182 Annual Report 



results hitherto obtained have not been such as to encourage the 

 farmer to incur expense. At the same time neither Mr. Frere 

 nor I myself consider these experiments to be conclusive evidence 

 as to the real value of potash-salts as a manure. 



These salts were also tried, under my direction, by Mr. James 

 Kimber, of Tubney Warren, Abingdon, Oxon, on mangolds, in 

 a very light sandy soil. Their effect here was very marked ; but 

 on the whole not greater than that produced by common salt, 

 which was tried alongside, for the sake of comparison with the 

 potash experiments. 



As the crude potash-salts contain a very large amount of com- 

 mon salt, we are left in this case in uncertainty whether potash 

 has had any effect on the increase in the mangold-crop. 



Still less decisive, as regards the practical utility of potash, 

 were the results of experiments tried under my directions on 

 swedes, mangolds, and carrots, by Mr. R. Vallentine, Burcott 

 Lodge, Leighton Buzzard. 



On the whole, the field-trials this season have left unsettled 

 the question as to the utility of supplying potash artificially to 

 the soil in the shape of these crude salts. 



c. Field Experiments on Clover-seeds. 



At my request Mr. Jacob Wilson, of Woodhorn Manor-house, 

 Morpeth, tried again the same experiments which last season 

 (see last year's Report) produced results which in many respects 

 were very interesting and suggestive. 



With the exception of a few unaccountable discrepancies, 

 which every one must have noticed who has tried field-experi- 

 ments, Mr. Wilson's experiments this year accord perfectly well 

 with the results of his last year's field-trials. 



Precisely the same manuring agents, on which I experimented 

 on Mr. Jacob Wilson's farm, were applied by Mr. Bigge, Bour- 

 ton Grange, Wenlock, both to permanent pasture and to one 

 year's seeds, after barley. 



As it is impossible to do justice to these field-trials in a short 

 report, I purpose to prepare for a future number of the Journal 

 a paper on Field- trials on Clover-seeds, 



Suggestions foe Experiments. 



Field Experiments on the Efficacy of Salt and crude Potash-Salts 

 for Roots — Mangold, Sivedes, Turnips, and Carrots. 



I would suggest the following experiments for any of these crops 

 with a view to determine the efficacy of crude potash-salts, and of 



