Tio Sept., 1912.] Soitw Results in FalUnciiii:^ Land. 



527 



Warington* (estimated that '" the production of nitrates tor the next crop 

 is probably the mo t important result of a bare fallow." While this is no 

 •doubt true for F'.ngland, it hardly holds for Australia, where moisture con- 

 servation takes the first place. At the same time we have the authority of 

 Warington added to King for stating that fallowing greatly increases the 

 nitrate supply available for the next season's crop, and the analyses of the 

 Sparrovale soils (Table VI.) indicate that the third oat crop grown on the 

 land started its life with too small a supply of nitrates. 



A Manorial Test. 



On 2nd November two small plots of j,\, acre were staked off in the oat 

 ■crop adjacent to the plots laid down for sampling the soils. One cwt. of 



WEIGHING SAMPLES FOR MOISTURE CONTENTS. 



nitrate of soda per acre was broadcasted on one plot, while the other 

 received no manure. The object was to determine whether the addition of 

 nitrate to a soil, which had proved .so poor in nitrate at the previous 

 sampling, would benefit the crop. The oats were then 6 inches high. The 

 <:rops were harvested and weighed on 27th December, when the yield from 

 the nitrated plot was increasd by 228 lbs. dry hay per acre, or 2 cwt. 

 (nearlv). There had been a fair rainfall after the application of the 

 manure, but the crop was probably too far advanced to make a good u.se 

 of it. 



In concluding this report, we desire to thank Mr. Baird, manager at 

 iiparrovale, for granting facilities for these experiments, and for furnishing 

 ajs with the rainfall records. 



[Suiiuiiary next page.] 

 * Chemistry uf the Farm. By R. Wariugtou. London. Vinton * Co. 



