778 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



Eesults Compared with those of Former Years. 

 The returns, like those of the larger fields just dealt with, are of 

 special value as offering means for comparison between results 

 obtained during a wet season and those secured under a scanty rain- 

 fall. This applies principally to the effects produced by phosphatie 

 fertilizers. The increased yields, following the use of equal quantities 

 of superphosphate and Thomas phosphate during the three years, 

 were as follows : — 



Increased Yields Resulting from 



1900 

 1901 

 1903 



Average of 85 fields 

 Average of 94 fields 

 Average of 5 fields 



The fairness of comparing the average of a small number of fields 

 as in the case of last year, with the large number of the two preceding 

 years, might with justice be called in question ; but even so the 

 influence of an abundant rainfall can I think be accepted as evident, 

 both in the larger increased yields resulting from equal quantities of 

 superphosphate, and in the far greater relative effectiveness of 

 Thomas phosphate, as shown in the above table. The larger rainfall 

 of last year appears also to have allowed a more effective action on 

 the part of heavier maniirial applications. The increased yield on 

 Plot 4, where 76^ lbs. of superphosphate have been applied, amounted 

 to 10^ bushels nearly, while a practically equivalent quantity in the 

 years 1900 and 1901 gave increased yields of 5"32 and 6"03 bushels 

 only. It is, however, of interest to note that, even with the splendid 

 rainfall of last year, quantities of a superphosphate, exceeding that 

 used on Plot 4, appeared to produce no further increase in yield ; 

 the returns on Plot 6, where 102 lbs. have been used, showing even 

 smaller figures than those of Plot 4, where the smaller quantity has 

 been applied. The slightly increased yields on Plots 7 and 9, where 

 nitrogen and phosphoric acid have been applied, over those of Plot 1, 

 where an equal quantity of phosphoric acid has been given, may be 

 regarded, I think, as confirmatory of results obtained in the larger 

 fields with respect to a certain operative effect last season of a nitro- 

 genous fertilizer. 



Remaining Tests of Small Fields. 



The remaining tests of the small fields included trials showing the 

 effect of the addition of gypsum to the superphosphate, of harrowing 

 the growing crop in the spring, and the application of manures in 

 different ways. This last test was only carried out on two fields, and 

 included an application of the fertilizer with the drill at the time of 

 sowing the grain, a broadcast application after sowing, and an appli- 

 cation ploughed in prior to sowing. The grain in all cases was put 

 in with the drill. In the case of the gypsum tests, the yields, in three 

 cases out of five, were heavier where gypsum had been added to the 

 superphosphate than where it was omitted, but in the two remaining 

 cases the reverse result followed. Taking the average of the five 

 fields, the differences in favour of gypsum appeared too small to merit 

 serious consideration. It will be noticed, on referring to the table. 



