olute. The best method of determining what plant
foods are lacking in the soil is to carry on some simple experiments.

The following plan for soil testing with plant foods is suggestive: To
test the soil for a possible need of the single plant foods, a series
of five plots may be laid off. These plots should be long and narrow
and may be one-twentieth, one-sixteenth, one-tenth, one eighth acre or
larger. A plot one rod wide and eight rods long will contain
one-twentieth acre. The width of the plot may be adjusted to
accommodate a certain number of rows of crop and the length made
proper to include an even fraction of an acre. A strip three or four
feet in width should be left between each two plots. These strips are
to be left unfertilized and are for the purpose of preventing one plot
being affected by the plant food of another.

The plots are all plowed, planted and cared for alike, the only
difference in treatment being in the application of plant food. If the
plots are one-twentieth acre in size, plant foods may be applied as
follows.

+----------------------------+
PLOT 1. | Nitrate of Soda 8 lbs. |
+----------------------------+

+----------------------------+
PLOT 2. | Acid Phosphate 16 lbs. |
+----------------------------+

+----------------------------+
PLOT 3. | Nothing. |
+----------------------------+

+----------------------------+
PLOT 4. | Muriate of Potash 8 lbs. |
+----------------------------+

+----------------------------+
PLOT 5. | Lime 1 bushel. |
+----------------------------+

Plot 3 is a check plot for comparison.

The measuring of the plots, weighing and application of the
fertilizers, planting and care of the crops, weighing and measuring at
harvest, should be carefully and accurately done.

A number of additional plots may be added if desired to test the
effect of plant foods in combination. For instance:

+----------------------------+
PLOT 6. | Nitrate of Soda 8 lbs. |
| Acid Phosphate 16 " |
+----------------------------+

+----------------------------+
PLOT 7. | Nitrate of Soda 8 lbs. |
| Muriate of Potash 8 " |
+----------------------------+