Were all looking very well, and of 

 a good dark colour. They ap- 

 peared nearly equal ; the Peru- 

 vian guano, however, looked 

 rather the best. 



RETORTS OF EXPERIMENTS WITH DIFFERENT TOP-DRESSINGS. 70 



lime, and chloride ammonium were applied in solution, were con- 

 siderably scorched. 



The greater scorching produced by those applied in solution 

 probably arises from the solutions not being sufficiently dilute, 

 and to their sticking to the leaves and blades, and burning them 

 slightly, while those in powder sank down nearer the roots ; and 

 what little clung to the leaves was washed off them into the 

 ground by the rain before it could be dissolved sufficiently to 

 burn them. 



During the period between the application and the end of May 



there were 3*6 inches of rain. During June up to the 26th, when 



the plots were cut, there was - 3 inch. On June 14th the plots 



looked as follows : — 



Sulphate ammonia, 

 Chloride ammonium, 



«..» "• m solution, a good dark colour. They ap 



.Nitrate ammonia, „ j i i 4 i, r> 



Nitrate lime, " P eared nearl y e( * ual ; the Peru 



Nitrate soda, 



Peruvian guano, 



Nitrate soda with sulphate ammonia, 



Glue looked slightly less in quantity, and not such a good 

 colour. 



The blank plots looked decidedly the worst. 



On June 20th the various dressings were looking relatively the 

 same, except that the sulphate ammonia plots did not quite hold 

 their position with the others. 



On June 26th the grass on the plots was cut, weighed, and 

 spread out for hay. 



On July 5th it was weighed again as hay. 



The observations made at the time of cutting were, that on the 

 nothing plots the crop was the thinnest and lightest in colour. 

 The grass stood about 3 feet high, the clover 20 inches. On 

 the glue plots the crop was darker in colour than on the nothing 

 plots, and the clover stood about 4 inches higher. 



On the sulphate of ammonia plots the crop stood about the 

 same height as on the glue plots, but was stronger and darker in 

 colour, as far as the eye could judge, though the weighings make 

 the crops almost equal. 



On the chloride ammonium plots the crop stood the same 

 height as the last, but there was considerable improvement in the 

 thickness and colour. 



On the nitrate ammonia plots the crop looked altogether about 

 equal to that on the chloride ammonium plots. 



On the nitrate of lime plots the crop was the same in appearance. 



On the nitrate of soda plots the crop was the same in appearance. 



On the Peruvian guano plots the height, thickness, and colour 

 seemed better than on any of the others. 



