2Q EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2-3 EDWARD VII., A. 1903 



These experiments have been continued, and a summary of the results obtained has 

 been given each year, taking the average yield of crops from the beginning adding the results 

 for the current year, and then giving the average yield for the full time. These testa 

 were undertaken on virgin soil, on a piece of land which was cleared for the purpose. 

 For particulars regarding the clearing and preparing of the land for crop in 1887-88 

 and its subsequent treatment the reader is referred to the earlier issues of this report. 



OBJECT IN VIEW IX CONDUCTING THESE EXPERIMENTS. 



In establishing and conducting this series of experiments, the object in view has 

 been to gain information as to the effects produced by certain fertilizers and combina- 

 tions of fertilizers on particular crops. They were never intended to serve as model test 

 plots such as farmers could copy with advantage in their general practice. On the con- 

 trary, to gain the information desired, it has been found necessary to use some fertilizers 

 in unusual quantities, and in other instances to more or less exhaust the soil by a suc- 

 cession of crops of the same sort, practices which in ordinary farming would be 

 extravagant or detrimental. From this long conducted series of tests much useful 

 information has been gained, which appeals to the mind with greater force as experience 

 accumulates from year to year. 



VALUABLE INFORMATION GAINED. 



These trials, have shown that barn-yard manure can be most economically used in 

 the fresh or unrotted condition ; that fresh manure is equal, ton for ton, in crop-produc- 

 ing power to rotted manure, which, other experiments have shown, loses during the 

 process of rotting about 60 per cent of its weight. In view of the vast importance of 

 making the best possible use of barn-yard manure, it is difficult to estimate the value of 

 this one item of information. 



When these experiments were planned, the opinion was very generally held that 

 untreated mineral phosphate, if very finely ground, was a valuable fertilizer, which 

 gradually gave up its phosphoric acid for the promotion of plant growth. Ten years' 

 experience has shown that mineral phosphate, untreated, is of no value as a fertilizer. 



The use of sulphate of iron, which at the time these tests were begun, was highly 

 recommended, as a means of producing increased crops, has also been proven to be 

 almost useless for this purpose. 



Common salt, which has long had a reputation with many farmers for its value as 

 a fertilizer for barley, while others disbelieved in its efficacy, has been shown to be a 

 most valuable agent for producing an increased crop of that grain, while it is of much 

 less use when applied to crops of spring wheat or oats. Land plaster or gypsum has 

 also proven to be of some value as a fertilizer for barley, while of very little service for 

 wheat or oats. Some light has also been thrown on the relative usefulness of single and 

 combined fertilizers. 



CHANGES MADE IN THE EXPERIMENTS. 



After ten years' experience had demonstrated that finely-ground, untreated mineral 

 phosphate was of no value as a fertilizer, its use was discontinued in 1898. Prior to this 

 it- had been used in each set of plots in Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7 and in No. 8 also, in all the 

 different series of plots, excepting roots. In 1898 and 1899, similar weights of the 

 Thomas' phosphate were used in place of the mineral phosphate, excepting in plot 6 in 

 each series. In this plot the Thomas' phosphate was used in 1898 only. 



After constant cropping for ten or eleven years, it was found that the soil on those 

 plots to which no barn-yard manure had been applied was much depleted of humus, and 

 hence its power of holding moisture had been lessened, and the conditions for plant 

 growth, apart from the question of plant food, had on this account become less 

 favourable. In 1899 the experiments were modified and an effort made to restore soma 



