Oxford Democrat., 1920-05-25
Poisonous Effect of Borax.

As is generally known there was q
large amount of trouble from fertilizer
with potatoes in Aroostook County in
the season of 1919. The results of q
study of the field conditions attributed
this directly to the potash that the goods
carried and the only deleterious ingre-
dient discovered in the potash salts was
borsx. Hence 1t was inferred that borax
was the cause of the damage.
Early In the fall greenhouse expert.
ments were undertaken by the Maine
Agricultural Experiment Station with
some of the fertilizers that had caused
field injury to discover, 20 far as pos
sible, under what conditions and 10 what
amounts these materials might be used
with safety. Here again brands of
mixed fertilizers were used and in these
Investigations 1t was found that the dam
age to the crops in the greenhouse were
directly proportional to the amount of
borsx which the goods carried. Hence
the evidence again seemed to be against
borax.
In order to clinch this matter and to
ascertain so far as practicable how much
borax could be tolerated In fertilizer,
the eight North Eastern Experiment
Stations planned in January, 1920, to
conduct, under the oversight of the Di.
rector of the Maine Agricultural Expert.
ment Station, greenhouse experiments in
which fertilizing materials free from
borax should be used and to which borax
could be added in varied known amounts
and under known conditions.
As the Vermont Agricultural Expert
ment Station had greenhouse vacant
that could be used for this experiment,
the work has been carried on at Burling-
ton. The plan consisted In planting
series in triplicate, using all necessary
checks, beans, corn and potatoes with q
fertilizer to which borax was added at
the rate of l pound, Q pounds, pounds,
10 pounds and 20 pounds of anhydrous
borsx per acre. Also certain possible
ameliorsnts or sntidotes we're used in
other series to ascertain If, for instance,
agricultural lime, ground limestone,
ground plaster rock, and stable manure
had any restraining influences on the
poisonous action of borax.
This experiment has involved some
thing over 400 pots. Each lot of fertil.
izer for each pot was mixed separately
and applied either by mixing with the
soil or in the imitation of drill as iu the
field practice. At the present time these
crops are about to be harvested. In the
check plots the potatoes have formed
good sized tubers, the beans are well
podded and filled, and the corn Is about
ready to tassel. There is, OF course, q
large amount to be done in the way OF
note taking and analysis of the records
before the final results can be worked
out But up to the present time no mat
ter how 1t is applied borsx up to the
amount Of 2 pounds per acre seemed tc
have no deleterious effects whatever
When applied at the rate of 8 pounds pei
acre, no matter how it was applied, bora1
had Q deIeterious effect. Apparently ths
margin of safety as to borax lies some
where between 2 pounds and pounds
per acre.
It was originally planned when the OK
pertinent Was begun to hasten the publ
cation OF the results. It now seems
wiser TO defer as to unduly hasten tht
publication OF the results would ma
their value. The data require very care
ful, painstaking analysis and as soon 81
the growing experiments shall have beeI
completed, photographs of the plaut
made, the tops dried, the roots separated
and photographed, and put in formalde
hyde In suitable containers, the Who'll
will be brought to Orono for oarefu
study and be written up.
In the meantime one can, It is believed
with confidence say that II fertilize
does not carry more than pounds o
anhy drous borax to the ton or is 90 aI
piled that there shall be no moro than
pounds Of anhydrous borax to the acre
one need not fear damage even With Q
susceptible crops as beans and corn.-
| UhAs. D. Woods, Director.