cut on the 11th of June. The Four-Rowed Sheriff, or Russian, headed on the 8th of May, and was cut on the 14th of June. ‘ *The results here given were in part included in the last Report, though properly belonging to this. Those for the present year (1887) are not all yet complete. 45 White Millo Maize. — This variety of sorghum, which did so well in 1885, again gave a splendid crop in 1888 in spite of drought. It produced a very luxuriant and abundant growth, yielding two heavy crops of forage. Two rows which were left for the purpose produced a heavy crop of seed in August, which were, however, destroyed by birds about the time of maturity. Yellow Millo Maize. — This variety grows and branches out as with the white variety, but is a rich dark yellow, with larger and heavier heads, and it is claimed that it produces a much better flour than the white. A few rows of seed were planted in 1886, which yielded remarkably well in spite of the drought, but the seed were destroyed by the English sparrow. A peculiarity of this variety is the graceful bending downwards of the stem of the head. It grows ten or twelve feet high and yields a heavy crop of forage, which can be cut two or three times in each season. Italian Rye Grass. — This grass did not do as well this as last year. It germinated and grew very well for a while, but was killed by the hot sun and cool, drying winds of the Summer. It usually stands drought well, and in this climate remains green all Winter. Kentucky Blue Grass. — This grows very slowly from the seed, and until it obtains a firm hold in the soil must be protected by clover or other grass # Some of the seed obtained from Kentucky were planted in the Spring of 1886 upon a number of small plats to which plaster had been added. The small, fine blades soon appeared above ground and grew slowly until killed by the Summer heat. That portion of the grass which was shaded stood the Summer very well. Meadow Fescue. — Of the many fescue grasses the meadow fescue, or F. Pratensis , was the only one experimented with in 1886. This, as well as a number of the other varieties, is a valuable pasture grass. It grows from two to three feet high, has a round, smooth stem, and its roots penetrate a foot or more in the ground. It therefore stands drought well, and is well adapted to this climate. It is a perennial, and remains green all Winter, making a good pasture. It makes a good hay, and cattle are very fond of it. It grows well on nearly all soils, both upland and bottom. A small quantity of the seed planted last year on the poor soil of a plat near the college build- ings grew luxuriantly, remained green all Winter, and is now maturing its seed. Orchard Grass. — A few rows of this well known and valuable grass were planted last year for comparison with other grasses grown in the same field. The soil is poor, and was not manured. The grass did not come up very well, but the bunches branched out and became luxuriant, growing two and a half feet high. It withstood the drought of last Summer and the cold of the Winter, remaining green during the time, and not maturing its seed until this June. 46 Texas Blue Grass. — Some of the seed of this grass was received from H. Post of Selma, Alabama, and sown in hills in four of the squares that had been treated with land plaster. The seed germinated, but the dry winds caused the plants to shrivel up as soon as the first leaves appeared. From the descriptive catalogue of the grasses of the United States, by Dr. George Yasey, the following extract from the letter of a correspond- ent is taken: “I find the grass spreading rapidly over the country, and I claim for it all and more in Texas than is awarded the poa pratensis in Kentucky. It seems to be indigenous to all the prairie country be- tween the Trinity River and the Brazos in our State. It blooms here about the last of March, and ripens its seed by the 15th of Aripl. Stock of all kinds, and even poultry, seem to prefer it to wheat, rye, or anything else grown in Winter. It seems to have all the characteristics of poa pra- tensis , only it is much larger, and therefore affords more grazing. I have known it to grow ten inches in ten days during the Winter. The coldest Winters do not even nip it ; and although it seems to die down during the Summer, it springs up as soon as the first rains fall in September, and grows all Winter. It will be ready for pasture in three or four weeks after the first rains in the latter part of August or first of September.” Paspalum Dilitatum. — The roots of this grass were received from Chas. N. Eley, of Smith Point, Texas. He describes it as being “ a perennial ever- green pasture and forage grass, growing during the longest droughts ; will stand heavy grazing. If closely pastured, it spreads itself by underground roots, forming a solid turf and abundance of fresh shoots. If protected from stock, it grows two to three feet high, giving repeated cuttings of hay. It is propagated by sets or roots. The seed is unreliable and not recommended. Each