Annual Report. 143 



It is very desirable to ascertain more definitely the physiolo- 

 gical effect of mouldy feeding substances upon the health of 

 animals, and the precise chemical character of the feeding ma- 

 terials which have had a prejudicial effect on sheep, horses, and 

 cattle, by experiments specially devised by your Veterinary and 

 Chemical Committees, with this object. 



At the request of the Chemical Committee, I have carried out 

 the following field-experiments : — 



a. On the Efficacy of Salt as a Fertilizer. 



A series of experiments with salt upon mangolds was tried in 

 Oxfordshire. The same series was repeated in Bedfordshire. 



The unusually dry summer, I regret tosay, completely spoiled 

 the experiments in both instances. 



The effects of salt were also tried upon oats, barley, and clover- 

 seeds, but without any marked results. 



b. Manuring Experiments upon Sicedes and Turnip. 



A series of field-experiments upon swedes and turnips with a 

 variety of artificial manures, carried out on light land in Bed- 

 fordshire, was, I regret to say, completely spoiled^by the failure 

 of the root-crop. 



c. Field Experiments on Clover-seeds. 



The following manures were tried upon clover and seeds 

 during the past season : — 



1. Nitrate of soda, applied at the rate of 4 cwt. per acre. 



2. Sulphate of ammonia „ „ 



3. Mineral superphosphate „ „ 



4. Common salt „ „ 



5. No manure „ ,, 



6. Muriate of potash „ „ 



7. Sulphate of potash „ „ 



8. Sulphate of lime „ 20 cwt. per acre, 

 g (Mineral superpliosphatc „ 41^^^ . ^^^^_ 



\ and nitrate of soda „ 4j ^ 



-.-. rMineral superphosphate „ 4\ 



\ and muriate of potash „ 4/ " 



These were tried on two farms in Shropshire, also in Bed- 

 fordshire, and in Northumberland. 



In the three first-mentioned localities the clover-crop was 

 scarcely worth making into hay, and the experiments conse- 

 quently were a complete failure. 



The last-mentioned series, undertaken under my direction by 

 Mr. Jacob Wilson, of Woodharn Manor-house, Morpeth, were more 

 successful, I am happy to say. The results wlh be published in a 

 future separate paper in the Journal, but I may mention that super- 



