i8 



to determine which is the most satisfactory manner in which we 

 could apply phosphoric acid. 



Dr. Lehmann : — I think there are two objects ; one to find out 

 in what particular constituents the soil was lacking, because if we 

 apply nitrogenous manure to a soil which is already rich in 

 nitrogen but poor in potash, nitrogenous manure will give us no 

 result. But if we apply potash, it will give good results in such land ; 

 so that the whole plan of experiments was to find out first of all 

 in what particular constituents that soil was lacking, whether 

 potash or phosphoric acid, nitrogen or lime. In addition to that 

 Mr. Harris' plot was particularly deficient in phosphoric acid, and 

 he had been recommended to apply phosphoric acid over and over 

 again. It had been previously manured with basic slag. It was 

 desired to find out whether bone or superphosphates would give 

 better results. That was applied on this estate, because Mr. 

 Harris' estate is not particularly rich in iron. On some estates 

 there was, to my mind, a suspicion that superphosphates would 

 not act properly, because it would be transformed into phosphate 

 of iron, whicn is, according to recognised dogmas of agricultural 

 chemists, valueless. However, it was in their experiments in 

 connection with soil to find out whether it was rich in organic 

 matter, they found that phosphate of iron is valuable. It is a 

 notion that phosphate of iron is valueless because it is insoluble. 

 Whether such is the case we do not know. We have to fight shy 

 of these notions and suggestions and suppositions. We must 

 experiment and try to find out what really is the truth. 



Mr. DANVERS : — I suppose it will be difficult to find any estate 

 in India which has not been manured for 20 years. 



Dr. Lehmann : — I saw an estate 20 years old. It was in a 

 magnificient condition, had an exceptionally rich soil, and was in 

 a favoured locality. An estate like that will do very well to 

 experiment with very small doses of manure 



Mr. Harris : — May I ask Mr. Sprott to what extent he has 

 reduced the application of manure, roughly speaking .' 



Mr. Sprott : — Speaking from memory, we used to put out as 

 much as 7 to 8 cwts. of bone and poonac. I have put out 5 cwts. 

 bones and poonac or fish in one portion of the estate every year 

 for some eight years, and it has steadily improved, previous to 

 that the chief manure I used was cattle and fish manure. Fish 

 manure I have put as much as 7 to 10 cwts. per acre. The manure 

 I have put out for the last 20 years has all been on the surface. 

 I have put out this year in February I cwt. refined saltpetre to 

 some portions of the estate without anything else at present. 1 

 am now going to back it up with 3 cwt. of fish manure or bones 

 and poonac, thus making 4 cwts. for the year; on other portions I 

 have put 2 cwt. of crude saltpetre, and it will get 3 cwt. bones and 

 poonac or fish later. 



Dr. Lehmann : — In good poonac we already apply all the 

 phosphoric acid that is removed. If there is a mistake — I don't 



