Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-23

NEWARK, April 16-Bulletin No. II, inst
issued by the Delaware College Agricul.
tural Experimental Station, contains an
frtiele by the director, DIR. Arthur 7.
Neale, OH the result of important soil and
crop tests conducted during the last year
TO lead II possible to a more rational and
economical use of fertilizers in this State.
The following is synopsis Of the full
report
Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash
are the elements upon which the CONNER
cial value of a fertilizer is based These
three elements are inyaribly present in
every. productive soil, and in every grow
ing plant. Hence, il is but natural that
they should have been regarded as rough
standards for measuring both the fertility
OF land and the agricultural value of phos-
pilates, Experience however, shows that
for such purposes these standards are I'M
reliable. So-called soils may be made
from which every trace of nitrogen has
been removed; yet, by proper manipula-
ton, such soil will permit plants TO develop
normally, and plants. too, which belong
TO classes which are noted for their very
high percentage of nitrogen. Further,
proof has been repeatedly furnished that
plants OF this kind, viz: clovers, peas, &c..
are least influenced by heterogeneous fer
''These points will serve to indicate that
other causes than the mere presence or alb
bVllce Vi CERTAIN tueI1llCtlS III Jne SOIL eXer-
else vital influence on the farmers income.
When. therefore, this question is asked,
VIZ; How shall certain field be fortified
for given cropp the answer must be
based largely upon reports Of actual ex-
perience. The only advice that the station
can. give under such circumstances is, try
each of the elements on a small scale and
use that one or that combination which
gives most satisfactory results
In January of last year State Grange
recognized the value Of this method of
determination and passed resolution
directing the following committee to in
vestigate the matter; 5. H. Messick and
g. w. Phelps of Sussex, e. H. Bancroft
and John Heyd of Kent, and John G. Hig-
gins and DIR. A. I. Neale OF New Castle
county. Conferences were held at Seaford,
Dover and Newark, and il was decided:
Il. To determine whether the proposed
method of experimentation would yield
results Of practical and scientific value.
80 To demonstrate that for the present,
experiments in this line would serve prin-
cipally as object lessons; for it was not as
sumed that results on any given crop would
be identical, if tests were made on farms
lying at any noticeable distance from each
other.
THE selections of crops and of farms ON
which. to carry on the experiments were
made by the joint committees. Five tests
were located in Sussex county, six in
Kent and three in New Castle. The crops
under test were corn, sweet potatoes, straw
berries, tomatoes and peach trees
Indian corn--ln Indian corn there were
in all six trials, three in New Castle. two
in Kent and one in Sussex county, an acre
Of land being used in each test, some of
the land being unfertilized in order to
show the natural fertility of the soil.
Phosphoric acid nitrogen and potash |
were tested simply and in combination,
but in no case was there any proof that |
the increased corn crop paid for the use of |
the fertilizer In the land lying south of |
Newark possible explanation is found in |
unreasonable weather, but north of New |
ark with favorable conditions full crop |
was harvested from an unfertilized Mot, |
The experiment should serve as a warning
TO farmers who fertilize for corn to satisfy |
themselves that in so doing they are Sc
curing some return on their investment.
The experiments IN corn are conducted by |
Harvey Walher, Mermaid John Heyd
FELTON,; G. W. Killen, Frederick; G. W.
Phelps Seaford D. W. Corbit, Odessa.
and ]. b. Vandegrift. Port Penn.
!, Sweet potatoes-ln the sweet potato tests
the results were very different and III favor
OF fertsllzers. Two experiments were
made in this crop in Sussex and one in
Kent county. In each case the profit se-
cured from fertilizers was very marked. In
the experiment at Dover conducted bv
Manloye Hayes the fortified plots aver
aged l25 bushels to the acre. Nitrogen used
alone, yielded an increase of 20 bushels and
potash an increase of 70 bushels to the acre,
In Sussex the experiment was made near
Seaford by Charles Wright. 1t was found
that unfertiliZed land can produce Al
bushels to the acre, but that with an ex-
cess of potash the same ground could pro-
@uce LOB bushels, gain of Ga bushels,
worth S32, for an expenditure of $4. Both
phosPhorio acid and nitrogen produced in
creased yields.
The result is summed as follows tOn
the practical outcome of the series, the re-
suits are positive enough. Dropping all
theory they stand as follows Muriate of
potash when used alone at Dover returned
$40, at Camden it returned Sc and at Sea-
ford it returned S8for every dollar invested
in its purchase"
Peaches.-The tests in peaches were both
in Sussex county in orchards only two
years old. Consequently the effects of
fertilizers were measured solely by noting
the growth of new wood. The expert
ments were conducted near Seaford by Or.
Hugh Martin and G. w. Phelps.
1.-THE results at Seaford were clearly an
parent to the unaided eye; potash and
acid, either alone or in COM
bination, exercised no effect on the length
of new growth. Nitrogen, on the con
trary, used either alone or in combination,
fully 80 per cent. These results were
based upon actual measurements of every {
branch on ia trees. To be exact, the
average growth on the unfertilized plots
approximated fraction more than 16
inches; used alone, nitrate of soda gave an {
average new growth of q inches, and in
two of the combinations with nitrogen
said growth Appropriated fraction less
than % inches.
AT Bridgeville block of LA trees was
kindly placed at the stations disposal by
Dr. Hugh Martin. The management Of |
this experiment was in every respect SINH !
lar TO that already described under Mr.. {
Phelps test. The average growth Of new
wood measured 1871 inches Nitrate of
soda increased this by two inches only.
while muriate of potash had no apparent
influence. Phosphoric acid alone gave an
average growth of 80 inches, combined J
with nitrogen growth of less than SO /
marked increase over the unfertilized =
plots"
Tomatoes-The only experiment at !
tempted with tomatoes was in Kent 9
county, near FELTON,. II was carried ont I
successfully by John Heyd. Nitrate of Il
This has been demonstrated several times
Mr. Heyds work, however, shows that
exceptions to this rule may be expected. a
neither alone nor in combination with I
phosphoric acid and potash did the nitrate :
prove That IT caused an increase sufficient
% pay for its purchase and use.
AS soil test the experiment indicates
IN abundance of nitrogen and, relatively :,
ipeaking, a deficit in potash and phos- 7
ohoric acid. What influence unfayorable 4
weather exercised in this case cannot be .
definitely stated. One unfertillzed plot APP =
ID tons of tomatoes per acre; o
he maximum. yield was that from the
phosphate and muriatn miytura nIaya
quoted, viz, 1876 tons per acre. Both re- q