set or stole will multiply itself by suckers or shoots, forming stools or tufts. Seed stalks grow five to seven feet high, and, falling to the ground, scatter the seed, and each joint of seed stalk forms roots through the sur- rounding grass. ‘ ‘ In this manner it excludes all other grasses — circumstances, of course, govern the time required. When first planted it should be protected from stock, or they will pull it up, if grazing upon it, before it becomes rooted. One set or root to every square yard is close enough to plant it. ” The roots of this grass were set out in half of one of the plats that had been treated with land plaster. The Summer was an exceptionally severe one, but the grass grew remarkably well, and proved very hardy and well adapted to our soil and climate. Paspalum Platy-Caule. — The roots of this grass were received from Mr. Chas. N. Eley, of Smith Point, Texas, who says of it : “ This grass is peren- nial, but most vigorous in the Summer. I have never seen it affected by drought. It forms a solid turf of grass, growing five to seven inches high ; will grow on the dryest places, and in the shade of trees, forming a complete carpet, excluding all weeds. The seed is very light, and scatters by the wind, and the grass spreads by roots, creeping on the ground very fast. The grass has fine grazing qualities, especially for horses and sheep ; of no value for hay.” 47 The roots were set out in one of the plats that had been treated with land plaster. They grew remarkably well during this severe Summer, proving very hardy and well adapted to our soil and climate. Herds Grass. — Three squares were sown broadcast in the seed of this grass, which germinated and grew well until destroyed by the hot sun and cool drying winds of the unusually unfavorable Summer. Mr. Howard says of this grass : ‘ ‘ For hay alone it ranks next to Timothy. The soil best suited to it is a moist swamp land ; it will grow almost in run- ning water. It yields a valuable return on thinner land than perhaps any other of the cultivated grasses. Its chief requisite seems to be moisture. The hay is good in quality, and sometimes very large in quantity. The grass should be cut just as the seed begins to ripen, and before the stalk has begun to change its color.” Canary Grass. — The seed of a variety of this grass ( phalaris intermedia) were planted in three drills in one of the squares treated with land plaster, but failed to germinate. It is said by Howard “to be highly esteemed by the few who grow it for Winter and Spring grazing, soiling and hay. ” It grows two or three feet high and in swamps five feet, with many leaves four to ten inches long, and somewhat resembling the head of Timothy. Stock like it well, especially as hay. Kaffir Corn. — Seed of this variety of sorghum were received from J. H. Watkins, of Palmetto, Ga. A few rows of it were planted, which yielded two crops of forage. It is not as prolific as the Millo maize, but is tender and superior to it as fodder. It is a most prolific bearer of seed, which is said to be superior to all grain of the sorghum species for bread. Unfortunately the seed were devoured by the birds and no test could be made. Mr. Watkins says of it : “The plant is dwarfish and branches only at the top ; stands erect ; never droops. The heads are from three to fifteen inches long, according to the soil and the thickness in the drill, and are compact and well filled ; the glumes are short, almost rudimentary, yielding little chaff or other debris in threshing or milling. The plant is early and is the most ten- der of all the sweet sorghums for forage, and can be cut from one to three times in bloom from the same planting. It cures quickly and well, and like Indian corn instead of the sorghums. The flour is so glutinous that it kneads as well as wheat flour. The bread has the taste of wheat bread, with more sweetness, but is darker.” On the sandy lands of the College Farm the plant grew about four feet high, erect and with wide foliage. The grains are whitish and resemble very closely the white Millo maize. Alfalfa or Lucerne. — The seed of this valuable forage crop were sown broadcast, about the 26 th of April, over five of the squares treated with land plaster, and in spite of the unprecedented unfavorable season, when drought and cool winds prevailed, they germinated, grew and flourished, producing a splendid crop. 48 Bed Clover. — Five squares were sown broadcast in the seed of this clover about the 26th of April. The seed germinated and grew well until dried up by the cool, dry Summer, with it^ occasional periods of hot, burning tempera- ture. The sandy uplands of this region seem to be unsuited to the thriftiness of this clover, except where the clayey subsoil comes very near the surface. It thrives best on well drained, clayey lands, and forms an excellent pasture after it is in bloom. For hay it should be cut when the heads have begun to turn brown. Rich lands will yield from two to three tons of hay per acre. Sweet Clover. — This