Sharp County record., 1916-03-17
RoTHAMSTED EXPERIMENT
STATION AND FERTILIZERS.

The Rothamsted Experiment Sta
ton is in England, and is noted for
the great work is has done along all
lines of agricultural work. 1t has
gone into the laws of soil fertility, has
been the first to discover many OF
these laws, and has in all it's history
been especially interested in working
out a plan of farm management by
which soil fertility could be maintain
ed at minimum cost to the farmers
The Rothamsted experiments began
in the year 1887, when Sir John Ben
nett Lawes began experiments on his
private estate He was a man who
loved the soil and to experiment with
it. Strange to say, he was ferttl-
izer manufacturer in certain sense.
as he early discovered process for
transforming bone into superphos-
phate by the use of sulphuric acid,
took out a patent for this IN 184z,
and built an extensive business, which
he managed for about thirty years.
In 1843 he associated with him ]. H.
Gilbert, and these two men for more
than fifty years conducted extensive
agricultural Investigations in regard
to soils and fertilizers, and feeds and
feeding of domestic animals. In 1899
Sir John turned over his large estate,
which had now grown so important,
and had become so we'll known in all
parts of the civilized world, to a
board Of directors. and endowed 1t
with half million dollars.
Among many other things that
were done. experiments were conduct
ed with fertilizers, mineral salts, and
many forms of ammoniates, also with
animal nanures, to determine Just
what the soils needed to grow the
most crops. For this work plots of
ground we're set aside, marked off
and carefully measured, and then
planted to the crep with which the
investigator wished to werk. Small
plots would be used for the different
kinds of mineral and animal nanures,
and in each series one plot would be
left unfertiliEed throughout the entire
experiments, while the others would
have applied the different combina'
tions Of fertilizers, etc. Careful re-
ports we're taken from each end of
these plots, and with interesting re-
suits. The same experiments were
continued for twenty years and more.
Many experiments were conducted
with hay, and some of these with the
following results: The plots that had
no manure Of any kind averaged in
twenty years, 2,3s3 pounds of hay; the
plots which had mineral manure alone
1898 pounds; the plots with mineral
manure and 400 pounds Of ammonia
salts, 5.7t1 pounds Of hay; those with
mineral manure and 800 pounds Of
ammonia salts, 6.726 pounds Of hay;
the plots which received the mineral
manure and nitrate of soda, 6,407
poundx Of hay. Considering the very
low cost Of the fertilizers in compar.
ison to the increased yields brought
about by their use, one could not fail
to see the value Of the manure salts
The Rothamsted station was inter.
ested in the permanent improvement
Of land and the part played in this
by the use Of fertillrng materials
From the many experiments carried
out there was never a doubt Of the
wisdom Of applying plant food to the
soil, Larger Yields were always OBJ.
tanned. other things being equal, and
the fertilization Of the soils through
out England and her possessions rec.
commended II was decided to ascer.
tain the effects of fertilizers on corn
Seven plots were treated as follows;
Plot l. Unmsnured
Plot 2. Mixed mineral manure. 300
pounds sulphate of potash, 200 pounds
sulphate soda, 100 pounds sulphate
nagnesia, $50 pounds superphosphOte
lime
Plot 3. Ammonia.salts. comprising
200 pounds sulphate ammonia and 200
pounds muriate Of ammonia.
Plot 4 Ammonia salts and mixed
mineral manures, as Plot 2,
Plot s, Five hundred and forty
pounds Peruvian guano,
Plot 6, Two thousand pounds rape
cake.
plot T. Fourteen tons farmyard ma.
nure.
The results Of six years Of expert
mentt follow The greatest Increase
in yields was obtained with fertilizers
richest in ammonia. The ammonia
saltS, tho guano and the rape cake
gavo the largest increase, which was
about four or Ave bushels increase
Of dressed corn, In Plot 2, whero
only the mineral manures we're used
the Increase was least. while in Plots
3 and s II was greater and In 4 groat'
est, II seems that tho mineral ma
nures needed the effect of The am,
! l.. l.