36 CHEMICAL DEPARTMENT. 



HINTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF MANURES. 



Nitrogenous Manures. 



Nitrate of Soda. — Apply as a top-dressing to the braird. Showery weather 



not disadvantageous. Heavy rains cause loss. Two half doses with 



fortnight interval better than one whole dose. Increases straw more 



than grain. Increases grass, diminishes clover. 

 Sulphate of Ammonia. — Apply as top-dressing at the time of sowing, not 



after brairding. Increases grass, diminishes clover very considerably. 



More suitable than nitrate for wet districts. Unsuitable for dry 



seasons. Not advantageously applied with dung. 

 High-Glass Guanos. — Apply with the seed, or partly as top-dressing. Useful 



for young grass and early potatoes. 

 Low-Glass Guanos. — Good general manures. Apply with the seed. 

 Dissolved Gompounds.- — Apply with the seed. 

 Dried Blood. — Apply a month or more before sowing, if possible. If applied 



with the seecl, useful for root-crops only. 

 Fish Guano. — Best on warm, open land, and in moist climates. Apply as 



early as possible. Sliould not contain more than 3 per cent. oil. 

 Leather and Shoddy. — Of no value unless they are dissolved. 



Phosphatic Manures. 



Suferphosphate. — Best phosphate for clayey soils. Suits medium soils. 

 Makes early crop, therefore good for late districts. Increases grain 

 more than, straw. 



Precipitated Phosphate. — Best on medium and light land. 



Steamed Bone J'/our.— Should be finely ground and applied early. _ Best on 

 light soils or on moorland. Suits wet climates. Excellent improver 

 of pastures. Quicker than bone meal in its action. 



Bone Ash. — Generally applicable. Best on light land. 



Bone ilfeaZ.— Should be as fine as possible, and applied early. Best on light, 

 free soils, and on sandy soils. 



Mineral Phosphate. — Must be ground to the finest flour, and feel so|t and 

 floury. Best on moorland and land rich in organic matter. Should 

 be applied very early. 



Bone Dust and Grushed Bones. — More suitable for vine borders than for 

 agricultural purposes. 



Phosphatic Manures. — When applied alone, frequently fail to give a full 

 crop. Some nitrogenous manure ought as a rule to be mixed with 

 them, or applied later as a top-dressing. 



PoTASSic Manures. — Useful where potatoes or beans are grown, or where 

 straw is sold. Increases clover. Seldom required where much dung 

 is used. Sometimes injurious if applied with the seed. Should be 

 applied in autumn or very early. 



Lime. — Better slaked in large heap, and then carted on and spread, than 

 slaked in small heaps on land. Better two small limings than one 

 big one. Best results on clayey land and moorland. As a pre- 

 ventive of finger-and-toe, lime is better applied to the lea before the 

 oat crop than to the stubble. It is of little use for that purpose 

 when applied to the fallow immediately before turnip sowing. 



