GARDES;
w
VOL. XXI.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, FEB. 20,1886.
NO, 8
FIELD   EXPERIMENTS AT   PURDUE
IMVERSITT.
Ri-hiiH.s   of Previous Manuring on the
Corn Crop of 1885.
BY PROF. W. C. LATTA.
No..2.
The immediate return in the increased
yield of manured crops is frequently, and
perhaps generally, not enough to repay
the cost of using the manure. Every
farmer is therefore interested to know
how long the effects of a given fertilizer
will last, and whether the aggregate increase—of two, three or more years—will
be sufficient to return a net profit.
Without attempting a solution of this
problem, I desire to throw a little light on
the subject by submitting some results
obtained at the college last season. Two
series of plats have produced corn continuously for six years, beginning with 1880 .
The lirst series of plats received various
kinds of fertilizers four years in succession
beginning with 1881. No fertilizer was
applied to this series in years 1880 and
1886. The second series of plats received
no fertilizer at all, and therefore, affords a
fair basis of comparison. The two series
of plats were in juxtaposition in uniform
ground, and with the exception of the fertilizers, were alike. The accompanying
diagrams will show the proportionate size
of the two series of plats and their relation to each other.
First series—fertilized.
i
Second series—not fertilize*!,
The plats of the first series contained
exactly 8 square rods each, and those of
the second series just 2 square rods each.
The yields have been calculated with great
care to the acre in every case. We call
attention to the following averages of
these plats:
Bu. corn
Average of tirst series In 1880, without fertilizer        88.71
Average of first series iu 1881,1882,1883,1884,
with f.rtiliz»r»       '51.84
Average of tirst series in 178",, without fertilizers _        61.20
Average of second series  ln 1885, without
fertilizers        40.42
Average difference between lst and 2d series
In 1885 .....'.  10.78
It will be observed that the fertilizers
net only considerably increased the yield
during the four years they were applied,
but that they also increased the crop of
1885 10"4 bushels per acre. In truth the
beneficial effect o.f the repeated applications of fertilizers was probably greater
than the figures indicated, for the reason
that the two serie_ of plats were in actual
contact and the oorn on the second series
must have derived some food from the
adjacent fertilized plats. It may be well
to remark here that the above results can
only be considered as approximate, because the two series differed in size and in
exposure.
Attention is now called to another series
in which the fertilized plats alternated
with those not fertilized. Theexperiment
was begun in the spring of 1883 and will
be continued as long as any considerable
differences in yields of plats are shown.
The fertilizers being tested in this experiment are barn manure, gas lime anu superphosphate. In order to show the
care exercised to check variations in soil,
an accurate diagram of the plats is given.
Third series.
I|T
3 3
- *-* SO '_.
0 ? °
B
!TTi
M|-#|Mt|
*]o\_
sis b
The plats are all of one size and contain
exactly 1-16 Of an acre each. The fertilizers were applied in 1883 and in 1884 at
the following rates per acre:
AMOUNTS OF FERTILIZERS USED.
Fertilizers.
Nos. 1, 7,13'Uas lime.
Nos. 3, -, 15 Superphosphate
Nos. 5 11.17:Barn manure.
Amounts used per acre.
1883.
200 lbs.
■Mi lbs.
40 loads.
1881.
800 lbs.
ilOO lbs.
21 loads.
phosphate increased the proportion of
good oorn over 3 ■'_. per cent, and the barn
manure over 10 per cent.
The low  per centages of  good earn are
due  to  planting a late  variety in   1883,
which did not mature well.   The per cent
f good corn was much higher in the other
two years.
FIRST AND THIRD SERIES COMPARED.
The commercial fertilizers of the first
series produced a greater increase in yield
of corn than those of the third series. We
should naturally expect this, because in
the former instance, the fertilizers were
applied four years successively, and in the
latter bnt two. At first sight it would
seem that the effect of the fertilizers in
both first and third series continued without perceptible decrease in 1885. The plats
not fertilized at all, however, also show an
increased yield. The favorable season of
1885 is doubtless the prime cause of the
good yields of that year.
Comparing the barn manure and superphosphate, we find that the former has
produced much the greater increase. The
superphosphate has, however, thus far
more nearly repaid its cost than has the
barn manure. But we must wait a year—
and perhaps two or three—longer, before
the final balance is obtained.
The next article will give the results of
experiments in the open field in "thick
and thin" planting of corn.
Lafayette, Ind., Feb. 9,1886.
No fertilizers were used on this series of
plats in 1885. The average yields of the
groups of plats for each of the three years
are given in the table.
AVERAGE YIELDS OF OORN IN BUSHELS PER
ACRE.
Avl-rsge of gas lime plats	
Average of superphosphate plats.
Average of barn manure plats	
Average of plats not manor«-d	
18SI | 1884 | 1885
44.05  38._3
-.i.36, 40
5..B6 53.,8]
48.36! 39.97
45.03
44.20
03.69
42.66
To bring out more clearly the effect of
of the fertilizers on the yields of corn,
I give below tho average yearly increase,
and the aggreate increase produced by
each fertilizer.
