lo April, 191-.] /iiliiniicc ''/ SiipcrpJtosp/iaics, >jr'c. 



257 



phale 2 incht's, and in "•(""■ the grain was i inrh deep and the phos- 

 phate 4 inches deep. The heads and straw were har\-ested and weighed 

 separately, the former being cut off just before tlie grain ripened. All the 

 plots were slightly affected with " rust " and plot " JV in series 5 was 

 badly affected. They were carefully hand we'cded. but the weeding in 

 series 6 was not quite so thorough as in the other plots. The superphos- 

 phate was applied at the rate of i cwt. per acre except in series 2 where 

 the quantity was doubled. The following are the detailed results : — 



Scries I. 

 Control. 



Xo failure. 

 Heads, 8 

 Straw, 72 



Scrie.s II. 



: cwt. super, pi-r 

 acre. 



c. 



Heads, 31 



Straw, 228 



B. 



Heads, 21 

 Straw, 157 



Heads, 16 

 Straw, 144 



Scries III. 



I L-\vt. super, per 

 acre. 



c. 



Heads, 13 



Straw, 128 



B. 



Heads, 12 

 Straw, lie. 



A. 



Heads, 10 

 Straw, 123 



Series VT. 



1 cwt. super, per 

 acre. 



c. 



Heads, 14 



Straw, 105 



B. 

 Heads, 19 

 Straw, 132 



A. 

 Heads, 19 

 Straw, 140 



A. Grain and phosphate, 1 inch. 



B. PJiosphate, 2 inches ; grain. 1 inch. 



C. Phosphate, 4 indies"; grain, 1 inch. 



Summari/iiiL;- these results, the weights were: — 



A. (irain and Pliosphate 1 inili 



B. Piio^])liate 2 incites, Grain 1 incli 

 G. Phosphate 4 inches, (irain 1 incli 

 Gontrol, no mannre 



Heads. 



Apparently, therefore, so far as experiments on a small scale can be 

 relied on, phmting the superphosphate from i to 3 inches below the grain 

 seems to slightly increase the yield both as regards heads and siraw, and 

 .'-.'nee with the e.xception of one series of plots and with the badly rusted 

 plot in series 5, the results in each series are consistent with the averages 

 of the whole plots, it seems probable that field tests would give similar 

 results. In any case this method of planting is worthy of extended trial, 

 since it is impossible to predict how long the grain may have to lie in 

 the ground, and planting the superphosphate under the grain instead of in 

 contact with it, certainly does not seem to injuriouslv affect the yield. It 

 is possible that where a beneficial influence is exercised it may be because 

 the presence of the manure under the grain encourages the young roots to 

 grow more vertically downwards and so obtain a better supply of water. 

 If this is the case the effect would be most pronounced on a loose friable 

 soil in which moisture descends quicklv. It was in a soil of this character 

 that the above tests were made. 



