WoELEY. — 0?i Clieviical Manures. 589 



In the experiments, potatoes, onions, turnips, and radishes 

 gave the best results, although all the above-mentioned were 

 benefited by the application of suitable chemical manures. 

 Watering cabbages with a dilute solution of sulphate of 

 ammonia produced astonishing results, and the application 

 of caustic potash and lime to the roots of apple-trees 

 proved highly beneficial. As most of the crops were gathered 

 in small quantities, as required for daily consumption, no 

 exact record was kept of the amount of produce raised. 



Eows of potatoes, peas, turnips, &c., however, were 

 manured for about two-thirds of their length, the remaining 

 third being left without manure. The improved crop in the 

 manui-ed portion of the rows proved conclusively in most 

 cases that, although somewhat costly, the manuring of them 

 paid well. In some cases the unmanured portion produced 

 nothing, the labour of digging and planting being quite 

 unrewarded, whilst, on the other hand, there was a good crop 

 on the manured part in return for the outlay in chemical 

 manures. Being anxious to prove for the benefit of others 

 the amount of advantage to be gained by the use of chemical 

 manures, I conducted last year the following experiments : — 



Arrangements were made with the proprietor of a piece of 

 neglected used-up land for the ground to be treated with 

 chemical manures. For this purpose the land was divided 

 into four sections and planted with potatoes. An unpro- 

 ductive potato-crop had been taken from the land the previous 

 year. No. 1 section was manured with bone-superphosphate 

 and nitrate of potash, at a cost equalling £11 10s. per acre ; 

 No. 2 section with bone-superphosphate and sulphate of 

 potash, at a cost of £9 15s. per acre ; No. 3 section was 

 manured with bone-superphosphate, sulphate of potash, and 

 sulphate of ammonia, at a cost of £10 5s. per acre ; and No. 4 

 section was left unmanured. The yield from the four sections 

 was as follows : No. 1, at the rate of 19|^ tons of potatoes per 

 acre; No. 2, 15f tons; No. 3, 14^ tons; No. 4, 11 tons. 



The potatoes were sold in small quantities at varying 

 prices, but the average price was equal to about £4 per ton. 

 At this price No. 1 section would leave, after deducting the 

 cost of manure, £66 10s. for labour, seed, and interest on 

 capital ; No. 2, £53 5s. ; No. 3, £46 15s. ; No. 4, £44 (there 

 being no deduction for manure in the latter case). These 

 comparisons are not, however, strictly accurate, since the 

 potatoes on the manured sections, owing to the stimulating 

 effect of the manure, matured early, and consequently realised 

 a better price than those from the unmanured section ; and, 

 further, at least 25 per cent, of the manure used on sections 

 1, 2, and 3 would be left in the soil, available for a second 

 <;rop. 