INCREASE FROM USING FERTILIZERS.
Average Aggregate of
yearly, bu. 3 years, bu.
(las lime      —1.19 —3.57
Superphosphate »        2.47 7.41
Barn manure        14.41 43.23
The gas lime reduced the yield indicated be thy minus sign; the superphosphate produced a moderate increase, and
the barn manure a considerable increase.
The effect _of these fertilizers on the
quality of the corn will be fairly indicated
liy the per centages of sound merchantable corn, as compared with the total yield
of corn. The following figures give the
averages for the three years:
Oas lime produced ......72.71 per ceat good corn
-Superphosphate produced—76.41 per cent good corn
Barn manure produced ..... 82.97 per cent good corn
Plats not fertilised produced7_,.81 per cent good corn
It appears  that the gas  lime was  practically  without effect, while  the  snper-
Washington Letter.
From onr regular correspondent:
All over the city flags are at half mast
again. They droop this time for Gen.
Hancock. Death has made havoc with official receptions of late. Three times within the last month the social program of
the Administration circle has been
thwarted, invitations recalled, and entertainments postponed in consequence of
death.
The Woman S'lffragists are marshaling
their forces preparatory to swooping down
on Washington again next Wednesday for
the 18th annual time. Miss Susan
Anthony has been here for some weeks
perfecting arrangements for this convention, which will be attended by distinguished advocates of female suffrage from
all parts of the country. Miss Anthony is
as energetic as ever in her work, and is as
sanguine of the final success of the cause
as when she first began to struggle for it
50 years ago. The principal object of this
association from its organization has been
to secure to the women of the several
States and Territories, national protection
in the citizen's right to vote, through a
16th amendment to the constitution. They
say they do not expect to get the amendment this Congress, but they will get the
matter discussed, and in a few years they
expect to get what they want. "What we
are after now," said Miss Anthony, "is
simply a discussion of the subject.' The
more it is discussed, the more popular it
will become. We know," continued she,
"who our enemies in Congress are and
how many. We do not expect to convert
them, but as they drop out they will be
replaced by men of more advanced views
on all the great issues of the age, including woman suffrage." She agrees with
the opinion recently expressed by Senator
Edmunds that the majority of  women of
the United  States do not  want  to vote.
She accounts  for this on  the ground that
it is something new, and that many women of conventional ideas are opposed to
anything new nntil they have studied the
question.   The  advocates of  woman suffrage claim to have made great progress in
senatorial favor.   They hold  that 26 senators are in favor of giving women the ballot.   They cite instances to prove that this
number have declared  themselves openly
as their supporters,   while they  say they
cannot tell how many silent friends they
may have in the upper House.   A senator
asked Miss Anthony how  the women expected to do anything with Congress until
they had carried the school districts.   She
told him they could not  reach the school
districts exoept through the speeches made
ln the Senate.   "What we want," said she,
"is to get a vote in the Senate, and to send
the speeches  all over the  country."   She
thinks the speech made In favor of female
enfranchisement last Congress by Senator
Palmer did a wonderful  amount of good.
Senator Palmer of Michigan,   is called the
philosophical millionlare.   He utters epigrams on life.   He lives in one of the most
elegant houses in Washington, but be says
his greatest difficulty is in keeping up his
illusions,  and that   there is  no  possible
chance for any man to be  happy without
them.
 s»   mi   •	
Free Seed Testing.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
The authorities of Purdue University
have equipped a seed-testing laboratory,
and are prepared to make a limited number of tests of seed corn for the farmers of
the State, free of charge, under the following conditions:
1. Samples of suoh corn, only as the
farmer expects to use forseed shall be sent
for trial.
2 The number of kernels shall not be
less than 25 in each case. Each package
shall be properly labeled with the name of
variety so as to be readily indentified, and
sent by mail. .
3. A letter must accompany each package, giving the owner's name and address,
and enclosing a 2 cent stamp for reply.
All tests will be made in the order of
their receipt at the University, and as soon
as each test is completed the result will be
sent to the owner. All packages and communications should be addressed to Prof.
J. Troop, Purdue University, LaFayette,
Ind. J. H. Smart, Pres.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
Spring will soon be here again and then
we will be annoyed with our neighbors'
stock running at large, as usual; the hogs
rooting up the road side causing the ditches to be filled and unsightly weeds to take
the place of the grass; the cows breaking
into our fields, gardens, etc. Now please
tell me what I can do with stock thus running at large—what is the law,  anyway?
Cevington. W. B. F.
The county commissioners make the law
for each county. It is in their power to
permit to run at large or prohibit from doing so any kind of stock. Make your appeal to them.
Sold Out.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
Please say to the readers of the Farmer
that I have no more turkeys for sale. My
advertisement in the Farmer brought me
more sales and inquiries for turkeys than
I could answer without having a clerk.
Clinton Oo. Seth Strange.