The best Manures for Potatoes 



41 



clay loam, very equal in quality, as the 

 manure plot will shew, and was only in 

 a very moderate agricultural condition, 

 the subsoil consisting of light sandy loam — 

 altogether very suitable for growing good 

 crops of potatoes. The field had been under 

 beans dunged in 1869, and wheat in 1870. 

 Each of the experimental plots consisted 

 of ^^th of an acre. The drills were 27 

 inches wide, and the potatoes (Regents) were 

 planted at intervals of 10 inches in the drills. 

 They were planted on ist May 187 1. Plots 



1 and 16 were dunged and manured exactly 

 the same as the rest of the field. I may 

 mention that, in the following tabulated 

 statement, I have calculated all the different 

 quantities to the imperal acre, to avoid multi- 

 plicity of tables and confusion. The plots 

 and manures used on them were arranged as 

 follow : — 



No. I. — 16 loads dung, 2 cwt. sulphate 

 of ammonia, 3 cwt. dissolved coprolites, and 



2 cwt. kainit, per acre. 



No. 2. — 16 loads dung per acre. 



No. 3. — No manure. 



No. 4. — 2 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 4 

 cwt. dissolved coprolities, 2 cwt. kainit, per 

 acre. 



No. 5. — 4 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 4 

 cwt. dissolved coprolites, per acre. 



No. 6. — 4 cwt. dissolved coprolites, and 

 4 cwt. kainit, per acre. 



No. 7. — No manure. 



No. 8. — 4 cwt, sulphate of ammonia, 

 and 4 cwt. kainit, per acre. 



No. 9. — 2 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 

 and 4 cwt. dissolved coprolites, per acre. 



No. 10. — 4 cwt. sulphate of ammonia per 

 acre. 



No. II. — No manure. 



No. 12. — 4 cwt. dissolved coprolites per 

 acre. 



No. 13. — 4 cwt. kainit per acre. 



No. 14. — No manure. 



No. 15. — 16 loads dung per acre. 



No. 1 6. — 16 loads dung, 2 cwt. sulphate 

 of ammonia, 3 cwt. dissolved coprolites, and 

 2 cwt. kainit, per acre. 



EARLY APPEARANCE OF THE CROPS. 



The sulphate of ammonia contained 24 

 per cent, ammonia ; the dissolved coprolites 

 26 per cent, soluble, and 5 percent, insoluble 

 phosphates ; and the potash salts 24 per 

 cent, sulphate of potash. The manures were 

 sown in the drills, the potatoes planted, and 

 the drills split in the usual way. The after 

 cultivation consisted of hand and horse 

 hoeing, and, finally, earthing up ; and the 

 plots were lifted, and weighed on the 2d 

 November. Before proceeding to state the final 

 results, I may give you the notes made upon 

 the different plots on the i6th June, when in 

 a growing state :— No. i well up and looking 

 fresh. No. 2 not nearly so far advanced as 

 No. I, but rather further advanced than the 

 nothing plots. No. 3 of the same colour as 

 No. 2, and nearly as far forward ; darker than 

 No. I, but not nearly so far advanced or 

 growthy looking. No. 4 further advanced, 

 and of a rather paler green than No. i. No. 

 5, robust looking, dark green stems, and 

 nearly as far forward as No. 4. No. 6 pale 

 green stems, and not so robust or forward as 

 Nos. 4 and 5. No. 7 same as No. 3. No. 

 8 slightly farther advanced than No. 7, and 

 darkish green stems. No. 9 fully further ad- 

 vanced, but of much the same colour and 

 appearance as No. 4 — these plots, viz., 4 and 



9, being much the furthest forward of the lot, 

 and followed by No. 5. No. 10 about the 

 same state of forwardness as No. 6, but of a 

 dark green colour. No. 1 1 not such robust 

 or dark greem stems, but nearly as forward as 



10. No. 12 further forward than iij but 

 lighter coloured. No. 13 of a darker green, 

 but otherwise much the same appearance as 

 No. 12, though scarcely so forward, about 

 the same for forwardness as the nothing 

 plots. No. 14 much like 13. No. 15, like 

 2. No. 16, like I. On the 12th July the 

 plots were again carefully gone over, and the 

 following notes made — On east end of the 

 plots, where the soil is rather lighter. No. 9 

 looked as well as No. 4 or No. 5 ; but on the 

 stronger land, towards the west end of the 

 plot. No. 5 looked best ; then No. 4, followed 

 by No. 9. On the whole. No. 5 looked best, 



