'OL. XIX,
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, MARCH 22,1884.
NO. 12.
,rm lor the Indiana Farmer.
EXPERIMENTS AT PURDUE.
itrogenous, Barnyard and Mineral
fertilizers, and Effects on Oorn.
BY PROP. W. C. LATTA.
MTr.lHls.SOU8 FERTILIZERS—A THREE
years' test.
. W three years the Agricultural Depart-
-■it of the University has been engaged
listlnK tho effect of nitrogenous com-
.nial manures en oorn. The experi-
ni to which we now refer, ls the one
imipiI by Prof. Atwater, of Middletown,
•in. The ingredients of the various fer-
■zen usod were gnperplibsphate, mu'rl-
• u( potash, nitrate of soda, sulphate of
iijionia and dried blood.   The nitrogen
.applied iu the threo forms first giveii.
1 in three different proportions, a one-
...!, a two-thirds and a full ratiou.
riie test was made on a firm, dark, clay
underlaid with gravel, the same
in being used during the three years
tl. That is, one plat received nitrate of
U every year in the same quantity. An-
prplat had yearly the same quantity of
rrphosphate. A third received yearly
•same combination of two or more In-
■iitiits. as superphosphate and muriate
'mt-sh, or superphosphate, sulphate of
mionia and muriate of potash.
.Vithout attempting to give the full re-
, we givo some of the principal aver-
The yields are carefully calculated
ihe acre in every case, and the average
Ior the three years of the test. The
iti »ere treated exactly alike in everv
■Ij«t. The yield is given in bushels o"f
*n and hundred weight of stalks. '
Bushel-   nundres-
Coro.       Stalk**.
plat* receiving no manure -  '■
■"«.«!      3-.W 19.05
• ll.l. receiving   superpho**-
f il.i-P averaged    50.27 29.73
■ .law receiving muriate of
tubi-lone averaged    40.33 .  27.3a
-Hats, receiving nitrate ot_oda
;n. averaged .,._   sj.eg 80.28"
- .lata receiving nitrogenous
f'.lll.ers averag-ed I, ..>_-53.36 -.-•   32.)?'"
plain receiving no nitrege-"        '• "-    '■'--'
is tenillzcrs averaged   50.0» _»._«
■ Hals receiving nitrogen Iu
rm ol dried blood.    53.10 28.4-L*
- H_t« receiving nitrogen ln ■*"•*
"not nitrate ol soda    51.32 31.B6
- puts receiving nitrogen In
■ai c,l sulphate of ammonia....  58.8- 34.15:
lints receiving one third ra-       "'•'•.'
1'iKil nitrogen averaged    53.90 .32.93
' Plan receiving two-third-ra- -  ■'    ■    ■
ti ftl nitrogen averaged    55.43 33.95
- Phis receiving full ration of, .'..."•
"■S?n averaged    53.90 54.28
If" J^^'ght the yields of the unma-
fP, P'»tswere not noted in 1882, tbe
is L of,the three fo-- *>rn. This
•mllii nia.kes tho difference between
'urea and unmanured plats greater
r nt ifrwise would be- The plats re-
■tvortinJitro?eno**s fertilizers in varying
Portion,, also received muriate of pot-
Ce4U„Peril?0u8phate- Although the
■•iviiita &™, sliSQt we see that the plats
•■v. thi. mtro¥enous fertilizers rank
1r,V ir,r TfIrJn& no nitrogen. Com-
'■V n J&m wWch had nitrogen in
I'-ri ni,.'uant,tles we fil»d the two-third
•■'* Sau SVe?ge hi8liest, the one-third
v^piat, next, and the full ration plats
*in 'thi e*Perin-ent will be repeated
■*• eoneoen°min8 season* -for further
■■mntsT.y\lng thlsi°<i other field ex-
■'hwrnini reader l9 'Wenred to the
tsi(j.,,n'ng annual  report of  the   tTnf-
^ W>S MANURE AND MINERAL. '- ' ,'   j
^son » comparative te»t o.  barn
manure, superphosphate, and gas lime,
was made on a series of corn plats containing one acre and one-eighth. Every
alternate plat in the series was left without
manure for comparison. There were three
each of the manured plats, which were
distributed evenly through the series.
The barn manure was applied at the rate
of 24 loads per acre, superphosphate at the
rate of 200 pounds per acre, and gas lime
180 pounds per acre. Gophers destroyed
about one-third of the corn on each of
three different plats, thus lowering the
average of barn  manure plats, gas lime
Slats and no manure plats. The soil is a
eavy clay loam with gravelly subsoil.
Treatment the same. The averages are
given in bushels of corn and hundred
weight stalks, and calculated to the acre.
• Bushels   Hundred
Corn.       Stalks.
No manure plats averaged    48.36 20.71
Gtu_ lime plats averaged...-   44.uj _5._6
ffuperphotaphate plats averaged....   .13.36 38.1.1
Barn manure plats averaged   56.115 31.68
Discarding the three Injured plats the
averages are as follows:
BiLShels   Hundred
Corn.       Stalks.
