An agricultural experiment in the unprotected salt marsh

Abstract

(p. 139)

Experimental field II on the unprotected salt marsh near the Westpolder, at a level of NAP +1.55-1.60 m, gave very poor results, so that the experiment on this field was discontinued after 3 years. The crop failure of 1970 in field II was the result of a flood, which also largely destroyed the newly germinated crop in the higher-situated field I. The 1971 experiment was given up, because in both fields the crops were destroyed by young cattle in mid-July. In contrast to field I, where crop growth was reasonably good (except for oats), crop development in field II was poor. In 1972 field I gave a good harvest; in field II however results were poor: flax and Celtic bean gave no yield at all, with gold-of-pleasure and barley the yield was less than the input, and only oats gave a small positive net result. The failed harvest of 1972 was partly caused by the flood at the end of May, though even up until then development had been poor. The part of the salt marsh, where experimental field II was laid out, is evidently unsuitable for agriculture. The experiment on unprotected land near Cappelersiel also led to the conclusion that lower-lying parts of the high salt marsh are unsuitable for raising crops.