A Study of the Deviation of Yields from Duplicate Pot Cultures 1

Although there is a considerable amount of literature on various phases of experimental plat work with crops and soils, there is but very little literature concerning the average variation in yields from replicated field plats or pot cultures. In the majority of publications in which the experimental error or variation is calculated, the calculated variation is applicable only to the yidds from which it is obtained and has but little significance in indicating the degree or magnitude of variation that might be expected in other similar experimental work. It seems that the variation in yields obtained in any given experimental plat or pot culture work should be of a magnitude comparable to that of any other similar experimental work. This should be true if the number and range of yidds are sufficient to provide a true and random representation of the population of variations between duplicate or replicate yields. It is the object of this paper to present the results of a study of the deviations of a large number of yields on duplicate pot cultures in the greenhouse. In the course of a study of the uniformity of the more important agricultural soil types of Alabama, a large number of greenhouse yields from duplicate pot cultures have been obtained. An analysis of the variation between these duplicate pot culture yields has proved of interest, and this analysis is given in this paper with the hope that it may be of general interest and value in giving some informa{ion on the nature and magnitude of the average variation to be expected in the yidds of duplicate pot cultures in the greenhouse.