Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-24
WRIGHT COUNTY EXPERIMENTS
SHOW WHAT CAN BE DONE
ON ALkALI SOIL.
WORK DESCRIBED IN
CROP ADVISORS REPORT
Peat Beds, Treated With Manure and
Potash, the Latter to Overcome Pols-
enous Effects Of Alkal, Produce Good
crops-Seed in Some Instances Is
Sown in Deep Peat.

Eagle Grove Dec. 24.-Ihat peat ana
alkau soil will produce good corn
crop has been proved by experiments
conducted during the past summer in
Wright county by County Crop Ad-
visor L. o. Wise. The successes of the
experiment is shown in the report OF
Mr.. Wise, which follow:
"The peat and alkali soil expert
mental work carried on in Wright
county the past summer was very sat
isfactory in results.
ION the peat field OF H. A. Crab
tree, Vernon township, Ave plots of
one third acre each we measured of.
Plot number one got no treatment and
yielded 29.9 bushels OF very soft i'm
mature corn. Plot number two had
treatment Of 11e pounds acid phos phate
and yielded 1882 bushels of 80 per
cent sound corn. Plot number three
had treatment OF 119 pounds acid
phosphate and So pounds muriate OF
potash. This plot yielded 53.4 bushels
of very good corn about IKE plot num-
Der two Plot number four had a treat
ment of 81 pounds Of potash and yield
ed 1886 bushels Of corn. Plot number
five a treatment OF 133 pounds OF
potash. bu, was drowned out and no
results could be taken.
"a similar experiment was run on
T. Y McCormick's field in Troy town
ship. The same sized plots were used
md the same treatment given. Plot
number one yielded 343 bushels OF very
soft immature corn. not worth over 10
cents per bushel for feed. While plot
number two yielded IS bushels of good
corn, running about 50 per cent Of
solid. Plot number three yielded 534s
bushels of eighty per cent sound corn.
Plot number four was partly drowned
out, but Welded forty bushels of fairly
good corn.
Seed sown in Deep Peat.
1.-THE Crabtree experiment was con-
Quoted on deep peet that has been
drained and farmed for four years,
while the Mccormick peat bed was
raw peat, having been drained and
plowed In the fall Of 1918
Prom the yield and observations
made I am inclined to believe that
potash is what our peat soils in Wright
county need most With treatment
of two hundred pounds per acre the
treatment can be made for about $3.50
per acre. The results of one years
treatment ought to extend over at least
two years cropping and possibly three
years.
A number Of alkali tests were made
on the east side Of the county. The
big rain in June drowned out the mos;
Of these and very indefinite results
were obtained, but IN Boone township
on K T. Engs farm four field expert
ment was run comparing stable manure
and potash
Potash counteraets Poisonous Effects
plot number one had rs loads OF
manure per acre and yielded 57.s3 bu-
shells Of good corn per acre. Plot num-
Der two had twelve loads Of manure
and 200 pounds of potash. yielded so.S=
bushels per acre; while plot number
three had two 200 pounds Of potash anG
yielded 54.2 bushels Of corn. Plot
number four had four hundred pounds
CT potash and yielded 81 bushels pc!
acre.
"a check plot was not run due TO the
fact that last year this alkah spot die
not produce corn, nor did weeds grow
on 1t. From this We find that manure
has great value in overcoming alka!i
also the potash has great value con
nected with counteracting the poison
Gus effect Of alkan on corn.
Where only small areas OF alkai ar
20 be handled fresh stable manure i:
about equal to potash and manure, anc
worth as much or more than potass
alone, but where large tracks of alkal
are to be handled and manure scarce
or needed on thin land, potash can b
used profltably.
The alkan and peat plots are go
ing to be watched for another year O
two TO ascertain definitely how Ions
the applications Will influence the pro
duction OF corn"