Newark post., 1922-06-28
Soil Fertility Discussed
By Dean McCue
Last Thursday
Some of the Biggest Fertility Men of Country Hear Local
Man in Opening Address

ard full of problems but only a wheel
barrow to support them.
"The bulk of the soil fertility prob
lem we are undertaking to solve, ma
turally fall upon the shoulders of the
Department of Agronomy, although
it is our aim to have all Departments
of the Station, in so far as they may
contribute, share and aid in the solv-
ing of all experimental work. In the
field trip this afternoon you will have
an opportunity to see most of the
work of the Agronomy Department,
hence / will mention the work of that
Department but briefly.
"The fertilizer work of the Agron-
omy Department began in 1908 and
has developed along several lines
which are more or less interlocking.
Among these are first: To determine
the value of a crop rotation as ex-
pressed in crop yields. This work is
being conducted with wheat, corn, soy
beans, and hay. The value of the ro-
tation method is ascertained on wheat
and corn by means of continuous
cropping of series of plots with these
grains and another series in which
rotation is practiced. The rotation
used is corn followed by cover crop,
soy beans, wheat, and then a mixture
of timothy and clover for one year.
In contrasting crop rotation versus
continuous culture, it has been found
that crop rotation has increased the
yield of wheat by to 7 bushels per
acre and of corn by 10 to 20 bushels
per acre.
"The blocks used in the rotation ex-
pertinent are in number and each
subdivided into 16, one-tenth acre
blocks of which each receives a differ
ent fertilizer treatment. The con-
tinuous corn and wheat blocks are
subdivided into blocks each, of
which each receives a different ferti-
lizer treatment.
"Of the various fertilizer treat
ments, the one receiving all three
plant food elements, i. e., potash,
phosphoric acid, and potash, and the
one receiving barn yard manure at
the rate of 10 tons per acre, have pro-
duced the largest yields in corn,
wheat, soy beans, and hay. The in
creased production of these plots over
those plots receiving no fertilizer
treatment has been from 35 to 40
bushels Of corn per acre, 10 to 16
bushels of wheat per acre, 10 to Is
bushels Of soy beans per acre and y
to " tons of hay per acre. Taking
into consideration the production re-
sponse to fertilizers of all these crops
for the past Id years it has appeared
that potash and phosphoric acid were
the two limiting factors. Where these
two have been supplied in sufficient
quantities there has been but little in
crease in yield produced by the addi-
tion of nitrates. Often there has not
been sufficient differences to pay for
the nitrates used.
IAN eleven year average of wheat
in rotation, where $50 lbs acid phos-
phate and 120 lbs. of muriate of
potash per acre were used shows an
acre yield of 24.96 bushels when 1875
lbs. of nitrate of soda is added the
yield is increased to 28A bushels per
acre. Estimating nitrate of soda at
$50 per ton and wheat at $1.OO per
bushel, this shows a net return of 81
cents per acre for the nitrate used.
"a seven year average yield of soy
beans when $50 lbs. acid phosphate
and 75 lbs. of muriate of potash have
been used shows a yield of 1888
bushels per acre, the addition Of 100
lbs. of nitrate of soda has increased
the average yield to 1852 bushels, or
a gain of 2.34 bushels per acre. Esti-
mating nitrate of soda at so per ton
and soy beans at $500 per bushel
there has been an average net return
Of $2.14 per acre for the nitrate used.
"A thirteen year average of hay
has been 4242 lbs. per acre from the
residual effect of $50 lbs. of acid phos
phate and 120 lbs. Of muriate of
potash applied to preceding wheat
nitrate of soda to the preceding wheat
crop gave 1882 lbs. of hay, an in
crease of 100 lbs. per acre for nitrate.
Fourteen years average on corn
gives an increase Of bushels per
acre for nitrate. Estimating corn at
80 cents per bushel and nitrate at