variety of clover is sometimes planted for forage. The species melilotus alba Was planted in the drill upon one square of the experimental plats, germinated and grew well during the entire Summer, resisting the drought equally as well’ as alfalfa, which it resembles. It is well adapted, in consequence, to this latitude and to the sandy soil of these uplands. White Clover. — Seed of this variety of clover were sown broadcast upon five of the squares, and germinated and grew w T ell until dried up by the pro- tracted cold, dry Summer, with its occasional hot, burning periods. Alsike, or Swedish Clover. — Seed of this variety of clover were received from the Department of Agriculture at Washington, and were planted in one of the squares. They germinated, but being planted too late they failed to grow, and late in the season perished from the protracted drought and con- stant cold winds. Texas Millet. — Some of the seed of this grass was drilled in a. few rows in one of the above squares. It germinated and grew luxuriantly, proving a most valuable forage crop. It produced an abundance of seed, which were, however, unfortunately destroyed by the English sparrows. The plant is a vigorous grower, tender and very palatable, and eaten ravenously by stock. It is a hardy crop and well adapted to this latitude from its capacity to with- stand drought. Russian Forage Plants. — Seed of the following varieties were received from the United States Department of Agriculture and planted in hills, several rows each, two and a half feet apart. They germinated and grew for several weeks, but succumbed to the unusually severe season, yielding no results whatever. Pyretiirum Roseum. — The pulverized flower heads of this plant possess properties highly destructive to insect life, and form what is well known as Persian insect powder. The seed were planted in three drills upon one of the squares, but failed to germinate. Ramie. — Some of the seed of this valuable fibre-producing plant were obtained in the Spring of 1886 from New Orleans, but were planted too late and did not germinate because of the cool and dry season that was then pre- vailing. Since then roots have been obtained and the plant is growing finely. The result will be noted in the next Report. 49 Jute. — Seed of this fibre-producing plant were also obtained in New Orleans and planted, but failed to germinate. The plant grows ten or twelve feet high and requires about the same cultivation as the ramie. It thrives best in an alluvial soil, moist and sandy. The fibre of the jute is not as fine as that of the ramie. Bene. — Some of the seed of this (sesantum Orientate ) were planted, which came up and grew luxuriantly ■, the plant reaching a height of five to seven feet and proving itself thoroughly adapted to this soil and climate. It is very valuable for its medicinal properties, having been used with excellent results in severe cases of dysentery and other diseases. A few leaves put in a little water quickly make it thick and mucilaginous, pleasant to the taste and can be freely used. From the seeds an oil is obtained which will keep for many years without becoming rancid. “ When first made it is quite heating and is used as a stimulant, but after two or three years it be- comes quite mild andis.used as a salad oil.” Colungas or Original Goober Pea. — A few seed were received in April of this year from Mr. J. H. Alexander, of Augusta, with the following state- ment : ‘ £ I got thesp seed from an old darkey in Burke County, who says they are ‘Colungas.’ I judge they are a true ground pea — the original African ‘ goober pea.’ You note that it is a pea — has an eye like a pea and tastes like a cow pea. It is not good human food — nothing like a peanut.” These seed were planted, each in a hill, but of the four seed sent only three came up. The plant grew up like a bunch pea, about 8 or 10 inches high, the leaves small and shaped like that of a common peanut and of a pale yellow color. Owing to the unfavorable season the plant' yielded not more than half a dozenseed to the hill. Tobacco. — Experiments were made wfith the following varieties of tobacco, the seeds of which were received from the United States Department of Agriculture. They were planted in pots in the greenhouse, but were late in germinating ; the plants were, therefore, set out late in the season, the time varying from the 21st of May to the 1st of September, and in ground that was sandy. An extremely unfavorable season, cool and dry, with occasional hot, parching winds, prevented the plants from growing until a heavy rain in August gave the necessary moisture and caused them to start off vigorously. It thus happened that those plants which were set out in August were not much behind the earliest ones, and all attained a height of from fifteen to twenty-four inches in a short time, when they were topped, except a few which were allowed to run to seed. The plants were cut just before the heavy frosts in the first of November, and are now being cured. The growth