IIQ BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



only be done by the farmer himself, through farm experiments with 

 the different fertilizers. Science is, in its present condition, unable 

 to give us any farther information than that a worn out soil probabl}' 



« 



needs one or more of these three substances, phosphoric acid, potash 

 and nitrogen. A chemical anal3"sis of such a soil furnishes no indi- 

 cation of what is necessary to be supplied to restore its fertility. 

 But, by adopting a system of soil testing, the farmer can compel the 

 soil to tell its own story. 



If we examine a little into the conditions under which a soil may 

 become barren as regards the three plant foods, which are liable to 

 become exhausted by continuous cropping, viz : phosphoric acid, 

 potash and nitrogen, we shall readilv see that there are seven : 



1st. There ma}' be a lack of i)hosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen 

 being present. 



2d. There ma}' be a lack of potash, phosphoric acid and nitrogen 

 being present. 



3d. There ma}' be a lack of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash 

 being present 



4th. There may be a lack of phosphoric acid and potash, nitro- 

 gen being present. 



5th. There may be a lack of phosphoric acid and nitrogen, 

 potash being present. 



6th. There may be a lack of potash and nitrogen, phosphoric 

 acid being present. 



7th. There may be a lack of all three of these, phosphoric acid, 

 potash and nitrogen. 



In commencing experimental work of any kind, it is always best 

 to know exactly what questions we desire to have answered by the 

 experiments ; and then the more definite we can put the questions, 

 the more satisfactory the reply. 



In the view given above, of the possible conditions causing infer- 

 tility in a soil, we have the key to putting definite questions regard- 

 ing its fertility, with a probability of receiving an answer which 

 will furnish us a valuable guide in the future manuring of the soil 

 experimented upon. 

 Now suppose we take a plot of ground, say 32 rods by 2^ rods, which 

 fairly represents one of our fields in fertility and general texture of 

 the soil, and lay the plot off in ten equal strips, running lengthwise 

 of the plot, as shown in the diagram. Leave the first plot without 

 manure ; apply to the second plot a fertilizer furnishing phosphoric 



