VOL. XXI.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, FEB. 13,1886.
NO. 7
FIELD   EXPERIMENTS  AT   PURDUE
IMVKRSITY.
Results of Fertilizer!* on Corn in 1885.
BY PRO P. W. C. LATTA.
No. 1.
The experiments referred to in this paper were conducted in the poorer portion
of a 20 acre field. The fertilizers tested
were barn manure and ammoniated pros-
phate. The former was chiefly horse manure, but slightly fermented. The latter
contained 6.27 per cent of insoluble and
2.90 per cent of reverted phosphoric acid;
and 2.89 per cent each of ammonia and
potash. This fertilizer waa kindly donated
to the University, for trial, by the Indianapolis Fertilizer Company.
The accompanying diagram shows the
arrangement of the plats, quantity of each
fertilizer applied per acre, and the .time of
its application.
DIAGRAM OF  MANURED   AND   UNMANURED
PLATS.
Plat 1.
No manure.
Plat2.   Barn manure
part of March.
44 loads: applied ln  latter
Plat S.
No manure.
Plat 4.   Ammoniated Phosphate 78 pounds; M applied May 20th ; 236 pounds, * applied July 9th.
Plat 6.
No manure.
Plat 6.   Ammoniated Phosphate, applied June 29th,
236 pounds.
Plat 7.
No manure.
The fertilizers were all spread by hand
and broadcast in each case, except the first
application of ammoniated phosphate te
plat 4, which was along the rows of corn.
The plats received like treatment in the
preparation of the ground, planting, cultivation and harvesting. The corn was
planted in drills, and there was ho cross
cultivation to carry the fertilizers to the
unmanured plats. In addition to this, as
shown in the diagram, narrow spaces were
left between the plats, to prevent the corn
of any plat from feeding on the soil of another plat. These spaces were not vacant,
each one being occupied by two rows of
corn, which was harvested separately.
The plats extended the entire length of
the field—80 rods—and were well removed
from the influence of side fences. In
short the plats were, without exception,
subject to the ordinary field conditions,
and the remits obtained are snch as the
average farmer may get under similar circumstances. The corn was planted May
13th, cut September 14th and 15th, and
husked the last week in October. Corn
quite well cured when husked.
RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENT.
The yields of the plats, per acre, are
given in the following table, 70 pounds
being allowed to the bushel.
The yields of corn given in the table are
accurate. The yields of stalks, however,
are only approximate, though doubtless
very nearly correct, except the yield of
plat 7 which is doubtless too large, owing
probably to greater dampness of the fodder
of this plat. The yields of stalks were obtained  by weighing  about one-eighth of
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the fodder of each plat. The proportion
of stalks in the part weighed was considered the proper proportion for the entire
plat.
COMPARISON OP RESULTS.
It will be observed that the plat receiving barn manure yields the most good
corn, the most stalks and the lowest per
oent of poor corn. The ammoniated phosphate on plat 4 had no appreciable effect;
while that on plat 6 slightly increased the
yield of good corn. The effect of the manures is more clearly shown by comparing
the yield of each fertilized plat with the
average of the adjacent plats not manured.
TABLE B— GIVING INCREASE FROM USB  OF
FERTILIZERS.
Bu.   Pounds
corn,   stalks.
Plat 2, Barn manure H.M 3_J)i
Average of plats t and 3, not manured  .54.06 2498
Increase trom barn manure „ 7.86 784
Plat 4, Ammoniated Phosphate 64.00 2636
Average of plats 3 and 5, not manured...63.35 26IS
Increase from Ammoniated Phosphate. 0.86 120
Plat 6, Ammoniated Phosphate 64.70        2SI4
Average of p'ats6and7, not manured..61.15 8082
Increase from AmmonlRted Phosphate. 3.55 -548
The ammoniated phosphate on plat 6
apparently reduces the yield of stalks;
but, as before suggested, this is probably
due to the difference in dryness of the
stalks. In round numbers, the yield of
grain is increased 8 bushels by barn manure; ?i of a bushel by the ammoniated
phosphate on plat 4, and S'A bushels by
that on plat 6.
CONCLUSION.
The slight effect of the ammoniated
phosphate on plat 4, is doubtless due to
applying the bulk of the fertilizer so late
in the season—July 9th, after the last cultivation. The increase is not enough on
any fertilized plat, to alone justify the application of the fertilizer. It is a well-
known fact, however, that the good effects
of barn manure extend to subsequent
crops. How long the effects of the ammoniated phosphate will, last on the college farm is not known. The effect of
commercial fertilizers is generally much
more transient than that of bone manure.
In the next issue of the Farmer I shall
note the effects of previous manuring both
with barn manure and commercial fertilizers.
Lafayette, Ind., Feb. lst, 1886.
MEETING OF  FAIR MANAGERS.
The   Second Annual Convention of
the International Convention.
The International Association of Fain
and Expositions, which was organised at
St. Louis in December, 1884, began its
second convention in this oity, Wednesday morning, February 3d, at the
rooms of the State Board of Agriculture,
with delegates in attendance representing
all the leading fair and exposition associations in  the United States  and   Canada.
The president, in congratulating the association upon the auspicious opening of
its third annual convention, said that the
main object of the organization has been to
arrive at a correct solution of tbe relation
between respective associations, exhibitors
and tbe public. It has been apparent for
many years tbat unless a uniform system
of rules and regulations were adopted, conflict in the conduct of meetings would ensue, and eaoh individual association
would be subjected to imposition through
misrepresentation. If anything like uniformity could be established in rules and
regulations, all interests would be gradually harmonized.
