248 



EXPERIMEXTS ON THE CULTUEE OF TUEXIPS. 



The dates of sowiDg and thinning on the various stations were- 

 as follows : — 



The turnip plants at all the stations brairded healthy and 

 regular, unless the Sandyford swedes, and reached the thinning 

 stage in a vigorous growing condition, untouched by fly or other- 

 parasite. The Sandyford swedes brairded rather irregularly, 

 for want of moisture, but a shower Ijrouglit up a second braird 

 about ten days after the first, and both combined gave more 

 than a sufficient number of plants. This accounts for the late- 

 thinning at that station. 



The no-manure plots bad the smallest plants at thinning time 

 on all those stations containing that plot. 



The plots with phosphate, nitrogen, and potash, were best; 

 and potash and phosphates combined, next; with phosphates 

 alone, a little way behind these ; and no-manure, of course, worst. 



The difference could not be very great considering the size of 

 the plants at this stage, and can simply be explained by stating 

 that the best plots were on the big side for thinning, and the 

 worst barely large enough. 



On all the stations, shortly after thinning, the Xo. III. plots-- 

 of both sections got considerably ahead of the others, the No. 

 IT. plots following hard up, with the No. I. plots still further 

 in the rear, and no-manure, as might expected, making little 

 progress. At this stage, comparing the soluble with the insoluble 

 sections, there was some little difference at the various stations. 



On the Sandyford and Craichie stations there appeared to 

 be very little difference between them, whilst on the Over- 

 Migvie and Auchindorie stations, the soluble phosphates 

 gathered a slight lead for some weeks after thinning, but by the 

 1st August no difference in appearance could be detected. 



The plots with potash and nitrogen combined, without phos- 

 phates, judging from appearance of shaws on 1st August, 

 appeared second in order of merit in their section, both on the 

 Mig^de and Craichie stations, but on the Auchindorie station,, 

 this plot was very little better than no-manure, — plainly in- 

 dicating a scarcity of phosphates on this station. Hence the bad 

 results without them, and on all the stations this plot was too 

 dark green in the foliage to be healthy, and got more unhealthy 