VO manure    52.74 _ 29.14
(las lime     49.8-V -8.58
Superphosphate _    13.36 38.81
Barn manure ; _   61.89 37.04
Here we se» that the gas lime plats fall
below those receiving no manure. Superphosphate had only a slight effect on the
yield of corn, but "considerably increased
the growth of stalk. The effect of the
barn manure is marked, both on the grain
and fodder. This experiment will be tried
again this season. It would be unsafe to
draw final conclusions from a single experiment. A detailed account of this experiment will be found in the annual report of the University soon to be published.
\_\\xt If arm.
Postal Card Correspondence.
•JVUIANA.
Cass Co., March 15:—Wheat in good
condition. T. B. H.
Vermillion Co., March 15.—Wheat
looks very bad. F. R.
Spender Co., March 15.—Wheat fair.
Cattle and hogs scarce and in   thin order.
J.A.
Jefferson Co., March 15.—Wheat and
grass slightly injured by hard freezes.
F. L. M.
Clinton Co., March 15.—Our farmers
will put In a great deal of  tile this spring.
E. H. 8.
Hush Co., March 15.—Wheat damaged
some. Clover damaged on high undrained
land. . E. K.
Switzerland Co., March 15.—Weather
unfavorable for plowing. Wheat looks
fair. C. G. B.
Warrick Co., March 15.—Much wheat
looks bad; too much freezing and thawing.   Stock high. J. P. W.
Crawford Co., March 15.—Wheat does
not look well but will come out. Peaches
killed and trees hurt. J, M. J. •
Kosciusko Co., March 15.—Last week
has been very hard on wheat. Stock
healthy"; feed getting scarce.        E. M. I.
Shelby Co., March 15.—Roads muddy;
turn pikes in bad condition. Wheat look's
bad. Clover badly frozen out. Cattle in
tolerably fair condition; fresh milk cows
selling high. A. C.
. Orange Co., March 14.—Late sown
wheat looks well. Health good. Hogs
scarce and high. Stock looks well.
Schools about all closed. Farmers are be-
gining    to    use    barbed-wire    fencing.
W. O.H.
Hamilton Co., March 13.—Wheat all
right; stock In fair oondition; feed becoming scarce. Hogs scarce and high.
Fresh milk cows selling at big prices.
Horses ln good demand, and public sales
the order 01 the day. ' _ ■      A.J.
Tipton Co., March 12.—Wheat looks
well. Hogs scarce and high; stock generally in good condition; horses in good demand at high figures. Farmers contemplate putting out a large acreage of corn
this spring.   Health good.  ' ■        I. N. R.
Howard Co., March 13.—Wheat looks
well iu some parts. Stock looks well where
they have been well taken care of. P"eed
scarce. Peaches killed and trees badly injured. Apples will be plenty if they are
not injured by late freezing. A. N.
Owen Co., March 15.—Growing wheat
looks bad since snow and Ice left it. Farmers busy making molasses. -toads getting
muddy. Stocks of all kinds wintered well;
feed scarce. Health not very* good, Home
fever, and inumps and measles.       H. S.
VERMir.Lro.v Co., March 14.—Cold, mud,
rain, snow and thaw has been the order
of the weather for the last six weeks.
From appearance the wheat crop In this
county will be alight one; feed is still
plenty. Stock In good condition although
the latter part of winter and spring so far
has been severe on farm stock.       J. II.
Clarke Co.—Farm work is delayed very
much. The farmers here have not lost
much by the flood. The principal item
was the "inconvenience they were put to
by back water. The river was only twenty-two inches higher than ever was known
before, except during Mr. Noah's time.
We may possibly have plenty of apples,
but there will not be any peaches. .-■- ■ ■■■■■■
•-.--.--; -  *'.    r J.T.s.
OHIO.
Scioto Co., March 12.—Scioto county
Was a sufferer In the late flood. Thousands of bushels corn lost with several
hundred tons *»f hay. Growing wheat
looks well, except that which was overflowed: it does not promise much on
account of mud. Weather cold and
ground covered with snow. We think
the Farmer a first-class agricultural
paper. W. F. S.
COSDmOtJ OF the weather in the state
OF INDIANA, FOB THE WEEK ENDING FRIDAY NIGHT, MARCH 14.
Indiana.
Temperature.
No.
Clo'
cle_
dyd
2
i
r A
ayB
n
%
f
Bain or snow.
Counties.
0
0
1
r*
1
•t
<
I
i
g
tP
t
M
D
CS
tr
e,
B.
*.
E.
0
121
O
i
a
-<
3
0
&
2
S
0
3
8
%
\ '
I
*
*
T
i
61
58
6
8
31.1
31.7
3
4
0
0
*
3
0.20
0.95
1
1
1
2
0.0
Cass-	
2.0
Clark	
-3
•x
:«,n
■I
1!
5
1.32
_
1!
on
52
65
lb
24
32.0
40.5
t
0
3
_
0.23
1.3f>
1
2
0
2
0.0
Fayette	
49
6
3.1.6
1
1
5
11.68
2
1
1.0
60
57
5*1
30
19
25
36.5
37.2
34.0
1
1
'
2
2
0
4
4
4
0.1a
0.30
1.25
1
1
2|
0
0
? 0
0.0
0.0
Henry	
54
5
33.7
I
3
.
