New-York tribune., 1874-08-17
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS.

Part II. of the first Bulletin of the Bussey
Institution OF Harvard University containing records
of trials of various fertilizers upon the Pained OF the
Bu, ey Institution, by Prof. F. H. Storer, mas recently
made ITS appearance. The motive OF these experiments
was "to determine il possible what KINDS OF ieFtIers
among those readily procurable IN Boston, were pest
fitted 20 increase the yield OF crops grown upon helu
that was chosen the typical representative Oh tue
light hungry Soils resting upon drift gravel tnat are 20
oo,,r,o, in ev.Enrand" The field, which was re-
markahlv well suited for the purpose was divided IN
small pots on which were cultivated beans, pariey'
and rtabagas. Each crop was raised upon suih'leht
number OF these plots to allow the testing Oh dIEe
number OF fertilizers, including lime, gypsum salts OF
potash and OF ammonia, ashes, superphoaphaleS,
guano bone-meal. hsh-scrap, barn-yard manure, &c'
The conclusions from these experiments are OF course
anncabe ONLY to soils such that Of the field under
experiment Tne experiments are, however, especially
interesting in respect namely that the soi was III
itself rather poor in ITS of available plant iood ana
hence the effects of the fertilizers apphed were more
directly apparent.
In general the best results were attained with ley
potash fertilizers The addition OF materials rch in
nitrogen or phosphorc acid both, caused but very
httle increase in the crops 1T is plain" concludes
Prof sorer that the soil OF the experimental heds
needs fertilizers that rich IN potash ana mat under
the exciting condition of things no advantage can De
gained by applying more phosphate or nitroSchouS le
tizer TO the land. The SOIL evidently contains muuh
larger store or phosphate and ntrogcnOus substances
that are available for the of plants than 1t does OF
pota.h compounds Hence very little useful effect has
been gained by adding phosphates and nitrogen com
pounds to the potassc II only potash enough
be given TO this SOIL latter Of Itself supply All
the other ingredients that compose the food OF pih'7
for as many years as the store OF phosphates
and uitrogen may hold ont Tie crying want OF
the land is or potash and is the pOtaSSic manures tha
l T1-rtgtrh gnm l.
sion of other fertilizers until an equilibrium has pee
reached" Prof. storer believed that the conclusions
obtained from these experiments would apply generally
o the thin light leachy soils of NeWEngand ana cites
a number of observations and usagcs that 60 far to
prove thar the poassic manures especially necde'
there He explains the experience OF farmers aoou,
Boston that night soil is "iOrclnE manure anu
"cybausts the land" while the "IOng morse manure
which has UNDERGONE fermentation i very chcacous'
by the fact that the horse manure Is fich III pOlda
| while the night soil Is not
Reference is also made the fact that the expert
mental field lacks depth OF sOil, ana. abOFe an "1tcr'
rs the richest fertilizers il 10 DIlS
large crops In respect 10 these two conditions tle
field like thousands OF Others in New-E Igdud IA, .
certain natural but limited capacity u prOnt Dy tLc "l
uiicatiou of manure" d" II would 10 be SUI
reuiv ulain the lavish expenditure OF teriiZnE
materials ny which the largest crops are produced woui
b. wholly uuiuSthdblc III the actual farming practice ul
this region" Tc Oi the lack OF potash IN @uci
soils as are referred discussed and It l. proposed
to investigate hereafter the question as To the best
sources supply OF potash for IcruAng purposes le
Bulletin contains also accounts OF experiments pI MI
S:ogs,all at West Peabody, Miss, SIMILAR 10 those
made III tlr Eu,sey Institute. ana Win similar results
There are J added accounts OF analyses O European
supelpEos pilates and cost Of importing the same.