Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-24
SuLPHATE.
SOURCE OF NITROGEN
Another Interesting Point in the
Potato Experiments at the
States ArOOstOOk Farm.

4 0SssS~ ~ 49, ~OoSO~A. = ~~---s
| Orono, Me-, Nov. 23.-(Special)-
The following was made public today
by Director Charles D. Woods of the
Maine Experimental station at the
University Of Maine:
| Potato Experiments at Aroostook
| Farm.
From time to time fertilizer manu-
facturers have attempted to substi-
tute sulphate nitrogen for the nitrate
FORM In some instances the results
have apparently been disastrous. For
example, a few years ago there was a
quite general failure Of the crop OF
potatoes in Aroostook county where q
certain brand Of fertilizer was used.
Analysis of this fertilizer by the Sta
ton chemists showed that it contained
sufficient nitrogen. potash and phos-
! phoric acid to more than grow good
crop Of potatoes. However. this fer
tilizer carried none of its nitrogen In
the form of nitrate Of soda but it was
all in the form Of sulphate OF am
monia and high-grade organic ma
ter!al. There is, however, no satls-
factory experimental evidence as to
whether a part of the nitrogen might
not be supplied in the suiphate form.
Sulphate Of ammonia is now being
obtained in large quantities as by
product in the manufacture OF gas ana
coke from coal. If a part of this
could be utilized it would materially
lessen the cost Of high-grade fertil-
tiers.
For these reasons arrangements
were made to begin in 1914 series Of
experiments to run over a period OF
several years. The results of this
experiment in 1914 are given in Bulle-
tin No. 236. This years results are
given below.
Five different mixtures are being
tested. In each of these mixtures the
total composition of the fertilizer Is
per cent. Of nitrogen, s per cent. OF
available phosphoric acid and Z per
cent of potash. The basal mixture
contains enough nitrogen in the form
Of low grade organic ammonlates 10
furnish 1-3 of the total nitrogen re-
quired. The remainder Of the nitro
gen is added in the form Of nitrate OF
soda. or Of sulphate of ammonia as in
Dictated below.
No. 1. Basal mixture and 2-3 OF
the nitrogen in form Of nitrogen OF
soda.
,ixy{,, Il
nitrogen in form of sulphate of am
monia.
No 3. Basal mixture and Ia OF
the nitrogen in form of nitrate OF soda
and 1-3 in form of sulphate OF am
monia.
No. 4. Basal mixture and 1-3 Of the
nitrogen in form of high grade Or
ganic and is in form Of nitrate OF
soda.
No. :. Basal mixture and 1-3 OF
the nitrogen in the form or hlgh
grade organic and 1-3 in the form OF
sulphate of ammonia.
Each mixture was applied at the
rate Of 1900 pounds per acre at the
time of planting. Other than the
fertilizer used the plots were treated
alike in all particulars. IN 1919
duplicate plots were planted with
each mixture. The average yleid per
acre for the two plots Of each mixture
are as follows:
Mixture No. /, 113 barrels, t31l
bushels); Mixture No. ?. 12O barrels
t3as bushels: Mixture No. 3, lis bar
rels. 1924 bushels); Mixture No. 4. III
barrels. 1906 bushels; Mixture No. .,
100 barrels, 600 bushels).
From this it is seen that the yields
of the different mixtures this year
were exceedingly uniform Mixtures
Nos | and 4 which contained nitrate
Of soda averaged to yield about III
barrels. Mixtures Nos. . and which
contained sulphate Of ammonia aver
aged to veid about ia barerls, while
Mixture No. 8 containing both nitrate
of soda and sulphate OF ammonia
yielded 11S barrels. The dlfference
between these yields is not large
enough to be significant.
IF we take the average yields for
the two years 1914 and 1915 the diff
ferences are even less. Thus for the
two years. Mixtures Nos. !. and
each averaged to yield at the rate OF
12O barrels per acre. Mixture NO. =
averaAed 119 barrels, while Mixture
No. 5 averaged ia barrels.
So far as the results of these two
wears are concerned it appears that
at least 2-3 of the total nitrogen can
be supplied in the form Of sulphate OF
ammonia without decreasing the crop.
However, as has been frequently
pointed out by the Experiment Station
too much weight must not be at
tached to a field trial extending over
onlv one or two years. Only after
this experiment has been repeated for
four or Ave years can we draw trust
worthy conclusions. 1t is planned to
continue this experiment next year.