508 Field Experiments on Root- Crops. 



mon salt lots most backward. Crop raised, and trimmed tops 

 and roots on Oct. 11th. 



" The farmjard-manure applied was of a very inferior kind, 

 little more than wet straw, all the best manure having: been pre- 

 viously taken to other fields. Owing: to the dry weather this 

 seemed to admit the drought into the land, and lessen the plant. 

 The weather was also undoubtedly much too dry for the saline 

 manures, although it appears strange that common salt alone 

 produced a heavier crop than dung and several other lots. It is 

 but right to state that one of the three rows devoted to the salt- 

 experiment was missed in sowing the seed the first time, and was 

 then sown a fortnight later than the other lots. Owing to the 

 very dry weather, and the overshadowing power of the rows on 

 either side, the late row was kept back : indeed it was not half 

 as good as the general average; it was therefore not included 

 in estimating the weight of the plot. The exclusion of this row, 

 lest it might mislead, may however have led to error on the other 

 hand, as the comparatively vacant space left by the late low 

 allowed the others on each side to grow more freely. Out of all 

 the root-crops sown, amounting to nearly 50 acres there was not 

 a yard missed, except in this one experimental plot. This defect 

 is to be regretted ; but in so peculiar a season it would in no 

 case be advisable to attach much importance to any of the 

 experiments. 



" On each side of the experimental plots bone-superphosphate 

 was used as a manure for the general crop, which produced 

 16 tons per acre on one part, and on another part, some distance 

 off, 22 tons per acre ; this was ascertained from a much larger 

 extent of ground than the experimental plots. Strange to say, 

 that part which grew the 22 tons per acre had never borne a 

 good crop of either roots or corn until both lime and salt were 

 applied about three years ago. Whether the soil was really 

 deficient of lime or salt, or whether it was so filled with insects 

 that plants could not thrive, there is no evidence at present to 

 show." 



Mr. Vallentine's remarks will be read with interest ; they have 

 forcibly convinced me of the advantage which individuals would 

 gain by trying their hands at field experiments, and recording 

 faithfully any general observations which they may have an 

 opportunity of making in their ordinary course of farm 

 practice. 



Experiments on Mangolds in 1865. 



The same fertilizers which were employed in the preceding 

 experiments were tried upon a red cool clay soil by Mr. H. John 

 Charlton, of Henfields, Bewdley, with the following results : — 



