510 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



B. P. B. P. 



1st, An increasing produce, as respects the 



nitrate of soda, of ^ 3 



2nd, An increasing prodnce, as respects the 



rapecake, &c., varying from 3 1 to 6 1 



3rd, A decreasing produce, as reipects the 



four ammoniacal instances contained 



in it, ranging from to 4 



Thus, then, this concluding series No. 4 embraces three 

 indeterminate means — two rising, and one falling ; and 

 therefore, when *he experimenters present us with the 

 figures 47 bush. 0| peck, as the total productive mean of 

 Series 4 (see Table V.), and with 19 bush.O^ peck (see the 

 Abstract), as the mean of increased produce compared 

 ■with the other series, they are in reality no means at all, 

 but mere arbitrary sums, composedof an agglomeration of 

 incongruous details belonging to an intermixture of in- 



stances, some indeterminately ascending in their results, 

 and others characterized by a secular descent no less 

 indeterminate. 



Throwing aside, then, this fallacious method of com- 

 parison, and repudiating a tabulation which, like that 

 we have been examining, classifies together and then 

 averages the most discordant elements, our next endea- 

 vours will be to select from amongst the twenty trials 

 a single case, possessing the qualities of a true gauge or 

 standard. This done, we will, in conclusion, point out 

 that when the instances in which nitrogenous salts were 

 used are thrown into natural groups, in these not only 

 did a large amount of secular decrease prevail, but, ap- 

 proximately, the ratio of decrement was in proportion 

 to the relative amount of nitrogen in its manure. But 

 this we shall reserve for another paper. 



TILLAGE; OR DEEP CULTIVATION, AND ITS RESULTS. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the agricul- 

 tural section of the Dublin Chemical Society was 

 held in the society's rooms, on Tuesday the 1st 

 of May last. 



Mr. Bowles, Cloughranhuddart, having been 

 unanimously called to the chair, the following 

 paper on the above subject was read by Mr. 

 Pringle : — 



Since the introduction of artificial manures, 

 there has naturally been great interest felt in that 

 subject, and it has, consequently, assumed a very 

 prominent place in discussions on agricultural 

 matters, and in the columns of agricultural journals. 

 It is but reasonable that such should be the case. 

 Prior to the introduction of ground bones — which 

 was the first form of artificial manure with which 

 the farmers of this kingdom became acquainted — 

 the supply of fertilizing material was limited to the 

 home resources of the farm ; and farm-yard dung, 

 either in its natural state or eked out in composts, 

 was the only means at command, in the majority 

 of cases, for maintaining or increasing the fertility 

 of the soil, in so far as manures were concerned. 



The supply of this material was necessarily 

 limited, and the operations of the farmer were con- 

 fined within narrower bounds than those which 

 they now occupy. When the fetters which tied, in 

 a great measure, the hands of British agriculturists 

 were broken, by the introduction, first, of bones, 

 then of guano, next of sulphated or dissolved bones, 

 and of the various forms of manure of which 

 the latter, or substances possessing, in certain 

 respects, similar properties, as well as other ma- 

 terials which now swell the list of fertilizers, it is 

 easily understood how such a subject as that of 

 artificial manures should possess features of even 

 more than ordinary interest. Those manures have 

 supplied the means not only of fertihzing lands al- 

 ready in cultivation, but also of adding to the area 

 of cultivation ; and in many parts of the kingdom 

 thousands of acres have been reclaimed which 

 could not have been done without the assistance of 

 artificial manures. 



Whilst it is right, therefore, that we should fully 

 appreciate those valuable auxiliaries, it is equally 

 necessary that other points in agricultural practice 

 should not be overlooked. It has certainly oc- 

 curred to me that we are, unwittingly no doubt, 

 accustoming ourselves to look upon the aid aflforded 

 by manures as being of such a nature as to enable 

 us to disregard, comparatively speaking, other es- 

 sentials. Now, we cannot do this, or attempt to 

 substitute one part of the system for another, 

 without loss. We cannot regard manure as a 

 suflScient substitute for eflfective culture ; nor can 

 we, on the other hand, regard tillage as a substitute 

 for manure. Each has a separate action, which is 

 more or less effective, according to circumstances ; 

 but it is only when united when the full amount of 

 benefit is realised. A steam-engine is a beautiful 

 and highly useful piece of mechanism] so is a 

 thrashing machine. Keep them asunder, and they 

 are of comparatively little value, although each 

 possesses its own peculiar qualities ; but unite them 

 and then we have those qualities brought into a 

 state of effective, because combined, opei'ation. It 

 is the same with tillage and manures, when they 

 are brought to bear on the production of plants. 

 Tillage performs its part, and for a tune may even 

 seem to have an eflfect which apparently renders 

 the application of manures less necessary ; and 

 manures, again, act upon soils so as to compensate 

 in some degree, for an imperfect system of cultiva- 

 tion. Still, if one is neglected for the other, the 

 action of that which is adopted becomes sooner in- 

 effective than it would do were both united. 



It has long been an estabhshed principle, that 

 deep culture is an essential to good husbandry; 

 but although this is theoretically acknowledged to 

 be true, we will find in numerous instances that it 

 is not practically recognised. The actual cultivated 

 body of soil in such cases is limited to a depth of 

 four or five inches at most, underneath which is a 

 sole or crust through which the roots of plants can- 

 not penetrate. Nor do we find this to be the case 

 where some physical impediments exist sufficient to 



