61 i Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [^i^^v. 3, 1908. 



])laiits ill the IriMtcd pots, from that date, grew in a startliim iiiaimer. 

 No. '1 contained twelve ears ."i.l inches long, which w;is a reninrkuhh- uikkI 

 crop, wlien the past history of the soil is taken into consideration. 



On October 1 1th. 11)07, all the plants in the treated soil looked remarkably 

 W(>11. the ears of wheat varying in size and number according to the cjuantity 

 of acid added to the soil. The ears of Nos. (5, 7, 8*, and 'J, were from 5 to <) 

 inches long; No. '.) contained forty ears — that is, ten ears from each grain 

 of wheat sown. 



The experiment was conducted in a vegetable garden connected with the 

 Botanic Gardens. Svdne\-. On October I^ith. I'.t(l7. ;i cow managed to lin,l 



Fig. 3. 



her way into that garden, and completely destroyed the exjDeriment by eating 

 the wheat. This was a great disappointment, which was intensified by the 

 fact that the cow walked over and did not touch the cabbages, carrots, 

 parsnips, lettuce, &c., which were growing in the garden. 



It was, however, a very agreeable surprise to learn that the toxic properties 

 of the alkali were corrected by such a small amount (•002 per cent.) of nitric 

 acid. To treat an acre 6 inches deep with that ])ercentage, tlie nitric acid 

 would cost, if inoduced by motlern methods, about 2s. 6d. per acre. 



There is another very important use for nitric acid in connection with 

 agriculture. For many years the application of sulphuric acid to rock 



