Morris tribune., 1919-01-24

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field received the same CULTIVATION
and were seeded alike and at the
same time thus permitting a d1recC
comparison of the yields. The fields
ranged in size from 1 to 80 acres.
WEATHER PREVENTS TRIALS
WITH CLOVER
CAS- the beneficial effect of phos-
phate on clover had been so marked
on the Morris farm and as compare
lively little of this crop is now grown
in the county, cooperative expert
ments including it were desired. TIL.
dry season of 1917 followed by the
very severe winter of 1917-1918 has
killed out practically all the clover
in the county and so arrangements
had to be made for seeding in 1913
to secure data in 1919. This expert
ment promised to cause mere incon-
venience and expense to the cooper
ators than the preceding one and to
meet this situation the Extension
Division offered to furnish 400
pounds of acid phosphate to each
cooperator, this to be applied at the
rate of 200 pounds per acre to each
of two one-acre plots, two similar un-
fortified plots being retained as
checks.
"The small grain was to be seeded
with clover, the latter to be left for
hay in 1919 and the crops from the
Il oil IL,
both years. Seven former students of
the West Central School Of Agricul
ture were secured as coopeIators. The
summer was exceptionally dry, so
that on not one of these fields has
satisfactory stand of clever been
secured.
Cali but one of the fields were in
spected by the writer's several times
between seeding and harvest. In
nearly all cases during the early
stages a marked difference in growth
could be observed between the two
portions of the field, the treated por-
ton being the better. Later, when
the grain was heading out, this diff
erence was not so marked and in
some fields had disappeared, but wen
at the time of harvest in many cases
it was possible to follow the whole
length of the line between the treated
and the untreated areas, the grain
maturing earlier, appearing heavier.
or both"
MOST OF THE FIELDS SHOW
PHOSPHATE PROFITABLE
''The grain yields from the two
groups are reported in Table II which
gives the name of each c0operatOr
as we'll as the township in which his
land is located, the crops grown, the
yields per acre, and the size of the
tracts compared. The fields are ar
ranged in the order Of the gains to
be attributed to the phosphate, the
one showing the highest being given
first.
'It will be seen that of the thirteen
farmers who tried the phosphate on
wheat, nearly all secured marked
increase, the gains ranging from FL
bushels to as high as 1913 bushels pei
acre.
"In the case of field Is, no weights
we're obtained, the owner seeing lit
tie or no difference between the
treated and untreaded portions and
considering it not worth while to
harvest and thresh the two portions
separately"
| SOME FIELDS SHOW NO GAINS
"Only two fields we're seeded tc
oats and neither showed an increase
From Table 1 it will be seen that
of the four crops grown in the rota'
ton on the Norris experimental
farm, oats is the one showing the
smallest benefit from phosphate
Hence it was not surprising to OBJ
| tain less favorable results with this
crop in the fields of the COT perators
A word Of explanation IS desirable
in the case of field rs, in which, thru
misunderstanding, fair compari-
son of the yields from the fortified
and unfertilized portions can not be
made. A portion of the field had
been MANFRED a year or two before
and the phosphate was applied TO g
part of the unmanured portion, the
intention being to harvesteand thresn
separately the ten acres treated with
phosphate and the part Of the field
that had received neither manure nor
phosphate. Unfortunately, the grain
from the whole of the portion of the
field receiving no phosphate was
stacked together. The crop on the
part receiving phosphate ripened anC
was in shock before that OIL the rest
of the field was fit to be cut.
Zone condition experienced in the
past seasons work, especially un.
favorable to showing the maximum
benefit to be derived from the acIC
phosphate, should be mentioned
Owing to the scarcity of phosphate
! and the congestion of railroad traffic
the fertilizer was so late in reaching
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