156 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



Our results do not indicate that the soil is exhausted of those elements required by 

 plants, but without doubt its fertility is capable of improvement. Containing, as it 

 does, sand, clay and humus in fair proportions, it may be termed a soil of average 

 quality, but, nevertheless, by judicious culture and the employment of fertilizers, its 

 crop-producing powers may be increased. 



The first care should be towards adding to its store of humus, that is, semi-decom- 

 posed vegetable matter. This naturally can be done by heavy applications of barn-yard 

 manure. If such a course, however, is impossible, the practice of " green manuring " 

 should be adopted. This is best and most economically effected by growing clovers, 

 either as a crop or with the cereals, and turning under the aftermath. By such means 

 both nitrogen and readily decomposable vegetable matter are furnished, supplying plant 

 food for future crops, and permanently improving the tilth or texture of the soil. 



To facilitate the growth of clover and for the purpose of increasing the soil's store 

 of potash and lime, we would advise an application of wood ashes. These supply both 

 potash and lime, element* required by clover in fairly large amounts, and also contain 

 in notable quantities other plant constituents. Gypsum or land plaster is also a fer- 

 tilizer of much value for clover, but, it should be remembered, does not contain any 

 potash. 



In the place of wood ashes, muriate of potash, at the rate of 100 pounds per acre, 

 may be used. Superphosphate for supplying soluble phosporic acid may also be em- 

 ployed at the rate of 200-300 pounds per acre. For wheat and grass a top dressing of 

 100 pounds of nitrate of soda in the spring, after growth has commenced, will prove of 

 value in encouraging the young plants. 



Soil forwarded for examination by Messrs. Gervais <k Frere, Lawrenceville. This 

 is a grayish-yellow, sandy loam, very loose in texture and slightly acid. It contained 

 a considerable quantity of undecomposed root fibres. 



ANALYSIS OP SOIL (air-dried.) 



Moisture 2 • 57 



Organic and volatile matter 7 * 58 



Insoluble mineral matter (clay and sand) .... 81 • 45 



Mineral matter, soluble in acid 8 • 40 



Lime 



Nitrogen . . 

 Coarse sand . 



This soil, underlaid by coarse sand, has according to accounts been cropped for 

 several years without an application of manure. Its store of available plant food must 

 thereby have been greatly diminished — a process undoubtedly assisted by the leachy 

 character of the soil. 



To improve the soil, we would advise organic manures, together with an application 

 of lime, in which the soil ia deficient. Barn-yard manure will, of course, be valuable, 

 but if this is difficult to obtain we counsel the occasional turning under of a green crop 

 of clover. A compost made with swamp muck will also prove of service for supplying 

 organic matter and nitrogen. 



Commercial fertilizers, such as muriate of potash and superphosphate, may be applied 

 to such soils in the autumn, or, if necessary, in spring, being harrowed in after 

 the ploughing and before seeding. "Wood ashes will supply potash and lime and a 

 notable quantity of phosphoric acid. Forty bushels per acre applied every fourth or 

 fifth years should prove remunerative. Muriate of potash at the rate of 100 pounds 



