72 REPORTS OF EXPERIMENTS WTIH DIFFERENT TOP-DRESSINGS. 



REPORTS OF EXPERIMENTS WITH DIFFERENT TOP- 

 DRESSINGS. 



By Russell Swanwick, Whittington, Chesterfield. 



I. On Rye Grass and Clover, Crop 1865. 



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The following experiments on the action of nitrogen in different 

 forms on the growth of rye-grass and clover were conducted on the 

 farm of Fenton Barns, East Lothian, and the object was to ascer- 

 tain whether the form in which nitrogen is applied materially 

 alters its beneficial influence on the growth of rye-grass and 

 clover. 



The scale on which they were tried is recommended by Pro- 

 fessor Anderson ; and it is evident that, by taking the average 

 result on a number of small plots, evenly distributed over the 

 land, so as to correct any irregularity in the soil, closeness of 

 plant, &c, greater accuracy may be obtained than by taking a 

 single plot of much larger size. In this instance each experiment 

 was made in quadruplicate (with the exception of one in dupli- 

 cate), the plots being each r { 2 acre imperial. 



The field in which the experiments were tried lies about 40 

 feet above the sea-level ; and from the laminated appearance 

 of the subsoil, and the occasional sand banks, the valley in 

 which it lies would appear to have been once a continuation 

 of the Aberlady inlet. The soil is a heavy alluvial clay, 

 and in high condition, judging from the previous cropping and 

 manuring. 



The crop experimented on consisted of red, yellow, and Alsike 

 clovers, and Italian and perennial rye-grass.* These seeds had 

 been sown the previous year in wheat, which yielded about 

 5 quarters per acre. The wheat had been preceded by a bare 

 fallow, which had received 24 tons per acre imperial of Edin- 

 burgh town manure. This was the first bare fallow there had 

 been on the farm for twenty years ; but it was found advisable, 

 owing to the wheat stubble having been deeply ploughed by 

 steam rather late in the spring, and the great dryness of the 

 season, which had rendered it impossible to reduce the soil to 

 a tilth suitable for turnip seed. The cropping before the wheat 

 had been beans, which had received 16 tons of farm-yard dung. 

 The plant, both of clover and grass, looked well, and was stand- 

 ing 8 or 10 inches high at the time of the application of the 

 dressings. 



* The quantities sown were, for every \\ acre imperial, — red, 14 ihs. ; yellow, 

 2 lbs.; Alsike, 2 lbs.; Italian rye-grass, 2 pecks; perennial. 1 peck. 



