116 EEBORT OF EXPERIMENT ON OATS. 



KEPOET OF EXPERIMENT ON OATS. 

 By William Walker, Ardhuncart, Mossat, Aberdeenshire. 



[Premium— Five Sovereigns.'] 



The object I had in view in this report was to endeavour to 

 ascertain, by a carefully conducted experiment with two different 

 manures, part mixed and part unmixed, for crop 1865, which 

 would produce the best results at the least cost. I occupy a 

 considerable extent of high-lying land, which, when broke up 

 from three years' grass (the rotation I am bound to), will scarcely 

 return the expense of seed and labour without a top-dressing of 

 some kind or other. 



It then becomes an absolute necessity to ascertain, if possible, 

 the most economical mode of treating such land. 



I therefore resolved to conduct an experiment for the pur- 

 pose on the size of plots recommended by Professor Anderson, 

 chemist to the Highland Society — namely, T ^th of an acre, 

 which, from past experience of the unwieldy working of large 

 plots, I highly approve of in general. 1 lb. per plot giving 112 

 per acre. 



Coprolites and sulphate of ammonia were the two manures used, 

 all done in duplicate except two. The manure was all sown 

 and harrowed in with the seed. I re<?retted afterwards that I 

 did not try a plot with ammonia on the surface after it was 

 brairded. 



The average results of analysis of the coprolites treated with 

 sulphuric acid are as follows : — 



Moisture, .... 



Sand, ...... 



Carbon, .... 



Phosphate, ) 

 Tribusic, J 

 Carbonate of Lime, 



100-00 

 The sulphate of ammonia about 25 per cent, actual ammonia. 



The manures for the different plots were carefully weighed, 

 mixed, and broken. The land may be termed poor outfield, 

 about 700 feet above the level of the sea, soil about 6 inches 

 deep, subsoil coarse gravelly clay — naturally dry, and almost 

 level. The plots were carefully measured off, small elastic pins 

 put in at the corner of each plot ; a space of six inches was left 

 between each plot one way. As I had every reason to believe 

 that the crop would not lodge, and the pins would remain all the 

 season in their proper places, furnishing a sufficient guide, in- 



