358 EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS — TUENIP CROP 1882. 



CHEMICAL DEPARTMENT. 



EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS. 

 By Dr A. P. Aitken, Chemist to the Society. 



TURNIP CROP 1882. 



With the turnip crop of 1882 began the second rotation of the- 

 experiments at the Society's stations. The former turnip crop 

 of 1878 suffered so severely from the inclemency of the winter 

 that a large part of the experiments was rendered quite untrust- 

 worthy. The most of the crop had to remain on the field until 

 the middle of March, and by that time the alternations of frost 

 and thaw had ruined a large part of the crop on both stations. 



The analysis of the crop, owing to the want of a laboratory 

 specially adapted for agricultural research, was performed upon 

 a very small scale, and it was pointed out at the time that the 

 results obtained could only be considered as approximations to 

 truth, and their chief use lay in giving indications that would 

 require to be verified and controlled by future investigations. 



It was found that the analysis of a turnip crop, in order to be 

 reliable, would require to be done on a very extensive scale, 

 and with the help of apparatus and laboratory arrangements 

 specially adapted for the purpose. 



To meet the requirements of the crop of 1882, a laboratory 

 was provided, and fitted up with special apparatus for the 

 analysis of field crops. 



The season of 1882 was on the whole a favourable one for 

 the turnip crop in the Lowlands, and nothing occurred to inter- 

 fere with the success of the experiments at the stations. The 

 plan of the experiments was the same as in 1878, the main 

 object being to determine the agricultural values of the various 

 forms of light manure in common use, and to obtain information 

 which might guide farmers in selecting the materials best suited 

 for their purposes. When a farmer has discovered the kind of 

 manure that is most economical to apply, that is a matter of 

 great importance to him ; but there are other things which he 

 wishes to know. He must know the quantity per acre which it 

 is most profitable to employ, and he also requires to know what 

 is the condition of the manure most favourable for application. 

 The experiments have been modified so as to yield information 

 on these points. There is another matter of importance in the 

 use of light manures regarding which information is wanted, 

 viz., the best time in which to apply the various kinds of 

 manure. In order to obtain some information on this point, the 

 plan of experiments was modified in 1882 without interfering 



