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EXPEKIMEXTS OX THE CULTUEE OF TUENIPS. 25/ 



is quite clear that in such a season, and on the kind of soil, &c., 

 to which I have already referred, the most economical manure 

 to use for the growth of a bulky crop of turnips would be ground 

 phosphate, with the addition of sulphate of potash and a little 

 nitrogen in convenient form, to stimulate the plant during its 

 early stages." I did not try that combination in my last year's 

 experiments, but tried phosphates and potash combined, also 

 nitrogen and phosphates combined; and from the results of 

 these, was quite satisfied that the three combined would give 

 the best results in weight of crop. The correctness of these 

 conclusions has been very fully proved by this year's experi- 

 ments, where in every case these three constituents combined 

 have grown the heaviest crops. And the experiments further 

 bear out what Mr Jamieson, and latterly iJr Aitken, have been 

 endeavouring to impress on the agricultural public for some 

 years past — namely, that ground phosphate is both a valuable 

 and an economical fertiliser for the gi'owth of a turnip crop, its 

 main value consisting not only in its source, but mainly in the 

 fineness of its state of division. That different classes of soils 

 give different results with any manure is well known. On the 

 Highland and AgTicultural Society's stations in the Lothians, 

 the addition of potash for turnips makes very little difference to 

 the ultimate yield. In Forfarshire, on a different class of soils, 

 it gives a very substantial increase ; and on the Aberdeenshire 

 stations, a full crop cannot be grown witliout it. 



The small increase of crop grown by the soluble over the 

 insoluble phosphates in 1879, as previously mentioned, was 

 generally attributed to the excessive rainfall of that season. 

 The result this year, with a season very hot and also very dry, 

 with the exception of several heavy thunder showers during 

 the month of Jul}^ shows that instead of the soluble phosphates 

 having increased, they have fallen a considerable way beliind 

 the insoluble on the light sharp soils, similar to last year's 

 experimental plots. Further, I am quite convinced that the 

 ground pliospliates last year would at least liave given as good 

 results as the soluble, liad they been as finely ground as those 

 used this year. Even with the rouglier grinding, the dillereuce 

 of crop last year would not pay expenses of making tliem 

 Rolublc. 



There is another important pohit yet to be taken up in regard 

 to the manuring of tlie turnip crop, which is of vital interest to 

 the tenant-farmer with soil in ordinary rotation of cropping — 

 namely, that while the gi'owth of a good turnip crop is of great 

 importance, the crops which follow it have also to be considered. 

 Therefore, a few remarks on the barley crop grown this year on 

 my last year's experimental station, may not be without interest 

 and instruction. J'otli shaws and roots of the turnips on the 



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