ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE POTATO. 129 



undergo various chemical changes while circulating, and are 

 prepared and fitted for entering when and where it is necessary 

 into the solid and fixed parts of the potato plant, and each 

 exercise a chemical action on the elementary bodies, which 

 they meet with in the stems and wood of the plant. Ammonia 

 and ammoniacal salts, as a rule, produce bulk ; and phosphate 

 also produces quantity and bulk. The aim should be to secure 

 both. 



If agriculturists wish to cultivate their soils successfully, 

 they must spend a deal of money on manures, as the present 

 state of cultivation necessitates the application to the soil of 

 more fertilising agents than is obtained from farm-yard 

 manure. Potash is an indispensable article for invigorating 

 the health of leguminous plants, and where alkali is abstracted 

 it must be applied with no sparing hand. 



However easy it may appear to apply artificial manures to the 

 soil, as long as the knowledge of chemistry is so limited in the 

 respect of application, manures must continue to be applied much 

 in the same manner as at present, with such gradual improve- 

 ments as inquiry and progressive chemical knowledge may 

 direct. Has the agriculturist nothing to answer for ? Does he 

 restore to the ground, by manure, those properties which former 

 crops have taken away, and which are necessary for the healthy 

 cultivation of potato ? 



Last century Sir H. Davy called the attention of agriculturists 

 to the fact that the land became exhausted from repeated crop- 

 ping, and that something ought to be done in partial appliance 

 of chemicals. About 30 years ago Professor Liebig directed 

 attention to artificial manures with a view of replacing the 

 azote that had been extracted from the land. I do not mean 

 to infer that the improper use of artificial manures has been the 

 cause of potato disease, but this I know, that land never before 

 cultivated is most productive of potatoes free of disease. 



ON THE AYRSHIRE BREED OF CATTLE. 



By Thomas Farrall, Aspatria, Carlisle. 



[Premmm — Ten Sovereigns.] 



Introductory — Gcograjohy of Ayrsliire. 



Seeing that the climate, surface, soil, and geological formation 

 have always a remarkable effect on the cattle bred and reared 

 in any district, it has been deemed desii'able to give a short 

 geographical sketch of the county of Ayrshire, the home of the 

 Ayrshire breed of cattle. 



The county lies in the south-west part of Scotland, and forms 



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