Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1912-11-15
Experiments in Fertilizine Alfalf.



faes d n regions of fairly heavy fan and oats % aus
corn ka ana other annual forage could b ana peas
in many ways no single crop generally adapt U'oy utilized
large utility for pasturage ng hay as alfa and of such
first ten years o Investigations of the of growna the
irrigated lahds IN Eastern have h on non
Bulletin No 80 of this Further as General
bty of crop Western wash INVESTIGATIONS to
me methods of seeding washington conditions and of
satisfactory growth of this part of tho " secure
and will be reported upon in the future ~ III progress
Alfalfa has been grown successfully for oonu - . .
sa a H. 80 a'e without the use fertilizer maeai -,
any kno me ample supply of ease with which tS
of the soil becomes under the condt the plant
s, o. ~ aue 1t possible to large crops with ont
however the heavy draft Of s Oh these dis
d and fertizer the sou Is beginning decreased
yieos anu experiments beo
potaby undertaken alfalfa growers in b
The possibility OF growing alfalfa successfully and proabv ON
basat loan soils of Eastern Washington having e ne
s f n crop has been quite generally over
frequent requests for information the possibility ~ th ~
use crop have come to tht Oh the profitable
has been in some light on this
The of Fertilizers w ''
So determined by chemical anavs,s a., ., .
loan soils of Southeastern Washington ocaled volcanic ASH nn
contain ample supplies of the most plant food for
cereal ana forage crops tor many demon
straed however that supply is imod m t.
throughout the nonrigated districts Washington con
~ h oe'er use OF the soil moisture supplies
available plant food them For this reason -
large supply of total plant is true in anv given
locality and with any particular by actual
field experiments with usa
the fertilizer does the position of tho sol
as shown by analysis as does upon the snnnl m " ne SOIL
the soil and its effect ability crop make tho hast
Of the available soil moisture Moreover which are nau
elements of plant food and are not
likely therefore, the near future
the question as to whether fertilizers chiefly whether
the increased yields obtained will than purchase
hauling and applying the fertilizer handling the
at profit and with
out depicting the fertility of the certainly one
Ian of the Experiment
Our experiments years
their
proaby on alfalfa on the paou soils and second to sudv the
effect the fertilizers
productivity of the soil
measured off
field of alfalfa College
and has good uniform stand the
south exposure and slopes gently toward the south and west
The of preceding and the check
regular increase productivity
tract OF uniform productivity throughout would have been more e
able
be found alfalfa College regular
nal yield of plot with those side of
The
wide
ns oneenh Each alternate strip is used check plot
and left without fertilizer treatment
engthwise being
cast and the which applied narrowed lengthwise imme
e after the application The treatments were follows the plots
being numbered from the west No check No q 95 lbs ground lime
rock land plaster" ground No
g. check No g. 20 lbs acid phosphate No l. check No g. SO lbs
floats" ground phosphate rock No check; No. TO- lbs
nitrate of soda
Results Front he Application of Fertilizers
difference the of the alfalfa on the different
plots developed within less than month after the appcaon OF the
iefuhzers ana became more ana more no'' "s | ~
Plots which received land plaster and acid phosphate respect
than plots The difference was so marked as
be easily a distance of half mile or more
alfalfa considerably
by induced by the fertilizers that was
cutting the stage
The plots all cut
for During the moving samples OF SIX
each plot were TAKEN ana
carried analysis The entire bulk
raked loaded onto
weight material grown on
plot the percentage of dry matter found In the
sample taken the laboratory.
18th, and the weight OF dry
from each plot Plots and produced
third inches in height out as none OIL o
er piou produced CROWN % ma - 80 hos heon made will
third Such late growth as mas peh
crop IN each CASE
in the Following
assuming th
moisture "hch Is aOou' tue
all of gooda analysed at this STATION
nIInfertI izede nd Plots