550 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Report of the experiments in the manuring of oats, hay, tur- 

 nips, and potatoes, R. P. Wright (Glasgow and West of Scotland 

 Tech. Col., Ayr. Dept. Bpts. 1896, pp. 101). — Similar work has been for- 

 merly reported (E. S. R., 8, pp. 589-591). The chemical composition 

 of the fertilizers used in these experiments i^ given. The results are 

 tabulated and discussed and attention is called to some of the more 

 important conclusions by introductory notes. 



From the experiment of manuring the oat crop it was concluded 

 that nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia, being readily available 

 manures, generally give profitable increases, which are usually larger 

 and more certain when the nitrogenous manures are applied with phos- 

 phate and potassic fertilizers, such as superphosphate and kainit. It 

 is stated that superphosphate increases the proportion of grain and 

 hastens ripening, and that kainit, in combination with superphosphate 

 and nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, strengthens the straw, 

 hastens ripening, and increases the total yield. Barnyard manure pro- 

 duced a large increase in yield, but increased straw rather more than 

 grain. The manurial experiments with the hay crop lead to the fol- 

 lowing conclusions: 



"That neither hone meal nor hasic slag applied alone have proved very effective 

 manures lor the hay crop in the first year of application. 



"That basic slag applied along with muriate of potash has proved much more 

 effective, and that this combination of manures has proved especially beneficial to 

 clovers. 



"That basic slag applied along with nitrogenous and potassic manures has shown 

 itself .somewhat more effective than superphosphate. 



"That the application of nitrate of soda alone to the hay crop is not nearly so 

 effective as when phosphatic and potassic manures are applied with it. 



"That nitrate of soda applied alone gives a large and profitable increase of grasses, 

 but diminishes clover, and this injures the aftermath and the subsequent pasture. 



"That a combination of nitrogenous, phosphatic, and potassic manures ... is 

 highly beneficial to grasses and clovers alike, produces very large increases of hay 

 both in the first cutting and in the aftermath, and gives a highly profitable return. 



"That such a combination of artificials gives us large crops and crops of a better 

 quality than barnyard manure. 



"That barnyard manure gives a large increase of crop and gives a better return 

 per ton when applied in a half rather than a full dressing. 



"That a much better return for barnyard manure is obtained by applying it in a 

 half dressing along with nitrate of soda tlian by applying it in a full dressing 

 alone." 



In the experiments with turnips it was found that basic slag applied 

 in different ways and in different combinations was not so effective as 

 superphosphate containing the same amount of phosphoric acid. This 

 conclusion is said not to apply to peaty or mossy soils, on which differ- 

 ent results have been obtained. The slag gave better results when 

 sown in drills than when applied broadcast earlier in the season. On 

 one plat in this experiment 888 lbs. of superphosphate, 100 lbs. of 

 nitrate of soda, and 100 lbs. of sulphate of potash per acre were 

 applied. The author recommends similar combinations as reliable 



