REPORT ON THE CULTIVATION OF MANGOLD VOJRZEL. 153 



A sample of the soil was found to contain : — 



Insoluble inorganic matter (sulphides and chlorides, alkalies 



and alkaline earths), . . . 



Soluble organic matter (apocrenic and crenic acids), 

 Insoluble organic matter, 



Silicious sand, ..... 

 Fine clay, ..... 



1-64 

 1-36 

 13714 



754-75 

 105-11 



Acids of humus, 2 - 32. 

 Phosphoric acid, traces. 



Lime, 



Oxides of iron, 



1000-00 



55-9 

 38-7 



A sample of the Peruvian guano contained nearly 18 per cent 

 of ammonia and 22 of guano phosphates. The superphosphate 

 shows 26 per cent, soluble phosphate, and 3 per cent, insoluble. 

 The nitrate of soda contained 15-7 per cent, nitrogen = 18 per 

 cent, ammonia. 



The altitude is 110 feet, and the distance from the sea six 

 miles. 



We leave our reader to draw his own inferences from these 

 results. 



Sowing. — The end of April or beginning of May seems to be 

 the best and most generally adopted time for sowing. It is a 

 safe practice to purchase the seed early in the season, and to 

 germinate say 50 or 100 seeds in a little wooden box, saucer, or 

 whatever may be at hand, as severe losses have frequently 

 occurred from using bad seed. A more common source of dis- 

 appointment is sowing too deeply ; half an inch is sufficient. 

 The usual quantity sown varies from 4 to 8 lbs. per acre, de- 

 pending to some extent on the climate, distance apart of drills, 

 and particularly on the state of the soil. The common turnip- 



* A wet day is one on which at least -01 of an inch falls. 



