316 ]^IAXUEES AND THEIR APPLICATION. 



a wide range of soil and climate, it is the duty of every district 

 to determine for itself what are the best forms to employ, not 

 only of phosphate, but of all other kinds of manures — how to 

 employ them, when to employ them, and in what amount, so as 

 to secure the most reliable, economical, and excellent return for 

 the large amount of money which is annually expended by our 

 farmers in the purchase of artificial manures. 



The experiments which are at present being conducted in 

 Scotland show very various results, making it evident that 

 nothing but local experiments, and these more and more localised 

 in each particular district, will ever give farmers that certainty 

 of information which they require in order to prevent their 

 spending their money for that which is not bread and their 

 labour for that which satisfieth not, for if ever that may be said 

 with truth of anything, it may be said regarding the misapplica- 

 tion of valuable artificial manures. 



Among the many causes to which the present unfortunate 

 depression in agriculture is to be ascribed, I think a prominent 

 place should be given to the large amount of money indiscrimin- 

 ately invested in artificial manures and feeding stuffs, much of 

 which has been misapplied. That our soils have been brought 

 down to a low condition, requiring the aid of fertilising materials 

 borrowed from the soils of other lands, constitutes a severe strain 

 upon our agriculture, and brings us face to face with a condition 

 of affairs which has had no precedent in our history. It is, 

 therefore, of the utmost importance that this great new expendi- 

 ture in the purchase of fertilising and feeding materials should 

 be wisely directed, and I appeal to you who are members of this 

 Association to set an example to all other agricultural associa- 

 tions in Scotland by choosing from among your number one or two 

 who have the ability and inclination for the work, to begin a few 

 experiments upon your own soils in order to determine for your- 

 selves what are the directions in which the money you annually 

 expend upon manures and feeding stuffs can be most economi- 

 cally invested. Put to yourselves the question, "What is the 

 cheapest method by which I can now grow a bushel of wheat, 

 barley, or oats, and produce a pound of beef or mutton ? and 

 do not rest until you have answered it. If that question were 

 taken up by every agricultural association in Scotland, and 

 worked out v\'ith scientific accuracy, there would be an ad- 

 vance in the as^riculture of Scotland such as it has never vet 

 known. 



