40 . Alfred J. Ewart : 



The two series were plouphed and harrowed on 16th May, 

 1906, then sown with a mixture of rye and oats sown broadcast, 

 The manure was sprinkled evenly on the surface of each plot, and 

 the harrow run over again ; both grain and manure being buried 

 1 inch to \\ inches. The last plot, however, quicklime, was 

 not sown till a week later, until the lime had slake<l and its 

 alkalinity had been reduced. 



Growth. — Germination was very good and quick, the weather 

 being favourable. The growth was good in the sand series espe- 

 cially, and continued without a check during winter, there be- 

 ing no noticeable diflference between the manured plots and un- 

 manured lands alongside until late in September, when they 

 mostly shot ahead. However, in the clay series, the contrast be- 

 tween raised beds and unformed lands was very great all along, 

 and though growth slackened in very cold weather, it never 

 went yellow like unmanured parts. Representative soil samples 

 were taken about 20th of each mouth in each plot (a) of surface 

 soil, (b) 8 inches deep, and (c) 16 inclies deep. The samples from 

 each plot were bulked to the amount of 1 kilogram of air-dried 

 soil from each depth, which was used for the extraction of food 

 salts. The sixth set of monthly samples was taken in De- 

 cember, three months after the tifth. The crojD was harvested 

 green late in October, and gave the following returns: — 



Sand Per acre 



1201b. - Unmanured 

 1401b. - 2 tons Slaked Limo 

 1391)). - 1201b. Nitrate S^.da 

 1221b. - 4cwt. Star Phosphate 

 lU41b. - 1 ton Gypsum 

 1211b. - 4cwt. Bone Dust 

 J 321b. - SOlb. Sulphate A mm. 

 13Hlb. - 2cwt. Blood Miinure 



1411b. - 2eivt. Superphosi/liate 

 1491b. - 2 tons Quicklime 

 The injurious action of the quicklime on the crop from plot 

 9 (clay) was partly due to the seed being sown before the alkalinity 

 was fully neutralised, partly to the binding action of the quick- 

 lime on the clay soil. Owing to the fact that the soils were 

 not at all impoverished, the effect of the manuring is not as 

 pronounced as it might otherwise have been, but im the >andy 

 soil the (luiekliuie produced a heavier crop than any other 



