120 



ON RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS WITH 



in the tops as I did this season. The extra dry summer may 

 account for it. The potatoes were planted in the last week of 

 March. The nitrogenous and phosphatic compounds I have found 

 best suited for potato growing are as follows : — 



The above gave similar results, when applied value for value, 

 witli the addition of l-^ to 2 cwts. of sulphate of potash per acre. 

 I have found a more liberal application of nitrogenous or 

 ammoniacal compounds has done more harm than good, rushing 

 up a lot of tops, thereby keeping out the air, and preventing root- 

 ing until too late in the season, with the result of gro^ving a less 

 crop instead of a larger, besides the extra cost of manure. I have 

 found it very difficult to arrive at a right estimate of the proper 

 quantity or quality of manure to apply to potatoes, as so much 

 depends on the weather during the season they are grown. 



The subject of my report has mainly to do with lime and manu- 

 factured manures; but I may mention a few facts in connection 

 with the general treatment of the farm outside of these, before 

 giving an approximate comparison between what it was and what 

 it now is in regard to productive power. During the past ten 

 years I have driven over 200 tons of slaughter-house, stable, and 

 town manures each year, besides using all the produce of the farm 

 with the exception of grain and potatoes. I have also used a 

 large quantity of cake annually for cattle feeding. I have found 

 that with the addition of lime and artificial manure to the treat- 

 ment narrated, the productive power of my farm has been 

 increased by from GO to 70 per cent, taking an average of 

 the past five years, as against five years previous to 1868. The 

 farm has got to be a comparatively early one now, not only for 

 grain in harvest, but also for grass in spring. Previously it used 

 to be one of the latest in the district, and it is now one of the 

 earliest, if not the earliest altogether. The lime and manure lull 

 is three times as much, and the working expenses twice as much, 

 during the past five years as they were in the corresponding period 

 prior to 1868. I have found that it requires a great outlay of 

 capital to improve third class soils, and the returns are very slow 

 and not nearly so suie as on better class of soils. I may mention 



