Effects of applying common salt to a muck soil on the yield, composition, and quality of certain vegetable crops and on the composition of the soil producing them

From a study of the effects of ordinary salt applied along with varying mixtures of phosphate and potash on Michigan muck soil, the following conclusions may be drawn: 1. Application of salt as a fertilizing material along with a phosphate-potash mixture showed the following effects: A. Increases in yield of the following crops: (a) Four members of the beet (Beta) family, viz., mangel, sugar beet, Swiss chard, and table beet (b) Two members of the parsley (Umbelliferae) family, viz., celery and celeriac (c) Six members of the mustard (Cruceriferae) family, viz., cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, radish, rape, and turnip B. Decreases in contents of N, CaO, and MgO and slight increases of P2O5 in crops of celery and sugar beets C. Very marked increases in Na2O and Cl contents of those crops which showed yield increases D. Little or no decrease in the percentage of K2O in the salt-responsive crops E. Slight decrease with sugar beets, no appreciable change with table beets, and marked increases with cabbage, celery, and turnips, in the total amount of K2O removed in the crop F. No appreciable effect on sugar content and purity of beets but an improvement in health of several crops and in eating qualities of celery G. Considerable increase in Na2O content and slight decrease in K2O content of soil 2. Application of salt in the absence of potash fertilization gave the following effects: A. Very low yields of all crops grown B. Unhealthy growth of roots; in a decayed condition at harvest C. Chlorosis of foliage growth indicative of potash deficiency D. Markedly decreased sugar content and percentage purity of beets 3. As a result of this study, recommendations for the use of salt as a fertilizing material on muck soil can be made as follows: A. The application of salt should always be accompanied by an application of potash in amount sufficient to satisfy crop needs B. Yield increases are likely to justify the use of salt at the following rates: (a) Initial application of 500 to 1,000 pounds per acre for celery, mangels, sugar beets, Swiss chard, table beets, and turnips, with 500 pounds per acre in succeeding years for these salt-responsive crops (b) 100 to 400 pounds-per-acre applications for cabbage, celeriac, kale, kohlrabi, radishes, and rape (c) No salt application for asparagus, barley, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, corn, lettuce, oats, onions, parsley, parsnips, peppermint, potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes 4. The relation of potassium and sodium in the metabolism of the salt-responsive crops may be summarized as follows: A. The sodium ion appears nearly as much needed as a nutrient for these crops as is the potassium ion B. The so-called "luxury consumption" of potash by a crop which shows yield increases from salt may be due at least partially to a soda-starvation of the crop C. In the absence of sufficient potash for proper plant nutrition a crop which shows yield increases from salt may develop a "luxury consumption" of soda D. The probability of a crop response to salt can be anticipated by the composition of the crop produced under ordinary fertilization, as follows: (a) A low natural soda content indicates that there will be no response to salt. while a high soda content indicates a probable marked response to salt (b) A narrow potash-soda ratio in a crop indicates a salt-responsive crop, a wide ratio a non-responsive crop