304 EXPEEIxMEXTS ON TUEXIP3. 



EXPERIMENTS OX TURNIPS. 

 Br David Wilson, Jun., M.A., F.C.S., Carbeth, Killearn, Stirlingshire. 



During the last two seasons experimental plots have been set 

 apart on the turnip and oat breaks here. The experiments on 

 turnips were arranged with the following objects in view : — 



I. To make a practical analysis of the soil ; that is, to find out 

 whether it is most in need of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, or 

 potash, or if it will repay the application of all of them. 



II. To compare the effects of dissolved and finely ground un- 

 dissolved phosphates. The varying results obtained by different 

 experimenters seem to make this a question requiring to be deter- 

 mined locally. The basis of comparison adopted is that of equal 

 money value. 



III. To compare the yield with artificial manures only to the 

 yield with dung and a less quantity of artificials. This being 

 one step towards finding out whether in certain circumstances it 

 would be more profitable to save the dung from the turnip crop 

 and apply it to grass, as in this case there would probably be 

 less nitrogen lost to the farm in drainage water. 



TV. To test the influence of manures on the composition and 

 keeping qualities of turnips. This part of the investigation was 

 not attempted the first season. 



The repetition of these experiments for some seasons on the 

 turnip break of the year should give information of a practical 

 kind from a considerable variety of soil. 



The field upon which the experimental plots were placed in 

 1882 was a heavy loam resting upon boulder clay. It had 

 grown oats in the previous season manured with 8 cwt. Peru- 

 vian guano (6 J per cent, ammonia, 37 per cent, phosphates), 

 and the stubble in the beginning of December had received a 

 dressing of 5 tons lime. Previous to the oat crop the field had 

 lain long in grass, and was in a very poor state. Drains had 

 been put in the grass 3 feet deep and 15 feet apart. 



A piece of land, 252 feet by 242 feet, which looked uniform, 

 was staked off for the plots. The accompanying plan (Table I.) 

 shows the arrangement of the plots, and indicates the manures 

 applied. Each of the 28 plots is formed of eight drills of 27 

 inches wide and 121 feet long, and is thus 2^5^^^ of an acre. The 

 weights of bulbs obtained from each plot in cwts. per acre is 

 inserted at the bottom for ease of reference. The plots were 

 manured in the drill, and sown with 4 lbs. per acre Drummond's 

 Aberdeen yellow turnip on the 15th of June. Table II. shows 

 the rate of manure per acre on each plot, that is, 2Vth of the 

 weight indicated was applied to each plot. The plants brairded 



