Rit Landbúnaðardeildar : B-flokkur - 01.05.1946, Page 111

d. Nítrogenous ferlilizers are essential for successful corn-growing, unless the soil is
exceptionally fertile. A rate of 180 pounds of calcium nitrate per acre has given
about 250 pounds of grain for each 100 pounds of fertilizer that was applied; this
is of the same order of magnitude as reported from Danish experiments.
e. All fertilizers should be applied before the seeding of the grain. A delayed maturity
has resulted from the application of nitregenous fertilizers after the corn had
broken ihe ground.
f. Nitrophoska fertilizer (14—14—20) has given good results; 180 to 220 pounds per
acre, applied to a medium fertile soil, has proved satisfactory for barley.
11. Ghemical analysis on Icelandic-grown barley and oats indicates a quality, that is
very little inferior to that of identical varieties grown elsewhere. Judging by the avail-
able analysis, the grain of Icelandic-grown barley has a little higher percentage protein-
and ash content than that of foriegn grown barley, but a similar crude fiber contet.
The percentage fat content of oats is higher — sometimes almost one fifth higher —
than that of foreign grown oats, the composition being similar in other í-espects. The
straw of Icelandic-grown barley and oats contains íess crude fiber than the straw of
these corn species, grown elsewhere.
A few determinations, made on barley and oats in the laboratory during the years
from 1930 to 1940, are given in the following table. The samples are arbitrarily divided
into two classes, a, and b, according to the Barlcy stage of maturity. Oats
Wciglit ot' Weight of
Numbers 1000 grains % germi Numbers 1000 grains % germi-
Origin of samplc of samples grams nation of snmples gra ms nation
South-Iceland .... a 28 35.8 82.1 14 33.1 76.6
.... b 7 24.7 82.1 3 23.6 45.5
East-Iceland a 10 38.7 90.0 9 33.6 84.4
North-Iceland .... a 73 33.7 86.2 26 32.8 60.4
.... b 31 21.7 73.5 6 20.6 42.6
West-Iceland a 8 34.2 84.3
b 11 23.6 75.8
It is evident how the stage of maturity influences the grain weight, and the same,
of course, holds for the yield. For barley the correlation between the grain weight and
the % germination is less than one might expect, whereas such correlation is apparent
for oats.
12. It is concluded from the trials and experiments described in this bulletin, that
the growing of barley and oats can be practised in the milder climatic regions of Ice-
land. One, however, must show care, and make use of gained experience, as well as of
continued experiments relating to practices and varieties.
Although the corn may not mature in unfavorable seasons, it will yield as much
nutrients to an acre as an average hay field. In fact, the growing of corn may rather
compensate the ill effects of seasons that arc unfavorable for the growing of grass for
haymaking.