AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL OF VICTORIA. 



IvIAY, 1904. 



FIELD EXPERIMENTS IN MANURING, 1903-4. 



By F. J. HoH-e.ll, Fh. D. 



1. Hay Manuring Experiments. 



The co-operative manuring experiments in Southern Victoria 

 conducted during the season I902-o afforded facts of great value to 

 the Southern grower. The marked operative effect of phosphatic 

 manures in these experiments in the production of increased yields 

 revealed a response to applications of phosphoric acid in the bulk of 

 Southern soils, almost as striking as earlier experiments in Northern 

 areas had shown to be the case in that part of Victoria. A new fact 

 brought to light in the Southern experiments which might be accepted 

 as contradictory of earlier Northern results appeared to be the large 

 contributory share in the production of increased yields which appli- 

 cations of nitrogenous manures might be expected to play in certain 

 crops of Southern agricultvire. With respect to potash, the effective 

 action of additions of this ingredient in the majority of the fields of 

 the South agreed with what appeared to be the universal experience 

 in the North. There appeared, however, indications that on certain 

 types of soil in the South, potash might require to enter into con- 

 sideration in a system of manuring intended for the production of 

 maximum crops. 



The experiments conducted during the season of 1902-3 were, it 

 will be remembered, carried out under climatic conditions which 

 might be regarded as exceptional. The country is just emerging 

 from the serious position which followed as the result of these con- 

 ditions. It appeared then necessary to seek confirmation of returns 

 obtained under such conditions by results secured under more 

 normal circumstances. The experiments in the South were, therefore, 

 repeated over a large area, and in a more comprehensive way last 

 year, and although the rainfall of this year inclined rather to the other 

 extreme than the normal, the results taken together with the 

 experience of the preceding year, may be accepted as a basis for 

 expressing opinions generally as to manurial requirements. It is 

 satisfactory to find that the results of two extreme seasons agree in 

 the main points the experiments were intended to elucidate, and that 

 the knowledge gained may be regarded as of distinct value to the 

 agriculturist. 



