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XXXI. — Field Experiments on Clover- Seeds. By De. Augustus 



YOELCKER. 



In accordance with the instructions of the Chemical Committee, 

 I have been engaged for some years past in setting on foot a 

 number of field experiments. The results of some of them have 

 already appeared in the Journal, and others I hope to publish 

 fi'om time to time. 



The subject of the present communication is a short report on 

 field experiments on clover, that were made in the years 1864 

 and 1865. 



These years were very dry, and consequently unfavourable for 

 field experiments with artificial manures. The unusually dry 

 spring of 1864, more particularly, was unsuited to experiments 

 on clover-seeds. 



In the beginning of the spring of that year I sent the manures 

 designed for use to a number of intelligent men, personally known 

 to me, and for the greater part former pupils of mine. They 

 Avere willing and competent to carry out my instructions with 

 every possible care. 



It was my intention to have tested in the field, under as great 

 a variety of conditions, as regards soil and situation, as it was 

 possible for me to secure, the effects which nitrate of soda, or 

 salts of potash, or ammonia, are capable of producing on a crop 

 of clover-seeds. 



Unfortunately the season entirely spoiled most of the experi- 

 ments, and all the reports, except one, sent to me at the close of 

 the season contained only accounts of more or less complete 

 failures. 



It is useless to record in detail all the failures that have 

 been reported to me, both in 1864 and 1865. There are few 

 matters so disappointing to a farmer as having an experiment 

 entirely spoiled by an adverse season, on which more than ordi- 

 nary care, pains, and expense have been bestowed. Such dis- 

 appointments, however, are inseparable from experimental farm- 

 ing, and, therefore, every one who wishes to engage in it with 

 heart and soul must be quite prepared to experience many 

 failures through no fault of his own, and to realise but few suc- 

 cessful and satisfactory results. 



In most field experiments with artificial manures, the chief, if 

 not sole object, of the experimenter is to ascertain which kind of 

 manure, or what combination of fertilizing matters, produces the 

 greatest money-return for the outlay in manure. With this 



