SUMMARY. The object of this experiment is to study the effect of nitrogeni fertilizers upon grass, as shown by the yield per acre, the financia' results, and the chemical composition of the hay. The plots contained one-eighth acre each, and were separated from each other by unfertilized strips. The field had been in grass for several years, and the soil was considerably reduced in fertility. Mineral fertil izers were applied to all the plots except one, which was left unma nured, and, with one exception, nitrogen was applied to the manured plots at the rate of 25, 50, and 75 pounds per acre. THE RESULTS. The addition of mineral fertilizers increased the yield of clever, but did not seem to increase very materially the yield of grasses. In general the yield of hay increased with the quantity of nitrogen supplied. The mineral fertilizers, when used alone, were applied at a financial loss. The application of 160 pounds of nitrate of soda per acre (25 lbs. of nitrogen), in addition to the mixed minerals, gave an average profit during the three years of $1.40 per acre; 320 pounds of nitrate of soda (50 lbs. of nitrogen) gave an average profit of $5.24 per acre, and 480 pounds of nitrate of soda (75 lbs. of nitrogen) an average profit of $2.45 per acre. The returns from 320 pounds were very uniform, the profit being $5.10, $5.12 and $5 49 respectively for the three years. The application of nitrogenous fertilizers increased the percentages of protein in the crop and somewhat in proportion to the amount of nitrogen supplied. The increase in the amount of nitrogen in the crop did not equal the increased amount of nitrogen supplied in the fertilizers, implying that the plants were not able to utilize all the nitrogen supplied. EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS UPON THE COMPOSITION OF OATS AND STRAW. BY CHAS. D. WOODS. In the Annual Report of this Station for 1890* there were given the results of the analysis of the crop of oats grown in a "special nitrogen" experiment. It was there stated that the investigation was undertaken with the hope of adding to the knowledge of the effects of different fertilizers upon the percentage composition, and upon the total yield of nutritive ingredients of grain and straw of the oat plant, with special reference to the effect of nitrogenous fertilizers upon the amounts of protein. In continuance of this work, the analyses of the oats and straw from a "special nitrogen" experiment and the grain from a "soil test" experiment with oats were undertaken the present year. Quite large samples, representing the yield as fairly as practicable, were taken by the Station Agriculturist at the time of harvest. The oats had been cut for some time before harvesting, and were quite dry when the field weighings were made and samples taken. The crop from each plot was threshed separately at harvest, and samples were selected and weighed immediately after threshing. The methods of analyses recommended by the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists were followed. The results of the analyses are given in the tables. A brief discussion of these results and of those of 1890 follows the tables. SPECIAL NITROGEN EXPERIMENT. This experiment was conducted on the farm of Mr. W. W. Green of Wapping, and is described in the article on field experiments in this Report. The field is located in the red sand-stone region of the Connecticut Valley, and has been in grass for several years without manure, and yielded less than one ton of hay per acre. The soil is a light loam with a subsoil of nearly the same character to the depth of 2 to 21⁄2 feet. Plot No. TABLE 9. SPECIAL NITROGEN EXPERIMENT WITH OATS IN 1892. Proximate Composition of Water-free Substance of Oats and 08 OATS. % % 1085 16.31 6.21 66.32 1086 15.68 6.48 66.58 16.00 6.34 66.45 1087 15.68 6.09 67.26 1088 14.69 6.30 67.28 1089 16.19 6.59 68.17 1090 17.19 6.42 66.59 15.94 6.35 67.32 14 8.02 3.14 2.61 8.16 3.10 2.51 8.09 3.12 2.56 7.77 3.20 2.51 8.52 3.21 2.35 6.13 2.92 2.59 6.75 3.05 2.75 7.29 3.10 2.55 8 Mixed Minerals, as No. 6, Nitrate of Soda (50 lbs. N.), Mixed Minerals, as No. 6, 9 Nitrate of Soda (75 lbs. N.), 1093 17.19 5.22 64.14 10.37 3.08 2.75 Nitrate of Soda (75 lbs. N.), 1105 6.06 2.37 43.55 42.28 5.74 97 Dried Blood Group. (Mixed Minerals, as No. 6, Dried Blood (25 lbs. N.), Mixed Minerals, as No. 6, 7 Dried Blood (50 lbs. N.), Mixed Minerals, as No. 6, Dried Blood (75 lbs. N.), 1106 3.88 2.82 44.52 43.24 5.54 .62 1107 4.38 2.73 45.32 41.91 5.66 .70 1108 5.17 2.88 46.20 40.62 5.13.83 *For proximate composition calculated to water content at time of harvest, see table 2, pages 28-31, of this Report. TABLE 10. SPECIAL NITROGEN EXPERIMENT WITH OATS IN 1892. Mixed Minerals, as No. 6, 13 14 15 Mixed Minerals, as No. 6, 1100 1312 47 30 440 408 603 531 77 566 516 77 463 433 58 520 472 68 80 52 62 67 48 Mixed Minerals, as 6, 490 1580 1729, 124 Average of Mixed Minerals, 27.6 585 1425 1644 131 I bs. 76 979 730 68 855 790 884 S28 65 855 89 1297 89 1326 From the figures in table 10 it will be noticed that the average yield of water-free oats was 24 pounds greater on the unmanured than on the plots to which mixed minerals (phosphoric acid and potash) were applied, and that the yield of water-free straw was 31 pounds less on the unmanured. This means that the total yield (see table 10) of water-free substance (dry matter) averaged nearly the same on the unmanured plots as on those supplied with minerals. From this it might seem that the soil was not in special need of mineral fertilizers and that the increased yield on the plots supplied with mixed minerals and different quantities of nitrogen was due to the action of the nitrogen. The "soil test" portion of the experiment was omitted, and hence it is not |