PTET.D (^ROPS. 629 



largest proportion of loi^nniinous jMants. In iirowinc: potntoos n fertilizer 

 ai)i)licntii)n consisting,' i>\' <', cwi. of boiic dnst. '2 cw I. <>f i<ainit. L'S lbs. of suli)liato 

 (if iron, and 1 <\v1. of iiasic slai: pi-r .k re was nsrd. 'i'lic rcsnlts indicated that 

 liie kainit and sulphate of iron niiudd have I n nniiltcd. and that the quanti- 

 ties used (»f hone dust, or hi 1 and ixmc. and of liasic slai,' prohahly formed 



the best ajjplication for this crop on the cla.v land in (piestion. Seed potatoes 

 imported from California produced the healthiest i)lants. Si)rayin,t,' with per- 

 mauiianate of potash solution did not keep the plants healthy, while those 

 sprayi>d with liordeaux mixture were satisfactory. 



At the Kuaknra station A ton of basic slag per acre was not as effective on 

 grass as 2 cwt. of dissolved bone. Fertilizer and culture tests with various 

 Held croiis are reported without comment. 



Algerian oats was in general the most rust-resistant variety of oats grow^n 

 at Momohaki, and Abundance produced good crops. Marshall White Chaff 

 wheat yielded 5:^, bu. i)er acre anil Cape Barley 78.S bu. Root crops responded 

 quicker to superphosphate than to other forms of phosphoric acid. The use of 

 4 cwt. of superphosphate i)er acre produced a ton of increase in yield at a lower 

 cost than any other application. Sutton Yellow Globe Mangold ranked first 

 in production, with a yield of over 4G tons of roots per acre. 



At th(> Weraroa station 4 imported varieties of oats, Abundance, Storm King. 

 Scotch Potato, and Goldfinder. yielded 31.2, 3G.2. 42.5. and 47..") bu. per acre, 

 respectively. 



[Report on pasture and old land hay plats], D. A. Gilchrist iCoiiufi/ 

 ]\"ort}iin)ih.. Ed. Com., Bill. S, iJii. J,.j-81. ihj)iis. 4). — This bulletin contains a 

 report on .3 different series of experiments in progress for a number of years. 



The general results of all the trials show that for improving extensive areas 

 of poor boulder clay pasture in Northumberland a dressing of 10 cwt. of basic 

 slag per acre may be used with profit. Superphosphate and lime and phos- 

 phatlc manures other than slag are useful for this imrpose, but not so profitable. 

 It is believed that the initial treatment may be advantageously followed by 

 dressings of 5 cwt. of slag per acre about eveiy 3 years, and the judicious 

 feeding of cake to the grazing stock. For poor, old pasture on sandy soils 

 slag, together with a potash manure, is recommended. The feeding of cake 

 and the use of slag on poor pasture is considered as greatly aiding in the 

 development of sweet herbage on the lowlands. Liming was found expensive 

 and in'otitable only under special circumstances. 



At Cockle Park applications of slag and barnyard manure were very effec- 

 tive in developing fine grass and clover on thin hay and pasture land. Where 

 barnyard manure wa.s applied ])otash and nitrogenous fertilizers were not 

 profitable. In one instance in these tests the use of a complete commercial 

 fertilizer in combination with barnyard manure g;ive very poor results. 



The utilization of water by rye, barley, wheat, and potatoes, C. Seelhoust 

 (Jour. Ijiinlir.. .',.', (19(i()) , \o. .',. mi. .31i!-.l',2). — The results reported show that 

 on clay soil wheat required 333 gm. of water for the production of 1 gm. of dry 

 matter, rye 375 gm., and potatoes ()().3 gm. The amount of water used by rye 

 during .\pril and May was larger than the amount used by wheat, but after this 

 period \intil harvest wheat used nmch more water than rye. From June 1 to 

 .Tune 21 the (luantity of water used by I'ye increased slightly, while that used by 

 wheat increased considerably. Roth crops reached their maximum on .June 21. 

 The water utilization of the ])otato increased quite rajiidly from the end of May 

 to .July lo. and from this date until August 1 it remained about the same. Re- 

 ginning .Vugnst 1. the (luantity of water used decreased quite rapidly at first .-ind 

 then gradually until harvest. 



