EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS — BARLEY CROP, 1887. 227 



traces of fonner mauiiring were distinctly visible up(jii the barley 

 crop of 1887. 



2. The plots which produced the best crop of potatoes in 1886 

 had a smaller manurial residue left for the barley crop of 1887, 



8. The want of potash was most felt by the potato crop in 

 188G, but it was not felt by the barley crop of 1887. 



4. The chief want felt by the barley crop was the want of 

 nitrogen. 



o. Plots mantired in former years with slowly-acting nitro- 

 genous substances were above average in their produce of 

 barley. 



Man ared t^^cctlon. 



G. The plots whit;h had nitrate of soda applied to them pro- 

 duced full crops, and even the plot that had had nothing but 

 nitrate of soda applied to it produced a fair crop. 



7. Sulphate of ammonia did not succeed so well as nitrate of 

 soda, and ])roved itself a less suitable manure than nitrate of 

 soda when applied to a cereal crop in a season of drought. 



8. Insoluble nitrogenous manures also produced a very good 

 crop, due in great measure to the accumulated effect of the 

 residues lying over from former years. 



9. Potassic manures were of very subordinate importance to 

 (ho barley crop, and muriate of potash had a depressing effect. 



10. Barley grown without the direct application of potash 

 manures is lighter in colour and of a more handsome, appear- 

 ance than that to which they have been applied. 



11. Ph(jsphates, unless accompanied with nitrogen(His manures, 

 have produced very little effect upon the crop, and there was 

 very little difference in the effect of soluble and insoluble phos- 

 phates. 



12. In the dry season of 1887 the plots manured with guanos 

 did not produce so good crops as in former wet seasons. 



13. Drought is the great enemy we have to contend with in 

 relying too exclusively on light manures for the production of 

 cro])s. Hence the great value of dung and bulky manures 

 containing much oi'ganic matter, for these have the etfect of 

 improving the texture and composition of the soil, so that it is 

 better able to retain moisture, and to act as a solvent of light 

 manures. This remark, however, does not apply to nitrate of 

 soda, which in dry seasons is most valuable in forcing away the 

 yoimg plant, and enabling its roots to penetrate into the deeper 

 and moister layers of the soil. 



[Tatile I. 