attained by the plants, in spite of the unusually severe season, show conclusively that the soil and climate of at least this part of the State are well adapted to the suc- cessful production of tobacco. The chief requisite is a knowledge of its culti- vation, curing and preparation for market : Pure Havana. — This is used for cigar wrappers ; its leaves are thin, and, in this instance, were about twelve inches wide and nineteen inches long. 4 — EF 5 0 Old Sucker, Virginia. — This is said to be a very desirable variety for gene- ral cultivation. It produced leaves about twelve inches wide and twenty- four inches long. Caboni. — This variety is said to grow to the height of fourteen feet in Cuba. It was grown in Virginia the past year, 1884, and the stalks measured ten feet. The leaf is of good size, and the flavor equal to the best imported cigar. On our farm the plant grew about twenty inches high, with leaves measuring sixteen inches wide and nineteen inches long. General Grant. — -This is the earliest in cultivation ; produces immense foliage of fine texture, small veined and very elastic. Eipens as far North as Minnesota. The plants were set out late in the season, and only grew to a height of fifteen or eighteen inches, but with leaves measuring fifteen inches wide and twenty-six long. Connecticut Seed Leaf. — This variety has a broad leaf, thin, strong and elastic, and with small fibres. It grew about two feet high and produced leaves seventeen inches wide and twenty inches long. It is used for cigar wrappers and the lower grades for binders and fillers. Gooch Broad Leaf.— This is a new variety, resembling yellow Orinoco, but has a larger leaf. The leaves were thirteen inches wide and twenty-two inches long. Yellow Pryor, — -This variety was received from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. It has a wide, heavy leaf of fine texture ; the largest of which were thirteen inches wide and twenty-six inches long. Big Orinoco. — This variety is fine for mahogany and red wrappers. The plant grew about two feet high and produced leaves measuring thirteen inches in width and twenty- three in length. Fiji Orinoco. — This variety grew about two feet high, and its largest leaves measured eleven inches wide and twenty inches long. White Stem Orinoco. — This is one of the best yellow varieties cultivated in the tobacco belt of Virginia and North Carolina. It has good size and weight, and is very early. On the College Farm it grew about two feet high, and its largest leaves measured fourteen inches in width and twenty-five inches in length. Vuelta Abajo. — This variety was imported from Cuba. It grew about two feet high, and produced leaves some of which were twelve inches wide and . sixteen long. Golden Leaf. — The plants of this variety grew to the usual height, pro- ducing leaves measuring eleven inches wide and nineteen inches long. White Burley. — This variety has long, narrow leaves, white in appearance when growing, and used for fancy wrappers. It grew but twelve or fifteen inches high, its leaves measuring as much as ten inches in width and twenty inches in length. Szegodiner. — This variety was imported from Hungary. The plants grew about two feet high and produced leaves measuring twelve inches in width and nineteen inches in length. EXPERIMENTAL WORK FOR 1887. The operations of the Farm for 1887, now in progress, are chiefly a con- tinuation of the experimental work of the four previous years, with the addition of a large number of cotton varieties not heretofore tested. The following comprise the various experiments : Tests with 39 varieties of cotton in' duplicate upon plats 1-20 acre each. Tests with 4 of the most important varieties upon larger plats. Tests upon eleven unfertilized plats. Tests with 33 different fertilizers, composts, etc., in duplicate upon plats 1-20 acre- each. Tests with 6 varieties of small grain. Tests with 4 varieties of corn. Tests upon corn with 8 kinds of fertilizers. Tests with 15 varieties of tobacco. Tests with many grasses, forage crops, etc. In addition to the above there are on rented land on Wheeler Hill : Eleven acres of oats. Three acres of Millo maize and Kaffir corn. Ten acres of cotton. On a rented field near the river : Cotton 2F acres, oats 2 acres, corn 2 acres. The following varieties of cotton were planted for experiment : Allen’s Silk. Jower’s Improved. Cherry’s Long Staple. McCall Improved. Cobweb. Mammoth Cluster. Common. Maxey’s Texas. Crawford’s Peerless. Mexican Bur. Crossland. Meyer’s Texas. Bearing. Minters. Dickson’s Cluster. New Texas. Dickson’s Improved. Ozier Silk. Drought Proof. Peerless of Georgia. Duncan’s Mammoth. Peterkin. Eureka. Richardson. Excelsior. Shine’s Early Prolific. Griffin’s Improved. Simpson. Hawkins. Six Oaks. Hay’s China. Storm Proof of Texas. Herlong. Taylor. Jeff. Welborne’s Pet. Thomas. Jones’ Improved. Jones’ Long Staple. Williamson. These comprise 39 varieties out of the 80 or more as reported in the Tenth Census Reports from the different Cotton States.