Effects of certain fertilizer and lime treatments on yield, chemical composition, and vegetative population of a pasture and on certain properties of Coeburn silt loam

Abstract

Fertilizer and lime investigations to determine their effect upon crops and soils have been carried out at many experiment stations. The correlation of the yield, the type and the chemical composition of vegetation and changes taking place in chemical properties of soil will contribute to a better understanding of soil fertility problems.

Since 1940 the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, in cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority has conducted a pasture experiment on Coeburn Silt Loam in Wise County, Virginia. Several different fertilizer treatments with and without lime, were used to evaluate their effect upon pasture vegetation.

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of and nature of the effects of certain fertilizers and lime treatments on pasture vegetation and on the soil.

The experiment was conducted on Coeburn Silt Loam, a soil derived from interbedded shale and arkosic sandstone. This soil is well drained, occurs on rolling to hilly relief, is low in inherent fertility and is fairly well adapted to agricultural uses.