"Agricultural Societies and Their Advantages to the Commercial and Industrial
Interests of Their Respective States," was
the subject of a paper read by D. B. Gill-
ham, of Upper Alton, 111., in which he
said that as education, training and skill
is largely the result of organised effort,
the agricultural society becomes an absolute necessity to those engaged in agricultural pursuits. Intelligent agriculture
is not simply forcing the greatest amount
of present wealth from the soil with the
least practical outlay of labor. Progressive,
intelligent agriculture is a system of tillage which, while giving the greatest present returns, leaves the soil in its full fertility, or increases fertility year by year,
and a system of breeding and feeding
stock that, while the enhanced value of
the animals shall amply repay the labor
and care bestowed upon them, shall improve the character and quality from generation to generation. It embraces such
an intelligent appreciation of present conditions and corning necessities as in clear
ing a timber farm, here in Indiana, shall
spare enough trees for farm use. In short,
it is that system of husbanding which, by
solution of crops and by measures of diversified agriculture, enables the farmer
to not be dependent upon any one or two
crops for hisannual and necessary income,
in connection with that thrift and business tact that enables him to sell at a good
price, and, after selling, to make a frugal
and intelligent use or investment of the
results of his products.
A very carefully prepared paper on "Exhibitions as an Educating Medium" was
read by Henry Wade, of Toronto, Canada,
who thought that the true object of every
exhibition should be educational ln a
mental, a material, a social and a moral
sense.
A committee on transportation, consisting of Messrs. Mills, Reed and Wade, of
St. Lpuis, was appointed to secure uniform
rates from all the railroads to the different fairs for exhibitors.
The following resolution, introduced by
Mr. Mitchell, was adopted:
Resolved, Tbat the ill-advised action of
the Michigan State Fair Association at ita
recent meeting held at Detroit, in excluding from competition at its forthcoming
fair ail live stock owned outside the State
of Michigan, is not in keeping with the
progressive spirit that should characterize
the action of a body intrusted with the en-
couragementof the better breeding of farm
animals in a State in which there is still
room for improvement, and that the
retrograde action of said association in
this respect is much to be regretted, and
that in case the unjust discrimination
against the breeders of other States Is
maintained, that fellowship with the
Michigan society and the organizations
composing the International Association
cannot be reasonably expected by said society.
The association adjourned at 6 o'clock,
until 10:30 Thursday morning.
At the second day's session a paper on
the subject of "Auxiliary Amusements at
Fairs," written by Thomas R. Mercein,
general manager of the Milwaukee Exposition, was read by the secretary. He
thought that all amusements not directly
belonging to tbe legitimate purposes of
fairs and expositions "are wrong in theory
and injurious in practice." Fair managers
are public educators and not theatrical
managers.
"The Benefits and Advantages to be
Oained from the Formation of Fair Circuits" was the subject of a paper read by
R M. Lockhart, in which he gave something ot the history of the circuit fair association, tbe main purpose of which was
to arrange dates for the holding of the
Ohio, Indiana and Michigan State fairs
successively. Co-operative advertising is
one of the principal benefits derived from
tbe association, and it is also a medium
for obtaining, with comparatively little
trouble, advantageous rates of transportation for exhibitors and persons desiring to
attend the different fairs.
A report was submitted by the committee on advertising, in which was expressed the opinion "tbat the success of
exhibitions depends more upon judicious
advertising than upon any other agency.
The press is the most effective influence
that can be used in calling attention to the
various departments of the fair or exhibition."
On the recommendation of the committee on the classification of premiums,
there was no material change made in the
report adopted at the last meeting held at
St. Louis.
The following scale of charges to exhibitors was adopted:
Stallion stalls, $2; horse stalls, $1; cattle
stalls, Jl; sheep and.pig pens, 50 cents to
fl. In ad other departments, before any
space is allotted or entry tickets are issued,
every exhibitor should be required to purchase a season ticket at $1 50, in lieu of an
entrance fee, this sum to cover all entries
made by him.
The Committee on Circuit of Fairs reported in favor of the following order,
which was adopted:
Western Circuit. Middle Circuit.
1. Minnesota. 1. Ohio.
2. Iowa. 2. Toledo.
3. Nebraska. 3. South Bend.
4. Kansas. 4. Indiana.
5. Illinois. 5. Illinois.
«. St. Louis. 6. St. Louis.
The district fairs at Omaha, West National and Kansas City shall be held simultaneously with the Minnesota, Iowa and
Nebraska Stato fairs, and the Michigan
State fair will occur at the same time with
the South Bend fair.
The following officers were elected:
President—.D. B. Oillham, of Illinois.
Vice-presidents—A. B. Ewing, St. Louis;
Samuel Dysart, Illinois; Henry .Wade,
Toronto; 8. C. Stevenson, Montreal; T. R,
Mercein, Wisconsin; W. Evett, Kansas;
W. B Seward, Indiana; 8. E. Bowen, New
York; J. B Dinsmore, Nebraska; H. C.
Wheeler, Iowa; Chas. Reed, Ohio.
Treasurer—W. W. WithneU, St. Louis.
Secretary— F. J. Wade, St. i__ouis.
Executive Committee—J. S. Walsh, St.
Louis; H. J. Hill, Toronto; E. H. Webster,
Kansas City; Robert Mitchell, Indiana;
Chas. F. Mills, Illinois.
The next meeting will be held at Chicago, December 15 and 16, 1886. The delegates to the convention were entertained
by tbe Indiana State Board of Agriculture
at a banquet given them at the Grand
Hotel Wednesday night.