0.69
1
1
11.9
59
22
37.7
1
J
5
l-VI
(1
(Ml
59
16
37.5
0
:<
4
<l.6.
j
3
(1.(1
40
4
4>.»
•1
3
2
0.5U
1
I
0.4
Ml
21!
35.11
2
a
I.U1
2
(1
'.II
m
55
11
18
44.5
26.0
3
6
(1
1
4
0
1.25
2
2
2.0
Montgomery.
54
52
11
6
29.0
33.2
1
J
3
1
3
5
Randolph	
0.75
2
1
0.0
5*1
55
60
(J
2')
21
31.2
39.3
40.1
1
2
1
i>
5
6
3
3
0.83
0.55
0.15
' 2
2
1
]
1
0
1 0
fl 0
Switzerland...
fl.O
Vandernurgr..
5-
-ti
■».2
1
2
4
0.41
2
1
0.0
Vermillion....
54
11
30.7
4
11
a
l.ljt:
1
1
no
M
16
33.5
3
ii
4
0.35
1
2
2.0
Warrick	
M
21
:«..
1
2
4
II..I
3
(1
0.0
Wasnlngton...
59
20 37.4
II
2
0
1.21
)
1
0.0
Wayne....™...
52
12
33.61
1
2!
4
0.71
J
1
0.8
_txxzxi%l \_rtXXXS.
Mississippi farmers are planting corn.
Peach trees are in blossom in Southern
Georgia.
Maine farmers are selling potatoes at 30
cents a barrel.
Whitesville, Fla, is feasting on new
Irish potatoes.
New strawberries are selling at $3 a
quart in New York.-
The orange crop this year will net the
Florida growers $1,500,000.
1 A tax on revolvers  has  been  voted by
the South Carolina legislature.
At the average price paid for hogs this
winter, packers now have about $2 50 per
hog profit.
St. Louis is now sending largo quantities of new  mixed corn  to  Europe  via' .
New Orleans.
Petroleum exports In January were 33,- ~
490,679 gallons,  compared  with 38,487,657
gallons last year. -
It ls said there is more food raised in the
poultry yards of France than in the stalls,
and pastures of England.
A Georgia nurseryman  is said  to have  '
realized already this  season  £14,000 from
the sale of fruit trees grown on one acre of
land.
England has one head of cattlo to every
52 acres of land, Ireland one to each four
acres, and the Island of Jersey twice as
many cattle as acres.
It has been figured out that there are 2,-
000,000 widows in Germany. Some of the
husbands are presumably iu heaven, but
the large majority are iu this country.
Grasshoppers  have    appeared in great
numbers in the southern portions of Australia.   They eat not only grass and grain, .
but onions, grapevines and  the leaves of
trees.
A fancier  of Fall  River,   Mass., has recently sold a pair of fowls, dark Brahmas,
for $47, to go to Auckland,   New Zealand.,
The distance Is nearly seven   thousand
miles.
There is a great deal  of fuss  about glu-'
cose.   Itis simply sugar from starch. . It
Is only two-thirds as  sweet as  cane sugar,
(unsanded),   but  Is  pnrer,  and  equally
wholesome.
The Department of Agriculture, at Washington, reports the number of hogs in the
United States on January 1, 1884, at 44,200,-
893, against43,270,086 forthe correspondr
Ing time in 1883.
Stock-raising is quietly becoming a very
important  industry  in   Louisiana.   It is .
claimed that the State has  great advantages over the far  Western ones  in that
the winters are not severe.
In 1860 this country had $207,470 in currency: now It has ?&17,626,3!>1. This difference nominally represents the extent
of the business transactions of the country
then and now—an increase of nearly fourfold.
The statistician of the Agricultural Department says that the-average wages of
the farm laborer in this country is $18 58
per month, or $222 9*3 per year. The aver- '
age wages of operatives in manufactories
Is $346 10.
Last month's fires In this country and
Canada destroyed $7,000,000 worth of property, while the first two months of this
yearrecorded a total destruction of $19,000,-
000 worth, an Increase of $2,000,000 ovor
the same two months last year.
Eighty-three per cent of the population
of the United States is composed of white
natives and the Immigrants from Germany
and Great Britain, leaving4 per cent from
other countries and 13 per cent for thoso
of African descent.
. There is a movement on foot in the province of Gallcia, Austria, in favor of emigration to America of such strength that
the magistracy of East Galicia have unanimously petitioned the Governor of the
province to prohibit the sale of passenger
tickets for American ports.
An Illinois philanthropist wishes to benefit the door by teaching them to eat their
bread and butter with the butter side
down. He says that the sense of taste is-
most acute on the tongue, and that a very
small amount of butter Is satisfactory, if
pnt in the obviously right spot.
The potato speculators of Schenectady,
Washington, Saratoga and Rensselaer
counties report a glut In the New York -
market. Thousands of boat-loads and car- ;
loads shipped by them the past few
months in expectation of a rise in price
remained unsold. The loss to the speculator. In that section ls estimated at $250,000.